CHAVEZ BACK IN PUBLIC VIEW, CLAIMS CIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000685

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ BACK IN PUBLIC VIEW, CLAIMS CIA
ASSASSINATION PLOT

REF: CARACAS 000680

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR FRANCISCO FERNANDEZ,
FOR REASON 1.4(D)


1. (C) Summary: President Chavez reappeared on state TV
the night of June 2 after disappearing without warning from
Venezuelan airwaves on May 31 (Reftel). Chavez alleged that
the CIA and Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles were seeking to
assassinate him and credited Nicaraguan President Daniel
Ortega with first notifying him of the plot. According to
the Venezuelan president, unspecified persons planned to
shoot down his presidential plane with rockets during his
planned trip to attend El Salvadoran President Funes'
inauguration. Despite Chavez's stated interest in improving
bilateral relations with the United States, he continues to
depict the USG as an external enemy, eliciting considerable
local and international media coverage in the process. End
Summary.

--------------
CHAVEZ ALLEGES ANOTHER CIA PLOT
--------------


2. (SBU) After a three-day absence from public view,
President Chavez appeared on state TV the night of June 2 to
accuse an "intelligence agency of the United States" and
Cuban exile and octogenarian Luis Posada Carriles of
allegedly planning to assassinate him. According to Chavez,
the plot was to shoot his plane down using rockets during his
planned flight to El Salvador June 1 to attend the
inauguration of incoming Salvadorian President Mauricio
Funes.


3. (SBU) Chavez clarified that he was not blaming either the
incoming nor outgoing government in San Salvador, but that
"Central America has been used for a long time by the United
States for its operations against free governments in the
region." He also did not blame President Obama personally,
but reiterated his refrain that the United States continues
to act like an "empire." In a mandatory "en cadena"
broadcast June 2 on state-owned Venezolana TV from Vargas
State, Chavez called on President Obama to "comply with the
law and hand over Posada Carriles for assassination (and)
genocide."


4. (C) Chavez appeared smiling and energetic on TV,
probably seeking to tamp down rumors that he was actually
laid low by a stomach ailment. He spoke to what appeared to
be a hastily convoked meeting with grassroots community
leaders involved in implementing public works at a government
owned and planned development in Vargas State. He blamed the
media speculation regarding his health on malicious efforts
by the opposition, and claimed that it was Nicaraguan
President Daniel Ortega who first notified him May 30 of the
alleged assassination plot. Chavez added that he would get
more details from Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro after he
returns from the OAS General Assembly in Honduras.

--------------
Comment
--------------


5. (C) Chavez appears to have exploited the local media
frenzy surrounding his disappearance and has made an even
more splashy return to public view with allegations of a
CIA-backed assassination plot. Although Chavez regularly
trots out absurd claims of U.S.-backed plans on his life, his
accusations continue to grab local and international media
attention. Despite his stated interest in improving
bilateral ties, depicting the United States as Venezuela's
primary external enemy and passing blame for domestic
problems to the USG are still key elements of the Venezuelan
president's playbook.

CAULFIELD