Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SAOPAULO288
2008-06-09 12:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Sao Paulo
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: VENEZUELA, CHAVEZ'
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHSO #0288 1611223 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 091223Z JUN 08 FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8280 INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 9411 RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8747 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 3107
UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000288
SIPDIS
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD
DEPT PASS USTR
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: VENEZUELA, CHAVEZ'
REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE
Chavez' Police State
Center-right O Estado de S.Paulo (6/9) states: "Hugo Chavez has
enacted a national security law which...if fully carried out...will
turn Venezuela...into a nation of fearful snitches.... It
establishes that...everyone and everything constitute a means of
support to intelligence and counter-intelligence activities. Those
who do not cooperate will be committing a crime.... The law is
purposefully written in a vague manner to allow any working
journalist to be sent to jail under accusation of spying or any
other charge the authorities see fit.... It puts an end to due
process of law.... The minister...in charge of running the political
police said it was written to fight
'U.S. interference.'... The enactment of this law is one more stage
in the process of turning Venezuela into a totalitarian State. It is
an outright violation of the OAS' Democratic Charter. Its adoption
makes Venezuela irrecoverably incompatible with the principles of
Mercosul as established in its Democracy Clause."
White