ANTI-OBAMA MURAL ON DISPLAY IN CARACAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001459 SIPDIS US SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (BREMPELL) AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL LEIPZIG AMEMBASSY ATHENS PASS TO AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN PASS TO AMEMBASSY GRENADA AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PASS TO AMCONSUL QUEBEC E.O. 12958: DECL: 2029/11/16 TAGS: PREL PGOV VE SUBJECT: ANTI-OBAMA MURAL ON DISPLAY IN CARACAS CLASSIFIED BY: DUDDY, AMBASSADOR, DOS, AMB; REASON: 1.4(D) ¶1. (U) Users with access to SMART Cable system, please open attachment to see three photos of anti-Obama mural. ¶2. (U) A prominently displayed, high-quality painted mural denigrating President Obama is currently on public display in central Caracas. The mural, which is painted on a concrete wall adjoining a major downtown thoroughfare, depicts President Obama's face divided into two parts, one half machine and the other half human. The caption to the left of the depiction says, "Toy of the Empire. Easy to use, totally manipulatable." Language immediately to the right of the mural says, "False Nobel Prize. 68 thousand Yankee soldiers in the Middle East. 680 billion dollars for the war." ¶3. (U) The mural is located in the pro-Chavez municipality of Libertador, and appeared sometime during the first ten days in November. Post notes that while there is substantial low quality anti-American graffiti throughout the city, this image seems to have been professionally produced. ¶4. (C) Post will submit a letter protesting the offensive image to the Chavista mayor of Libertador, Jorge Rodriguez, noting that it is not graffiti, that its continued presence indicates endorsement by the city, and requesting that it be removed. ¶5. (C) Comment: This mural constitutes the visual complement to the GBRV's recent allusions to President Obama as a "puppet of the Empire." End Comment. DUDDY