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TSPA SPACE ACTIVITIES

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Effective from March 1973 (Revised January 1983)

Research and development leading to and resulting in the exploration and utilization of outer space. (Replaces RCHB file categories: DEF, SP, TEL)

Specific Subject Terms often used with this TAGS:

* Astronaut
* Astronomy
* Communications Satellite
* Direct Broadcasting Satellite
* ELV
* Exploration
* Geostationary Satellite Orbit
* High Technology Equipment
* Intellectual Property
* Intellectual Property Rights
* Landing Rights
* Navigational Aid
* Orbit
* Outer Space
* Outer Space Commercialization
* Peaceful Use of Outer Space
* Reentry
* Research & Development
* S & T Agreement
* S & T Cooperation
* S & T Development
* Salvage
* Satellite
* Scientific Cooperation
* Space Agreement
* Space Fragment
* Space Law
* Space Liability
* Space Program
* Space Station
* Spacecraft
* Spacecraft Recovery
* Spaceflight
* STRIDE
* Technology
* Technology Transfer
* Telecommunication
* Tracking Station
* UFO

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AA AADP AALC ABER ABLD [+] ABLDG ABLG ABMC ABT ABUD AC ACABQ ACAO ACCOUNT ACDA ACEC ACKM ACOA ACOTA ACS ACTION ADANA ADB ADCO ADCP ADEL ADEP ADIP ADM ADMIRAL ADPM ADRC AE AEC AECL AEGR AEIR AEM AEMED AEMR [+] AER AESC AF AFARI AFDB AFDIN AFFAIRS AFGHANISTAN AFIN [+] AFL AFLU AFOR AFR AFSA AFSI AFSN AFU AFZAL AG AGAO AGENDA AGENGA AGIT AGMT AGOA AGR AGS AGUIRRE AI AIAG AID AIDAC AIDS AIEA AIHRC AIN AINF AINFCY AINR AINT AISG AIT AJ AK AL AL-1 ALAB ALBE ALEXANDER ALI ALJAZEERA ALL ALNEA ALOW ALOWAR AM AMAT AMB AMCHAMS AMCT AME AMED AMEDI AMEMR AMER AMERICAS AMEX AMG AMGE AMGMT AMGT [+] AMIA AMLB AMPR AMT AMTC AMTG AN ANARCHISTS ANC AND ANET ANTITERRORISM AO AOCR AODE AOIC AOMS AOPR AORC [+] AORD AOREC AORG AORL AOWC AP APCS APDC APEC APECO APER [+] APR APRC APRM AQ AR ARAB ARABBL ARABL ARABLEAGUE ARAS ARC ARCH ARENA AREP ARF ARG ARM ARMITAGE ARMS AROC ARR ARRMZY ARSO AS ASA ASAC ASC ASCC ASCE ASCEC ASCH ASE ASEAN ASEC [+] ASECARP ASECE ASECM ASECSI ASECVE ASED ASEDC ASEG ASEK ASES ASEX ASFC ASIC ASIG ASIR ASJA ASO ASOC ASPA ASR ASSEMBLY ASSK ASUP AT ATFN ATPDEA ATRA ATRD ATRN AU AU-1 AUC AUNR AUSGR AUSTRALIAGROUP AV AVERY AVIAN AVIANFLU AVIATION AW AX AY AZ AZE B. BA BAGHDAD BAIO BAKOYANNIS BALKANS BAPOL BARACK BASHAR BATA BB BBG BBSR BC BCW BCXP BD BE BEAN BEN BERARDUCCI BESP BEXB BEXP [+] BEXPC BEXPPLM BEXT BF BFIF BFIN BFIO BG BGD BGMT BH BHUM BI BIC BIH BILAT BIMSTEC BINR BIO BIOS BIOTECH BIOTECHNOLOGY BIT BITO BK BL BLR BLUE BLUNT BM BMENA BMGT BMOT BN BNUC BO BOIKO BOL BOND BOQ BORDER BOSNIA BOU BOUCHAIB KAKA BOUTERSE BP BPIS BPTS BR BRIAN BRPA BRUSSELS BS BSSR BT BTA BTC BTIO [+] BTIU BTRA BTT BU BUD BULGARIA BURMA BUSH BV BW BWC BX BXEP BY BZ CA CAC CACM CACS CAFTA CAIO CAJC CAMBODIA CAN CAPC CARC CARE CARIB CARICOM CARSON CAS CASA CASC [+] CASCC CASCR CASE CASTILLO CAVO CB CBC CBD CBE CBG CBIS CBM CBSA CBTH CBW CCSR CCY CD CDB CDC CDCC CDCE CDG CDI CE CEA CEC CEDAW CEN CENTCOM CENTRIC CEUDA CF CFE CFED CFG CFIS CFSP CG CGEN CGOPRC CH CHAD CHALLENGE CHAO CHELIDZE CHENEY CHERTOFF CHG CHIEF CHN CHR CHRISTIAN CHRISTOF CHRISTOPHER CI CIA CIAT CIC CICTE CIDA CIO CIP CIS CITEL CITES CITIBANK CITT CIVAIR CIVS CJ CJAN [+] CJUS CK CKGR CKOR CL CLEARANCE CLINTON CLMT CLO CLOK CM CMAE CMFT CMGT [+] CMP CMT CN CNAR CNARC CNC CNO CO CODEL COE COL COLIN COLLECTIVE COLOMBO COM COMESA COMMERCE CON CONAWAY CONDOLEEZZA CONDOLEEZZA RICE CONEAZ CONG CONGO CONGRINT CONS CONSULAR CONTROL CONTROLS CORRUPTION COSI COUNTER COUNTER TERRORISM COUNTERTERRORISM COUNTRY COUNTRYCLEARANCE CP CPA CPAS CPC CPCTC CPPT CPUOS CQ CR CRIM CRIME CRIMES CRM CROATIA CROS CRS CRUZ CS CSCE CSEP CSIS CSW CT CTBT CTER CTERR CTM CTR CTRYCLR CU CUCO CUIS CUL CV CVIA CVIC CVIS [+] CVISU CVPR CVR CW CWC CWCM CWG CX CY CYP CYPRUSARMS CZ DA DAC DAFR DAN DANFUNG DANIEL DAO DARFR DARFUR DAVID DAVID LEE HOWES DAVID WELCH DAVID WILLIAM RAY DB DC DCDG DCG DCHA DCI DCM DCOM DCRM DE DEA DEAX DEFENSE DEFENSEREFORM DELTAVIOLENCE DEM DEMARCHE DEMOCRATIC DENNIS DEOC DEPT DEPT FOR DS COMMAND CENTER DESI DHA DHLAKAMA DHLS DHRF DHS DHSX DIEZ DIPLOMACY DISENGAGEMENT DJ DK DKEM DMIN DMINE DO DOC DOD DOE DOJ DOMC DOMESTIC DOMESTICPOLITICS DONALD RUMSFELD DOT DPAO DPKO DPM DPOL DPRK DR DRC DRIP DRL DS DSR DSS DTFN DTRA DTRO DU DVC DY EAC EAD EADI EADM EAG EAGER EAGR [+] EAI EAIC EAID [+] EAIDB EAIDCIN EAIDEGZ EAIDMG EAIDNI EAIF EAIG EAIO EAIR [+] EAIS EAIT EAOD EAP EAPC