Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CARACAS1335
2009-10-16 15:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
C-AL9-02049: CHAVEZ PLEASED THAT ZELAYA IS BACK
how-toVZCZCXRO2211 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHCV #1335 2891523 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 161523Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3838 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001335
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2029
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR PINS HO VE
SUBJECT: C-AL9-02049: CHAVEZ PLEASED THAT ZELAYA IS BACK
REF: A. SECSTATE 102923
B. CARACAS 1000
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin D. Meyer,
for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001335
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2029
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR PINS HO VE
SUBJECT: C-AL9-02049: CHAVEZ PLEASED THAT ZELAYA IS BACK
REF: A. SECSTATE 102923
B. CARACAS 1000
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin D. Meyer,
for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
1. (C) Summary: In answer to questions posed in ref A,
President Chavez appeared delighted with President Zelaya's
physical return to Honduras on September 21. He continues to
accuse the U.S. of instigating and definitely supporting the
ouster of Zelaya in June, and includes the events in Honduras
in his litany of evidence of U.S. aggression in Latin
America. His tone vis a vis the situation in Honduras,
however, is noticeably less outraged than before Zelaya's
return, and he no longer calls for the Honduran people to
rise up in arms against the de facto Micheletti government.
Recent public statements have barely touched on the situation
at all. End Summary.
2. (C) Chavez was never supportive of the Arias-led
mediation process, which sidelined Venezuela's involvement in
resolving the situation. During the months of Zelaya's
exile, Chavez regularly encouraged the Honduran people to
protest the situation and use violence if necessary (ref B).
He accused the United States having supported the coup. Days
after Zelaya's return, Chavez praised his courage in
returning to Honduras, "evading all the repressive mechanisms
of the fascist and terrorist coup-mongers." Since Zelaya's
return, Chavez has continued to assert a U.S. role in the
coup. During his speech at the U.N. General Assembly
September 24, Chavez said that the United States "incredibly,
had not recognized that there had been a coup." He accused
the Pentagon of having been behind the coup and of permitting
Honduran soldiers to use the U.S. base in Palmerola to remove
Zelaya from the country.
3. (C) Since Zelaya's return to Honduras, Chavez has not
called for armed uprisings against the de facto Honduran
regime. Chavez's recent remarks refer to Honduras only in
passing. Ministry of Foreign Affairs official Roman Delgado
told POLOFF October 5 that Chavez was pleased with the
situation. Consistent with this change in tone, Chavez's
recent national broadcasts have focused more on domestic
issues, particularly health, than the situation in Honduras.
Chavez did not mention Zelaya once, for instance, during his
5 hour and 53 minute national "cadena" broadcast October 4.
Chavez's few references to Honduras recently have been in the
context of mocking Venezuela's opposition leaders for denying
that a coup took place.
DUDDY
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2029
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR PINS HO VE
SUBJECT: C-AL9-02049: CHAVEZ PLEASED THAT ZELAYA IS BACK
REF: A. SECSTATE 102923
B. CARACAS 1000
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin D. Meyer,
for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
1. (C) Summary: In answer to questions posed in ref A,
President Chavez appeared delighted with President Zelaya's
physical return to Honduras on September 21. He continues to
accuse the U.S. of instigating and definitely supporting the
ouster of Zelaya in June, and includes the events in Honduras
in his litany of evidence of U.S. aggression in Latin
America. His tone vis a vis the situation in Honduras,
however, is noticeably less outraged than before Zelaya's
return, and he no longer calls for the Honduran people to
rise up in arms against the de facto Micheletti government.
Recent public statements have barely touched on the situation
at all. End Summary.
2. (C) Chavez was never supportive of the Arias-led
mediation process, which sidelined Venezuela's involvement in
resolving the situation. During the months of Zelaya's
exile, Chavez regularly encouraged the Honduran people to
protest the situation and use violence if necessary (ref B).
He accused the United States having supported the coup. Days
after Zelaya's return, Chavez praised his courage in
returning to Honduras, "evading all the repressive mechanisms
of the fascist and terrorist coup-mongers." Since Zelaya's
return, Chavez has continued to assert a U.S. role in the
coup. During his speech at the U.N. General Assembly
September 24, Chavez said that the United States "incredibly,
had not recognized that there had been a coup." He accused
the Pentagon of having been behind the coup and of permitting
Honduran soldiers to use the U.S. base in Palmerola to remove
Zelaya from the country.
3. (C) Since Zelaya's return to Honduras, Chavez has not
called for armed uprisings against the de facto Honduran
regime. Chavez's recent remarks refer to Honduras only in
passing. Ministry of Foreign Affairs official Roman Delgado
told POLOFF October 5 that Chavez was pleased with the
situation. Consistent with this change in tone, Chavez's
recent national broadcasts have focused more on domestic
issues, particularly health, than the situation in Honduras.
Chavez did not mention Zelaya once, for instance, during his
5 hour and 53 minute national "cadena" broadcast October 4.
Chavez's few references to Honduras recently have been in the
context of mocking Venezuela's opposition leaders for denying
that a coup took place.
DUDDY