Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CARACAS730
2009-06-11 21:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:  

CHARGE'S MEETING WITH CARABOBO GOVERNOR SALAS FEO

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM SNAR PREF VE 
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PP RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHCV #0730/01 1622112
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 112112Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3179
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000730 

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2024
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM SNAR PREF VE
SUBJECT: CHARGE'S MEETING WITH CARABOBO GOVERNOR SALAS FEO
- JUNE 9

REF: CARACAS 724

CARACAS 00000730 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR FRANCISCO FERNANDEZ,
REASONS 1.4 (B).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000730

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2024
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM SNAR PREF VE
SUBJECT: CHARGE'S MEETING WITH CARABOBO GOVERNOR SALAS FEO
- JUNE 9

REF: CARACAS 724

CARACAS 00000730 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR FRANCISCO FERNANDEZ,
REASONS 1.4 (B).


1. (C) Summary: Carabobo Governor Henrique Fernando Salas
Feo discussed increasing economic problems, his disagreements
with other opposition parties, and concerns about the future
of elections in a June 9 meeting at his home with the Charge
d'Affaires. Governor Salas Feo asserted that President
Chavez is losing support as people face rising prices, and
believes that there is dissent even within Chavez's own
United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Governor Salas
Feo believes that Chavez needs an enemy in order to rally his
base, and is currently using the opposition channel
Globovision to fill that role. While the 49-year-old
governor did raise concerns about the future of electoral
democracy in Venezuela, he appears to be adopting a less
confrontational stance both to survive politically and to
protect his much rumored presidential ambitions. End summary.

-------------- ---
Increasing Prices, Decreasing Support for Chavez
-------------- ---


2. (C) In a June 9 meeting at the Governor's home in
Valencia, Salas Feo said rising prices, shortages, and
unemployment are hurting the poor and the middle class, and
decreasing support for Chavez. As a former President of the
Association of Governors of Venezuela, Salas Feo said that he
has good relations with both opposition and pro-government
governors, and that all of them see similar discontent in
their states. Even the state-subsidized grocery stores
("Mercals") had increased their prices, Salas Feo contended,
and people are suffering. "Don't think people aren't angry
just because there are few protests," he said.


3. (C) Salas Feo believes that even members of Chavez's
United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) are unhappy with
the situation, and do not agree with the new laws proposed
since the February 15 referendum. When challenged as to why

PSUV members of the National Assembly members continue to
vote for all of Chavez's proposals, all of the time, Salas
Feo said that there is a lot of fear. Nevertheless, Salas
Feo believes there is active dissent within PSUV, saying that
PSUV governors know how to raise their concerns internally.
"We all receive the same treatment from the central
government," Salas Feo said, noting that budget problems due
to central government budget cuts are widespread.

--------------
Opposition and Obstacles
--------------


4. (C) "I am allergic to the word 'opposition'," Salas Feo
said. He thinks Chavez has successfully framed the
opposition as obstacles to progress, and that the June 8
press conference announcing the "unity table" (Reftel) was a
waste of time. The opposition in Caracas is removed from the
needs of regular people, he said; "it's like they are talking
to themselves instead of talking to the people." Given that
there are no elections this year, Salas Feo thinks that
opposition leaders should not be jockeying for power but
should be focusing on their governing responsibilities
instead. At times, he said, opposition leaders are
'offsides', getting in front of the people who have
legitimate complaints instead of staying in the background.
"It's much better to let the people raise their issues
directly," he added.


5. (C) Governor Salas Feo described Globovision as a channel
for the elite, and thinks that Chavez is using it as a common
enemy to rally his supporters. The Governor linked the
attacks on the channel to the change in administration in the
United States. "Chavez can't criticize President Obama the
way he criticized President Bush, so he needs a new enemy,"
he said, "and Globovision will work very well."

--------------
Constitutional Change, One Law At A Time
--------------


6. (C) The Governor is concerned with the flurry of new laws
approved and still being considered in the National Assembly.
"What was refused in the national referendum in December
2007 is being implemented through laws," he said. He also

CARACAS 00000730 002.2 OF 002


thinks that President Chavez will try to change the electoral
process dramatically, modeling it on the Cuban system with
indirect elections. Salas Feo said that directly elected
positions could be eliminated, with the national government
appointing more leaders. (Note: This idea is consistent with
the central government's recent decision to transfer the
budget and responsibilities of Greater Caracas Mayor Antonio
Ledezma to a presidentially appointed administrator. End
Note.)

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


7. (C) As the co-founder (with his father) of the Projeto
Venezuela political party, Governor Salas Feo appears to be
trying to chart his own course at the expense of unifying
with other opposition parties. He appears determined to
maintain a low profile; he did not, for instance, inform the
press of the meeting with the Charge d'Affaires. Salas Feo
also appears to be waiting patiently to see what happens - he
is not a forceful voice of the opposition and so stays out of
the internal fighting and is less of target for Chavez. His
criticism of the effort to have a leading opposition figure
may also stem from his much rumored presidential aspirations.
He mentioned, for example, that no Venezuelan president has
ever been from Caracas or Zulia State. Keeping a low profile
may work in his favor for now. However, should President
Chavez succeed in dramatically changing the electoral system
in Venezuela, as Salas Feo suggests is his intent, then even
less confrontational opposition leaders may find that their
political futures are limited.

CAULFIELD