EAR EARI EASS EATO EAUD EAVI EB EBEXP EBRD EBUD EC ECA ECCP ECCT ECE ECIN ECIP ECLAC ECN ECOIN ECOM ECON [+] ECONCS ECONEGE ECONOMIC ECONOMICS ECONOMY ECONOMY AND FINANCE ECOR ECOS ECOSOC ECOWAS ECPC ECPN ECPO ECPS [+] ECPSN ECRM ECTRD ECUN ED EDA EDEV EDRC EDU EDUC EE EEB EEC EENG EENV EEOC EET EETC EFI EFIC EFIM EFIN [+] EFIS [+] EFLU EFN EFND EFNI EFQ EFTA EG EGAD EGAR EGEN EGHG EGOV EGOVSY EH EI EIAD EIAID EIAR EIB EICN EID EIDE EIDN EIFN EIN EIND [+] EINDIR EINF EING EINN EINO EINR EINT [+] EINV [+] EINZ EIPR EIQ EISL EISNLN EITC EITI EIVN EK EL ELA ELAB [+] ELAD ELAINE ELAM ELAN ELAP ELB ELBA ELBR ELEC ELECTIONS ELF ELIN ELN ELND ELNT ELTD ELTM ELTN [+] ELTRN EMAIL EMED EMI EMIN [+] EMN EMS EMW EN END ENDURING ENEG ENER ENERG ENERGY ENFR ENG ENGR ENGRD ENGRG ENGY ENIV ENLT ENNP ENR ENRC ENRG [+] ENRL ENTG ENV ENVI ENVIRONMENT ENVR ENVT EON EOXC EP EPA EPAT EPCS EPE EPEC EPECO EPET [+] EPIN EPIT EPPD EPRT EPSC EPTE EPTED EPWR EQ EQRD ER ERA ERD EREL ERGR ERICKSON ERIN ERTD ES ESA ESCAP ESCI ESDP ESENV ESF ESLCO ESOC ESOCI ESPS ESS ESSO ESTH ESTN ESTRADA ET ETA ETAD ETC ETCC ETD ETDR ETEL ETER ETEX ETFN ETIC ETIO ETLN ETMIN ETR ETRA ETRAD ETRB ETRC ETRD [+] ETRDECD ETRG ETRK ETRN ETRO ETRP ETT ETTC [+] ETTD ETTF ETTN ETTR ETTRD ETTW ETZ EU EUC EUCOM EUE EUEAID EUFOR EUM EUMEM EUN EUR EUREM EURM EURN EV EVENTS EVN EWRG EWT EWTR EWWT [+] EX EXBS EXEC EXIM EXO EXPORT EXTERNAL EZ FA FAA FAC FAGR FAO FARC FARM FAS FATAH FBI FCC FCS FCSC FCSCEG FCUL FDA FDIC FEDULOV FEMA FERNANDO FGM FI FIN FINANCE FINE FINR FINREF FINV FIR FISO FJ FK FKFLO FKLU FLU FM FMC FMGT FMLN FMS FO FOI FOOKS FOR FORCE FORCES FOREIGN FORWHA FP FPC FR FRA FRANCIS FRANCISCO RODENAS RUIZ FRB FREDOM FREEDOM FRELIMO FRIED FRN FRU FSC FSI FT FTA FTAA FWS GA GAERC GAMES GAO GARCIA GASPAR GATT GAZA GAZPROM GB GBSLE GC GCC GCCC GE GEF GEORGE GERARD GESKE GF GG GH GI GIPNC GIWI GJ GKGIC GL GLOBAL GM GN GO GOG GOI GON GOVPOI GPGOV GPI GPOI GPOV GR GRQ GS GT GTIP GTMO GTREFTEL GU GUAM GUANTANAMO GUIDANCE GUILLERMO GUTIERREZ GV GWI GY GZ GZIS HA HARRIET HARRY HAWZ HCOPIL HDP HE HEAVEN HEBRON HELGERSON HERCEGOVINA HG HHS HI HIGHLIGHTS HIJAZI HILARY HILLARY HILLEN HIPC HIV HIZ HK HKSX HL HLSX HN HNCHR HO HOA HOSTAGES HPKO HR HRC HRCS HRICTY HRIGHTS HRKSTC HSI HSTC HSWG HT HTCG HTSC HU HUD HUM HUMAN HUMANITARIAN HUMANR HUMANRIGHTS HUMOR HUMRIT HUNRC HURI HURRICANE HYDE HYLAND HYMPSK HZ IA IACHR IACI IACO IACW IADB IAEA IAES IAHRC IAIE IAII IASA IATTC IAZ IBB IBD IBET IBPCA IBRB IBRD IC ICAC ICAO ICC ICCAT ICCROM ICES ICJ ICRC ICRS ICSCA ICTR ICTY ID IDA IDB IDLI IDLO IDP IDR IE IEA IEAB IEF IF IFAD IFC IFIN IFM IFO IFR IFRC IG IGAD IGF IHO IICA IINS IIP IK IL ILAB ILC ILEA ILO IMC IMET IMF IMMIGRATION IMO IMSO IMTS IN INAUGURATION INCB IND INDO INF INFLUENZA INL INMARSAT INNP INPFC INR INRA INRB INRD INRO INRPAZ INS INSC INT INTEL INTELLECTUAL INTELSAT INTERNAL INTERPOL INV INVI IO IOC IOM IP IPET IPGRI IPK IPPC IPR IPROP IQ IQNV IR IRAN IRAQ IRAQI IRAQI FREEDOM IRC IRCE IRDB IRE IRL IRLE IRM IRMO IRNB IRPE IRS IS ISA ISAAC ISAF ISCA ISCON ISLAMISTS ISLE ISN ISNV ISO ISPA ISPL ISRAEL ISRAEL RELATIONS ISRAELI ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS ISSUES ISTC IT ITA ITALIAN ITALY ITECIP ITEIND ITELTN ITER ITF ITIA ITRA ITRD ITU IUCN IV IVIANNA IWC IWI IX IZ IZAORC JA JAM JAMES JAPAN JAT JAWAD JCIC JE JEFFERY JEFFREY JHR JI JIMENEZ JIMENEZ CHILDREN JK JKUS JM JN JO JOHNNIE JOSE NEY MILA ESPINOSA JOSE RAMOS HORTA JOSEPH BIDEN JP JS JSRP JUAN JUS JY KA KACP KACT [+] KACW KADM KAID KALM KALR KANSOU KAPO KARIM WADE KATRINA KAUST KAWC [+] KAWK KAWL KAWS KAWX KAYLA KBCT KBDS KBEM KBIO KBNC KBTC KBTR KBTS KBWG KCCP KCEM KCERS KCFC KCFE [+] KCGC KCHG KCIP [+] KCIS KCM KCMA KCMR KCOG KCOM [+] KCOR [+] KCPS KCRCM KCRI KCRIM KCRM [+] KCRN KCRO KCROM KCROR KCRP KCRS KCRT KCSA KCSI KCSY KCUL KCUM KCVM KCWI KDCM KDDEM KDDG KDE KDEM [+] KDEN KDET KDEV KDGOV KDGR KDHS KDM KDMR KDP KDRG [+] KDRL KDTB KDUM KE KEAI KEBG KECF KEDEM KEDM KEDU KEIM KEM KEMPI KEMR KEMS KEN KENV KERF KERG KESO KESP KESS KEVIN KFAM KFCE KFE KFEM KFGM KFIN KFIU KFLD KFLO KFLU KFOR KFPC KFRD [+] KFRP KFSC KFTFN KFTN KG KGCC KGCN KGHA KGHG [+] KGIC [+] KGICKS KGIT KGIV KGKG KGLB KGOR KGOV KH KHDP KHGH KHIB KHIV [+] KHJUS KHLS [+] KHMN KHOURY KHPD KHSA KHSL KHUM KI KIBL KICA KICC KICCPUR KICR KICT KID KIDE KIF KIFR KIIC KIIP KIL KILS KIMMITT KIMT KIND KINF KINL KINP KINR KINT KIPR [+] KIPT KIRC KIRF [+] KIRL KIRP KIS KISC KISK KISL [+] KISM KISR KITA KIVP KIVR KJAN KJRE KJU KJUS [+] KJUST KJWC KK KKIV KKNP