CHAVISTAS PROTEST AGAINST MIRANDA GOVERNOR,

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000764 SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER) E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2029 TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM KIRF VE SUBJECT: CHAVISTAS PROTEST AGAINST MIRANDA GOVERNOR, SCUTTLING CHARGE'S VISIT Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR FRANCISCO FERNANDEZ, FOR REASON 1.4(D) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Charge d'Affaires (CDA) called off a planned visit June 17 to Miranda State after learning of preparations for a United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) protest the same day in front of the opposition Governor's mansion. Embassy had notified the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) by dipnote of the planned visit to the state, and the Miranda Governor Henrique Capriles Radonski's office alleges that it was no coincidence that the local Chavista mayor convoked a protest the same day. A prominent Chavista mayor led the crowd that defaced the Governor's Mansion by painting graffiti, including swastikas, on the walls. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The Embassy sent a dipnote in mid-June to notify the MFA that the CDA planned to visit Miranda State on July 17 and to request a courtesy call with the mayor of Los Teques, Alirio Mendoza, a member of President Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Neither the MFA nor Mendoza's office responded. Separately, Poloff arranged a courtesy call directly with Governor Henrique Capriles Radonski, who belongs to the opposition Primero Justicia (PJ) party, for July 17. Capriles's office contacted the Embassy July 16 to advise that there was a PSUV protest scheduled in front of the Governor's office the following day, purportedly to criticize Capriles's alleged closure of social missions in the area. CDA opted to reschedule the meeting for a later date. (Note: A 2006 visit by Ambassador Brownfield to Miranda State became international news after Chavista protesters attacked his motorcade with eggs. End Note.) ¶3. (C) Capriles's office told Poloff June 18 that the protest had been convoked by Mayor Mendoza who passed out flyers advertising that the event would begin at 10 a.m. -- one hour before the CDA's planned meeting with Capriles -- and end by 1 p.m. Photos sent to the Embassy show red-shirted individuals clinging to the walls of the Governor's mansion and spraypainted graffiti of swastikas and the acronyms for the youth wing of the PSUV ("JPSUV") and for Lina Ron's group of ultra-militant Chavista supporters. (Note: One of Capriles's grandmothers is widely believed to have been Jewish. End Note.) ¶4. (C) Comment: The timing of the demonstration is curious since the issue regarding the social missions has been around for at least a few weeks and had never drawn the level of aggressive protest demonstrated. An earlier visit by the CDA to Maracaibo on June 13 which included a courtesy call on opposition Governor Perez passed without incident. It is clear, however, that PSUV members feel emboldened to attack the "enemies of the revolution", be they foreign or domestic. End Comment. CAULFIELD