CHAVEZ CONTINUES SHRILL RHETORIC AGAINST THE U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001018 SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER) E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2024 TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM VE SUBJECT: CHAVEZ CONTINUES SHRILL RHETORIC AGAINST THE U.S. REF: A. CARACAS 851 ¶B. CARACAS 1005 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Darnall Steuart for Reasons 1 .4 (B) ¶1. (U) In an August 4 speech in Caracas commemorating the 72nd anniversary of Venezuela's National Guard, President Hugo Chavez again accused the US, "despite its ambiguity," of supporting the Honduras coup. He charged that the "Yankee Empire," through its proposed military agreement with Colombia, was threatening the sovereignty of Venezuela's "people, soldiers and revolution." Chavez called on his fellow citizens, armed forces, and political party to further unite and advance the Bolivarian Revolution. ¶2. (C) COMMENT. Chavez, dressed in military garb and his paratrooper's red beret, employed much of the same shrill anti-US rhetoric as in his July 5 independence day speech (REFTEL A) in which he attacked US influence and presence in Latin America. Chavez and others in the Venezuelan government continue to suggest USG complicity in the Honduras coup (REFTEL B),despite President Obama's and the Secretary's clear support for Zelaya as the legitimate president of Honduras and our recent efforts to revoke visas for select Micheletti officials. Events in Honduras and the Defense Cooperation Agreement with Colombia appear to have greatly agitated Chavez, and we expect him to continue to fulminate along the same lines. End Comment. DUDDY