KKOR KKPO KLAB KLAP KLBO KLEG KLFLO KLFU KLHS KLIG KLIP KLPM KLSO KLTN KM KMAC KMAR KMCA [+] KMCC KMCR KMDR [+] KMEPI KMFO KMGT KMIG KMNP KMOC KMPF KMPI KMPIO KMPL KMPP KMPT KMRD KMRS KMSG KMVP KMWN KN KNAO KNAP KNAR KNDP KNEI KNEP KNET KNMP KNN KNNA KNNB KNNC KNNF KNNO KNNP [+] KNNR KNOP KNP KNPP KNPPIS KNPR KNPT KNRG KNRV KNSD KNUC KNUP KO KOC KOCI KOCM KOEM KOGL KOLY [+] KOM KOMC KOMCCO KOMCSG KOMH KOMO KOMS KOR KOSOVO KOUYATE KPA KPAD KPAI KPAK KPAL [+] KPALAOIS KPAM KPAO [+] KPAS KPBT KPDD KPEM KPEO KPER KPET KPIN [+] KPIR KPKO [+] KPKP KPLS KPMI KPMO KPO KPOA KPOKO KPOL KPOP KPOV KPOW KPPAO KPPD KPRD KPRM KPRO KPROG KPRP KPRV KPSC KPTD KPTS KPWG KPWR [+] KQ KQM KQRDQ KR KRAD [+] KRAL KRCIM KRCM KRCS KRD KRDP KREC KREF KREL KRF KRFD KRFR KRG KRGY KRIC KRIF KRIM KRKO KRM KRMS KRV KRVC KS KSA KSAC KSAF KSCA [+] KSCI KSCS KSCT KSEAO KSEC KSEI KSEO KSEP KSI KSIA KSKN KSLG KSMT KSOC KSOCI KSPA KSPR [+] KSRE KSTC KSTCC KSTCPL KSTH KSTS KSTT KSUM [+] KSUP KT KTAO KTBD KTBT KTCRE KTDB KTDD KTDM KTER KTEX KTFIN KTFM KTFN [+] KTFR KTFS KTIA [+] KTIP [+] KTLA KTNBT KTNF KTPN KTRD KTRF KTSC KTSD KTTB KTTC KTTP KU KUAE KUIR KUM KUNA KUNC KUNH KUNP KUNR [+] KUS KUWAIT KV KVBL KVIP KVIR KVIS KVPR KVRC KVRP KW KWAC KWAK KWAWC KWBC KWBG [+] KWBW KWCI KWCR KWGB KWHG KWIC KWIM KWIR KWKN KWM KWMJN KWMM KWMN [+] KWN KWNM KWNN KWOMN KWPA KWPB KWPG KWPR KWRC KWRF KWRG KWUN KWWT KWWW KX KY KZ LA LAB LABOR LANSANA LANTERN LARREA LARS LAS LAURA LAVIN LAW LB LBAR LBY LE LEAGUE LEB LEBIK LEGAT LEGATT LEIS LEON LEVINE LEW LG LGAT LH LI LIB LICC LIMA LINE LK LMS LN LO LOG LORAN LOTT LOVE LR LS LT LTG LTTE LU LV LVPR LY LZ MA MAAR MACEDONIA MACP MANUEL MAP MAPP MAPS MAR MARAD MARIE MARINO MARITIME MARK MARQUEZ MARR [+] MARS MARTIN MARV MAS MASC MASS [+] MATT MB MBM MC MCA MCAP [+] MCAPARR MCAPN MCAPP MCAPS MCAT MCC MCCONNELL MCCP MCRM MCTRE MD MDA MDC MDO ME MEA MED MEDIA MEP MEPI MEPN MEPP MERCOSUR MESUR MEX MF MFA MFO MG MGL MGMT MGOV MGT MGTA MH MHUC MI MIAH MIC MICHAEL MICHEL MIGUEL VARGAS MALDONADO MIK MIL MILI MILITANTS MILITARY MILLENNIUM MINURSO MINUSTAH MITCHELL MJ MK ML MLS MMAR MMED MN MNLF MNNC MNNUC MNU MNUC [+] MNUCH MNUCWA MNUM MNUN MNUR MNUS MNVC MO MOHAMAD MOHAMMAD MOLINA MONTENEGRO MONUC MONY MOOPS MOP MOPP MOPPS MOPS [+] MORG MOROCCO MORS MOS MOTO MOTT MP MPOL MPOS MPP MPS MQADHAFI MR MRCRE MRRR MRS MRSEC MS MSG MSIG MT MTAA MTAG MTCAE MTCR MTCRA MTCRE MTRCE MTRE MTRRE MTS MU MUC MUCN MUKASEY MULLEN MUNC MURRAY MV MW MX MY MZ NA NAC NACB NAFTA NAM NAMSA NANCY NAR NARC NARCOTICS NARR NAS NASA NAT NATEU NATGAS NATIONAL NATO NATOAFGHAN NATOBALKANS NATOIRAQ NATOOPS NATOPOLICY NATSIOS NAVO NB NBTS NBU NC NCCC NCD NCT NCTC NDI NDP NE NEA NEC NEI NELSON NEPAD NERG NET NEW NFATC NFMS NFSO NG NGO NGUYEN NH NI NICOLE NIH NIPP NK NKWG NL NLD NLIAEA NLO NMFS NMNUC NMUC NNPT NO NOAA NOI NOK NON NONE NORAD NOTAG NOVO NP NPA NPG NPT NR NRC NRG NRR NRRC NS NSC NSF NSFO NSG NSSP NT NTDB NTSB NTTC NU NUC NUIN NV NW NZ NZUS OA OAO OARC OAS OASC OASCC OASS OAU OBAMA OBS OBSP OCBD OCEA OCED OCHA OCII OCRA OCS OCSE ODAG ODC ODIP [+] ODPC OECD OECS OECV OES OESC OEXC [+] OEXP OF OFDA OFDC OFDP [+] OFDPQIS OFFICIALS OFPD OFSO OGAC OGIV OHCHR OHI OHIP OI OIC OICCO OIE OIF OIG OIIP [+] OIL OIM OLY OLYAIR OLYMPICS OM OMB OMIG OMS ON ONA OPAD OPBAT OPC OPCD OPCR OPCW OPDAT OPDC [+] OPDP OPEC OPET OPIC OPID OPOC OPPC OPRC [+] OPREC OPREP OPS OPSC OPVIP ORA ORC ORCA ORECD ORED OREG OREP [+] ORGANIZED ORP ORTA ORUE OSAC OSCE OSCI [+] OSD OSEC OSHA OSIC OSTA OSTRA OTA OTAR OTP OTR OTRA [+] OTRABL OTRAO OTRAZ OTRC OTRD OUALI OVIP [+] OVP OXEC OXEM OZ PA PAARM PAC PACE PAGE PAGR PAHO PAIGH PAK PAL PALESTINIAN PAMQ PAN PANAM PAO PAR PARALYMPIC PARCA PAREL PARK PARLIAMENT PARM [+] PARMS PARN PARP PARR PARTIES PARTM PARTY PAS PASS PATTY PAUM PB PBGT PBIO PBK PBOV PBPTS PBS PBT PBTS [+] PCI PCON PCOR PCRM PCUL PD PDA PDD PDEM PDIP PDOV PDRG PE PEACE PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEDRO PEL PELOSI PEMEX PENA PENV PEPFAR PEPR PER PEREZ PERL PERM PERSONS PET PETER PETERS PETR PETRAEUS PETROL PF PFIN PFLP PFOR PFOV PG PGGOC PGIC PGIV PGKV PGO PGOC PGOF PGOG PGON PGOR PGOT PGOV [+] PGOVE PGOVQL PGPV PGREL PGREV PGV PH PHALANAGE PHARM PHAS PHEM PHIM PHM PHSA [+] PHU PHUH PHUM [+] PHUMHUPPS PHUN PHUS PHYTRP PI PIA PICES PIF PIN PINB PIND PINER PINF PING PINL PINO PINR [+] PINS [+] PINT PINV PIR PIRF PIRN PJUS PK PKAO PKBL PKFK PKISL PKK PKMN PKNP PKO PKPA PKPAL PKPO PKPRP PKST PL PLAB PLAN PLEC PLN PLO PLUM PM PMAR PMAT PMDL PMIG PMIL PMIN PMR PMUC PN PNAT PNET