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