OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL MEMBERS DECRY VENEZUELA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 011119

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV PREL ASEC VE IS OAS
SUBJECT: OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL MEMBERS DECRY VENEZUELA
SYNAGOGUE ATTACK

REF: CARACAS 000135


1. (U) Summary: During the Organization of American States'
(OAS) regular Permanent Council meeting on February 4, seven
countries spoke out about the January 30-31 synagogue attack
in Caracas (see reftel). Five countries, including the
United States, decried anti-Semitism in the hemisphere,
denounced the attacks and called on the Venezuelan government
to bring the perpetrators to justice. Argentina condemned
anti-Semitism and called for tolerance, but did not mention
the attack or Venezuela by name. Venezuela also repudiated
the attack but claimed it was also an "aggrieved party"
because "some (were) seeking to use the incident as a stick
with which to beat
Venezuela" in anticipation of the upcoming referendum on
presidential term limits. Venezuela also remarked that OAS
member states should be as concerned about the "genocide" in
Gaza as they are with the synagogue attack. End summary.


2. (U) OAS Permanent Council: The OAS holds Permanent
Council meetings - meetings of all 34 member states'
permanent representatives - approximately every two weeks.
The February 4 meeting was the first since the synagogue
attack. Seven member states spoke about the attack under
"other business" at the end of the session. Here is a
summary of the member states' remarks, in the order in which
they spoke:

-- Panama: Ambassador Aristides Royo noted the importance of
religious freedom in the hemisphere and stated that all OAS
member states "have the obligation to ensure religious
freedom in our own neighborhoods." The ambassador denounced
the attack on the synagogue and all forms of anti-Semitism.
He also supported OAS Secretary General Insulza's "call for
the Venezuelan government to bring the perpetrators to
justice."

-- Argentina: Ambassador Rodolfo Gil pointed out that
Argentina has the second largest Jewish community in the
American Diaspora. He spoke of the past bombing of the
Israeli Embassy and of the Jewish cultural center in Buenos
Aires, and emphasized Argentina's commitment to religious
freedom and tolerance. He did not make direct reference to
Venezuela but said that no form of bullying or hate speech
should be countenanced.

-- United States: Deputy Permanent Representative Lew
Amselem said that all states, including OAS member states,
have a responsibility to guarantee the rights and liberties
of their citizens consistent with international commitments.
Those commitments include the rights to religious freedom,
free association and spiritual development. Amselem pointed
out that freedom of belief is a central freedom under the
U.S. Bill of Rights, as well. The attack against the
synagogue must be condemned in the strongest terms and serves
as a warning of what can happen in a highly politicized
environment when intolerance is left to simmer. Violence
against religious sites is a clear threat to religious
diversity and fundamental human rights. Amselem called on
Venezuela to investigate the attack thoroughly and prosecute
those responsible. He said the United States is proud to
stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan Jewish community and
urged the Government of Venezuela to encourage a peaceful,
pluralistic environment that includes diverse perspectives
and open dialogue.

-- Canada: Deputy PermRep Pierre Giroux next gave a very
brief statement "condemning" the attack and urging Venezuela
to investigate the crime and bring the responsible parties to
justice. (The Canadians had said they would speak only if we
did, and they would speak only after we did.)

-- Venezuela: Venezuela's remarks were hardly brief. While
the other representatives' comments lasted only a few minutes
each, Ambassador Roy Chaderton gave a 26-minute rambling
intervention, much of it filled with anti-Catholic invective,
during which he said:

(a) It is encouraging that the OAS "is so concerned about
events that happen in member states". He hoped this was a
"harbinger of hope" that OAS countries will also speak out
about the "genocide that has been going on in Gaza."

(b) This is a positive step forward and underlines the
member states' moral authority to speak out not only on

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events in the region, but around the world.

(c) The synagogue attack "filled Venezuelans with regret."
Since long before the Chavez government came to power,
Venezuela has been home to a number of hate groups, including
extreme Catholics "who have various sorts of Nazi
paraphernalia in their homes."

(d) The Chavez government has spoken out against
anti-Semitism, which is an expression of hate "like
anti-Islamic statements so much in vogue in some countries."

(e) It is "curious and interesting" that this attack
happened in the run-up to an election in Venezuela which is
designed to let the people decide how long a president may
serve.
It is a "pity" the OAS does not show equal concern for "other
occurrences" and it is "not fair Venezuela is not given
credit for its tolerance."

(f) The attack on the synagogue should not be "used as a
stick with which to beat Venezuela as we approach the
election." The Venezuelan Government was also "an aggrieved
party."

-- Costa Rica: Deputy Permanent Representative Luis Guardia
said Costa Rica "repudiated the attack on the synagogue" and
"totally censured it."

-- El Salvador: Deputy Permanent Representative Luis
Menendez ended the discussion by expressing its "solidarity
and sympathy with the Venezuelan Jewish community" in the
face of the attack.


3. (SBU) Comment: USOAS lobbied other Permanent Missions
extensively before and during the meeting to encourage them
to speak out against the attacks in Venezuela. Had the
United States been alone in denouncing the attacks, it is
likely the Venezuelans would have used the opportunity to
attack the United States directly. Instead, Chaderton
essentially claimed that member states were not giving
sufficient attention to Gaza and should treat the Venezuelan
government as a victim of the synagogue attack. In our
judgment, both claims sounded hollow in the halls of the OAS.
End comment.
CLINTON