PNG PNIR PNNL PNR PNRG PNS PNUC PNUK PNUM PO PODC POG POGV POINS POL POLG POLI POLICY POLINT POLITICAL POLITICS POLM POLMIL POLS POLUN POREL PORG POSTS POTUS POUS POV POWELL PP PPA PPAO PPD PPEF PPEL PPKO PPOL PQL PQM PRC PRE PREC PRED PREF [+] PREG PREJ PREK PREL [+] PRELEVU PRELM PRELPLS PRELTBIOBA PREM PREO PREP PRER PRES PRESIDENT PRESL PREV PREZ PRF PRFE PRFL PRGO PRGOV PRIL PRL PRLE PRM PRO PROB PROCESS PROG PROL PROLIFERATION PROP [+] PROPERTY PROTECTION PROTESTS PROV PROVE PRT PRTER PRWL PS PSA PSCE PSEC PSEPC PSHA PSI PSNR PSO PSOC PSOCI PSOE PT PTBS PTE PTEL PTEP PTER [+] PTGOV PTIA PTR PTRD PU PUAS PUBLIC PUNE PUNR PUOS PV PVIP PVOV PVPR PVTS PWBG PWMN PY QA QADRI QEL QI QIZ QM QT QU QUAN QUOC RA RAED RAID RAS RATIFICATION RBI RCA RCMP RE REA REACTION REALTIONS RECIN REF REFORM REFPAN REFUGEE REFUGEES REGION REGIONAL REID REIN REINEMEYER REL RELAM RELATIONS RELFREE RELIGIOUS REMON RENAMO RENE PREVAL REO REPORT REUBEN RF RFE RFIN RFREEDOM RGOV RGY RHUM RI RICE RICHARD RIGHTS RIGHTSPOLMIL RIMC RIVERA RL RLA RM RMA RO ROK ROME ROSS ROW ROY RP RPEL RPTS RQ RR RRB RREL RS RSO RSOX RSP RSZ RTT RU RUEHZO RV RW RWANDA SA SAAD SAARC SACU SADC SAFE SAIR SAIS SAMA SAN SANC SANR SAO SARB SARGSIAN SARS SASC SASEC SB SBA SC SCA SCCC SCE SCENESETTER SCHUL SCI SCIENCE SCNV SCOI SCOL SCOM SCPR SCRM SCRS SCRSERD SCUL [+] SCVL SD SE SEC SECDEF SECI SECRET SECRETARY SECSTATE SECTOR SECURITY SEMAAN GABY EID SEN SENC SENG SENS SENU SENV [+] SENVQGR SENVSPL SENVSXE SEP SERBIA SERZH SETTLEMENTS SEVN SEXP SF SFNV SG SGNV SGWI SH SHANNON SHI SHUM SI SIMS SIPDI SIPDIS SIPR SIPRNET SIPRS SIUK SK SKCA SKEP SKI SKSAF SL SLM SLOVAK SM SMAR SMI SMIG [+] SMIL SMIT SMITH SMRT SN SNA SNAP SNAR [+] SNUC SO SOC SOCI [+] SOCIA SOCIETY SOCIS SOCISZX SOCR SOCY SOE SOFA SOI SOIC SOLI SOLIC SOM SOPN SORT SOSI SOVIET SOWGC SP SPAS SPC SPCE SPCVIS SPECI SPECIALIST SPILL SPP SPSTATE SR SREF SRIT SRS SRYI SSA SSH ST STAG START STATE STC STEINBERG STET STP STR SU SUCCESSION SULLIVAN SUMMIT SUR SV SW SWHO SWMN SX SXG SY SYAI SYMBOL SYR SYRIA SYSI SYTH SZ TA TAGS TALAL TAUSCHER TAX TB TBI TBID TBIO [+] TBIOZK TBKIO TBO TC TCOR TCSENV TD TDA TE TECH TECHNOLOGY TER TERAA TERFIN TERR TERROR TERRORISM TF TFIN TG TGRY TH THANH THE THERESE THIRDTERM THKSJA THOMAS THPY TI TIA TIBO TIFA TINT TIO TIP TITI TIUZ TJ TK TL TM TN TNDG TNGD TO TOPEC TORRIJOS TOURISM TP TPHY [+] TPKO TPP TPSA TPSL TR TRAD TRADE TRAFFICKING TRBIO TRBY TRD TREAS TREASURY TREATY TREL TRG TRGV TRGY [+] TRIO TRSY TRT TRV TRY TRYG TRYS TS TSA TSLP TSPA [+] TSPL TSRL TSRY TSY TT TTFN TU TURKEY TV TVBIO TW TWRO TX TY TZ TZBY UA UAE UAID UAM UB UDEM UE UEU UG UGA UK UKR UKRAINE UM UMIK UN UNA UNAF UNAIDS UNAMA UNAMSIL UNAORC UNAUS UNBRO UNC UNCC UNCDF UNCDN UNCHC UNCHR UNCHS UNCITRAL UNCND UNCOPUOS UNCRED UNCRIME UNCSD UNCSW UNCTAD UNDC UNDEF UNDOF 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Identifier	Subject	Date	Office	Classification	Tags
07CARACAS1073	PODEMOS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTY: TOO MUCH CHAVEZ [...] (C) Summary. National Assembly (NA) Deputy Ricardo Gutierrez told PolCouns May 29 that his pro-Chavez party Podemos is interested in reopening a dialogue with Embassy officials. Gutierrez predicted that Podemos will weather President Chavez' condemnation for not joining the Venezuelan presid [...]	2007-06-01 14:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE

07CARACAS1082	THE MARCH THAT WASN'T, MORE WEEKEND MARCHES PLANNED [...] (C) Summary. For the sixth straight day, Caracas university students continued protesting the BRV closure of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) on June 1. Their planned demonstration to the National Assembly was temporarily blocked by security forces and later postponed until June 5. Students ma [...]	2007-06-01 21:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM KDEM PGOV SCUL SOCI VE
07CARACAS1086	RCTV PROTESTS ENTER SECOND WEEK [...] (C) Summary: Peaceful pro-RCTV protests continued into their second week. The students' medium term ability or desire to sustain the demonstrations remain unclear. Up to 10,000 students marched to the Supreme Court without incident June 4 and are planning to march to the National Assembly J [...]	2007-06-04 21:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS1089	CHAVEZ TO DECREE CUBAN-STYLE NATIONAL POLICE LAW [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez announced May 22 that he would soon decree a National Police Law that, among other things, would call for a new community police force. The announcement comes just as the National Assembly was finishing work on a final draft of the law, and further highlights th [...]	2007-06-05 14:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS109	CHAVEZ GOVERNMENT SEEKING BROAD LEGISLATIVE POWERS [...] (C) Summary. Per President Chavez' request at his January 10 inauguration (Reftel),the National Assembly is already preparing an enabling law that would give Chavez legal authority to issue executive decrees in ten substantive areas over the next 18 months. Chavez would assume broad powers [...]	2007-01-18 16:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL ECON VE
07CARACAS1100	THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED [...] (C) SUMMARY: The government closure of RCTV on May 28 took the only remaining opposition voice off the free airwaves in Venezuela; opposition-oriented 24-hour news station Globovision remains on the air, but is only available in parts of Caracas, Valencia, and Maracaibo without a cable or sate [...]	2007-06-05 20:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS1107	GOVERNOR ROSALES: SEEKING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT [...] (C) Summary. Zulia Governor and de facto opposition leader Manuel Rosales briefed the Ambassador June 1 on Rosales' ongoing efforts to persuade other Latin American governments that the "democratic deficit" in Venezuela is a regional problem. Rosales considers his May 21-22 visit to Panama a [...]	2007-06-06 17:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS1117	PEACEFUL PROTESTS CONTINUE, GLOBOVISION ON TRIAL [...] (C) Summary. Ten days after the closure of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV),university students continue to protest peacefully in support of the network and freedom of expression. Thousands of university students marched June 6 to the Attorney General's office, making it the largest pro-RCTV [...]	2007-06-06 21:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV SCUL VE SOCI ASEC KDEM
07CARACAS112	STATOIL'S OPTIMISM FADES [...] No summary [...]	2007-01-18 20:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1127	PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE [...] (C) Summary. This press freedom update comes on the heels of the BRV-imposed May 28 shutdown of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). Despite ceasing its broadcasts, RCTV continues to operate internally and is enduring for the moment, although recent Supreme Court (TSJ) rulings could jeopardize R [...]	2007-06-08 17:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM KDEM PGOV SCUL SOCI ASEC VE
07CARACAS1128	UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: GIVE DEMOCRACY A CHANCE [...] (C) Summary. The various student demonstrations against the closure of RCTV have coalesced into a surprisingly resilient democratic movement. Over the last two weeks, they have forced President Chavez to shift gears from accelerating his "socialist revolution" to shoring up his base and defe [...]	2007-06-08 18:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM SCUL ASEC VE
07CARACAS1138	GO ON, TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Economic and political uncertainty have convinced many Venezuelans to move assets abroad. While Venezuela has long been a source of capital flight, in recent years Venezuelans have begun to move not only liquid assets out of the country, but also to "de-capitalize" their busine [...]	2007-06-11 21:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS1145	CHAVEZ' NEW PARTY: INFLATED NUMBERS AND DEEP [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez is boasting that over five million voters have joined his new party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). While the PSUV is on track to be the country's largest political party, PSUV promoters appear to be inflating the membership rolls. The membersh [...]	2007-06-12 17:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS1157	EXXONMOBIL AND CONOCOPHILLIPS DISCUSS FAJA [...] (C) SUMMARY: ExxonMobil (XM) and ConocoPhillips (CP) in a series of meetings on June 12 stated the June 26 deadline for negotiations on migrating the four Faja strategic associations as well as the profit sharing agreement projects to PDVSA-controlled joint ventures appear to be firm. Compani [...]	2007-06-14 12:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1191	HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS OUTLINE GROWING CONCERNS [...] (C) SUMMARY. WHA Special Coordinator for Venezuela Deborah McCarthy met June 13 with human rights defenders, representing various prominent local NGOs. The participants outlined the particular challenges Venezuelan NGOs face compared to other human rights organizations in the region; discusse [...]	2007-06-15 20:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM KDEM PGOV SOCI VE
07CARACAS1192	BRV DISPUTES 2007 TIER 3 TIP REPORT RANKING [...] (SBU) In meetings with USG officials and in the press, BRV officials reacted angrily to the Department's designation of Venezuela as a Tier 3 country in the 2007 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report released June 12. -- During a June 13 meeting between Vice President of the National Assembly [...]	2007-06-15 20:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM KDEM PGOV VE
07CARACAS1193	UN NUEVO TIEMPO: BUILDING IN VENEZUELA; LOBBYING [...] (C) Summary. Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) leaders told visiting Special Coordinator for Venezuela Deborah McCarthy June 14 that they were happy with their party's initial efforts to become a nationwide opposition party. They noted that the party now had strong leaders in all states and is working ha [...]	2007-06-15 21:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM VE
07CARACAS1194	IRAN SANCTIONS, UNSCR 1747 AND VENEZUELA [...] (C) PolCouns met with BRV Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs (MPPFA) Director for North America and Multilateral Affairs Yaneth Arocha on June 14 to raise Venezuelan implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747. Drawing from the points in refs A and B, PolCouns [...]	2007-06-15 21:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KNNP PREL UNSC ETTC PARM VE IR
07CARACAS1197	CNPC: DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU READ IN THE PAPERS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Senior China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) executives stated recent press reports of the formation of a new joint venture are exaggerated. The executives stated negotiations over the migration of Sinovensa, the entity that produced Orimulsion, to a PDVSA-controlled joint [...]	2007-06-18 14:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON CH VE
07CARACAS1218	S/C MCCARTHY'S MEETINGS WITH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND [...] (C) Summary: In separate events, Special Coordinator for Venezuela Deborah McCarthy met June 13 with National Assembly (NA) First Vice President Desiree Santos Amaral, NA Foreign Relations Committee President Saul Ortega, Vice Foreign Minister for North American and Multilateral Affairs Jorge [...]	2007-06-19 14:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS1228	S/C MCCARTHY'S MEETINGS WITH ECONOMIC PLAYERS [...] (SBU) Special Coordinator for Venezuela Deborah McCarthy met with local economists, businessmen, consultants, and bankers during her June 12-15 visit to Venezuela. While the economists agreed that mounting problems in the Venezuelan economy, including deficit spending and a lack of fiscal con [...]	2007-06-20 20:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS1234	ANTI-TIP NGO A.M.B.A.R. - FINAL REPORT [...] (SBU) Poloff visited the local anti-trafficking NGO Women's Association for Well-Being and Reciprocal Assistance (A.M.B.A.R.) May 18, a recipient of an Economic Support Fund (ESF) Grant approved by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP),to receive the organization's f [...]	2007-06-21 20:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PREL KCRM KWMN SNAR VE
07CARACAS1241	CONOCOPHILLIPS CLOSE TO EXITING VENEZUELA [...] (S) SUMMARY: ConocoPhillips (CP) has been unable to reach agreement with the BRV on the terms for migrating its share of two strategic associations (Petrozuata and Hamaca) and a profit sharing agreement (Corocoro) to a PDVSA-controlled joint venture. Principal sticking points are compensation [...]	2007-06-22 15:51:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1249	RECALL REFERENDA FIZZLES [...] (C) Summary: The recall referendum effort was largely a non-event as neither the opposition, nor the government actively engaged in the process. Very few voters participated in the June 16-18 petition drive to collect signatures for recall referenda against nine governors, some 100 mayors, [...]	2007-06-22 21:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS1251	STUDENTS SHIFT FOCUS TO PRO-DEMOCRACY THEMES, BRV [...] (C) SUMMARY. Three weeks after the closure of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV),Venezuela's oldest independent broadcaster, students maintain pressure on the BRV via peaceful protests in support of freedom of expression and other positive themes, such as university autonomy. More student-led d [...]	2007-06-22 21:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM SCUL ASEC VE
07CARACAS1255	BORROWING FROM PETER TO PAY PAUL [...] (SBU) Banks have increased loan portfolios by over 54 percent in real terms in the past year and the financial sector is riding this wave of credit to record profits. Fed by excess liquidity and exchange controls that prevent money from leaving Venezuela, Venezuelans are racing to invest in n [...]	2007-06-25 13:29:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS1272	S/C MCCARTHY'S MEETINGS WITH VENEZUELAN MEDIA AND POLITICAL FIGURES [...] No summary [...]	2007-06-25 21:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
07CARACAS1281	EXXONMOBIL AND CONOCOPHILLIPS EXIT VENEZUELA [...] (C) SUMMARY: The BRV held a signing ceremony on June 26 to convert the remaining private sector oil projects into PDVSA-controlled joint ventures. Representatives from Chevron, Total, Statoil, BP, ENI, Inelectra and Sinopec signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) for their respective invest [...]	2007-06-26 20:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1292	BRV INTERVENING IN PARALLEL MARKET, AGAIN [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Ministry for People's Power of Finance (MPPF) admitted selling dollar-denominated notes to banks this past week to manage the parallel foreign exchange market. This marks the first time since 2005 that the BRV has actively intervened in the market to affect the rate and the [...]	2007-06-27 19:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EFIN VE
07CARACAS130	EU DCMS ON QUICKENING PACE OF BOLIVARIAN REVOLUTION [...] (C) Key EU DCMs based in Caracas analyze the general situation in Venezuela almost exactly as we do, seeing Chavez as increasingly moving to accrue all power to the executive and silence independent voices, in violation of democratic norms. The Caracas HOMs have recommended that Brussels ap [...]	2007-01-22 18:52:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL EU VE
07CARACAS1306	JOURNALISTS, STUDENTS COMMEMORATE "DAY OF THE [...] (SBU) Tens of thousands of Venezuelans participated in peaceful demonstrations nationwide on June 27 to commemorate the "Day of the Journalist" and to mark the one-month anniversary of the BRV-imposed shutdown of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). In Caracas, the National Press Workers' Union o [...]	2007-06-28 21:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM SOCI VE
07CARACAS1314	CHEVRON, EXXON, AND CNPC COMMENT ON RECENT EVENTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Chevron claims the final deal to migrate the Hamaca strategic association to a joint venture was a good one from its perspective. The project's area was not reduced and Chevron personnel will occupy key posts in the new joint venture. In addition, all investment decisions require [...]	2007-07-02 11:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1318	BUY HIGH AND SELL HIGHER: REAL ESTATE IN THE [...] (SBU) Real estate prices are skyrocketing in Venezuela as the oil boom fuels an ever-increasing number of people chasing an increasingly limited supply of properties. Sales are up 30 percent so far in 2007, after growing 80 percent in 2006 and 60 percent in 2005. Venezuela continues to suffer [...]	2007-07-02 15:55:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS132	MEETING WITH ELECTRICIDAD DE CARACAS ON [...] (SBU/NF) Summary: EconCouns met with Electricidad de Caracas (82 pct owned by AES a U.S. company) President Nebreda January 16 regarding BRV intentions to nationalize the electricity sector (refs). Nebreda said that AES always considered nationalization in their scenario planning, but the ann [...]	2007-01-22 19:08:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1335	CHAVEZ' DOMESTIC POPULARITY LARGELY UNSCATHED BY [...] (C) Summary: Although recent polls suggest a majority of Venezuelans disagreed with President Chavez' shutdown of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV),the decision does not appear to have significantly hurt his popularity rating. According to Datos polling firm, 67% of respondents--mostly poor an [...]	2007-07-03 19:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS134	ECONOMIC RAMIFICATIONS OF CHAVEZ' ENABLING LAW: [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly unanimously passed preliminary approval of the Ley Habilitante ("Enabling Law") during a special emergency session on January 18. When fully approved, probably on January 24, the Enabling Law will permit Chavez to control the economic pulse of the country. [...]	2007-01-22 21:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV PGOV VE
07CARACAS1340	AMBASSADOR'S FINAL GAB WITH FOREIGN MINISTRY [...] (C) Summary - In a farewell meeting BRV Vice Foreign Minister Valero and Ambassador discussed five possible avenues for an early dialogue between the BRV and the Ambassador's successor. The Ambassador noted that long-standing difficulties involving official visas and accreditation, aviation a [...]	2007-07-04 14:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAIR PGOV PHUM CONS VE
07CARACAS135	CHAVEZ TO U.S.: "GO TO HELL" [...] (C) Summary. An extremely confident President Chavez resumed his weekly "Alo Presidente" television broadcast January 21 after a four-month campaign/inauguration hiatus. During the nearly six-hour broadcast, Chavez lashed out against a USG expression of concern about a pending Enabling Law, a [...]	2007-01-22 22:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ECON VE
07CARACAS1352	BRV MARKS INDEPENDENCE DAY WITH "PATRIOTISM, [...] (C) Summary. The BRV commemorated the 196th anniversary of Venezuela's Independence Day on July 5 with a civil-military parade and an extraordinary session at the National Assembly (NA). During the parade, members of the pro-government communal councils marched alongside members of the Boliv [...]	2007-07-06 20:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS1361	CHAVEZ AND AHMADINEJAD CONTINUE TO DEEPEN TIES [...] (C) Summary: During his June 30-July 2 visit to Iran, President Chavez publicly agreed to help Iranian President Ahmadinejad by selling gasoline to Iran. While details of the deal were not published, its impact will not be immediate as the shipments could take up to 40 days to arrive in Ira [...]	2007-07-09 14:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM VE IR
07CARACAS1365	A PEAK INSIDE CITGO [...] (C) SUMMARY: A senior Citgo representative stated the sale of two asphalt refineries has been delayed due to concerns over supply contracts. Citgo president Alejandro Granado has adopted an extravagant lifestyle and is not accessible to employees. Citgo executives focus on the company's fuel o [...]	2007-07-09 19:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1368	SUMATE SETTING OUT A NEW COURSE [...] (C) Summary: During a July 6 meeting, Sumate President Alejandro Plaz told Poloff about the electoral NGO's "Plan ABC," whereby Sumate volunteers will work with leaders in poor Chavista neighborhoods nationwide to help them identify and resolve community problems while instilling awareness of [...]	2007-07-10 14:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS1382	AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL TRIP TO MARACAIBO [...] (C) Summary. The Ambassador traveled to Maracaibo, Zulia state June 26-27 to meet with local leaders, visit social programs, and meet with the press during his farewell visit. He called on San Francisco Mayor Saady Bijani and President of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference Monsignor Ubaldo Sa [...]	2007-07-11 14:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM ECON VE
07CARACAS1384	THE MILITARY MOVES FURTHER RED [...] (C) The July 6 replacement of Defense Minister Raul Isaias Baduel with Gustavo Rangel Briceno does not bode well for the future of the Venezuelan Armed Forces (FAN). Baduel, a long-time supporter of Chavez, was perhaps the last remaining cabinet member to make even mild statements contradic [...]	2007-07-11 16:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MARR PROV PREL VE
07CARACAS1393	FURTHER DETAILS ON THE FAJA MIGRATION [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA has done a better than expected job running the Cerro Negro upgrader. However, it has requested BP supply additional personnel. BP is happy with the governance terms it received. The remaining international oil companies (IOCs) may still have the right to go to arbitratio [...]	2007-07-12 20:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1416	MACROECONOMIC UPDATE JULY 2007 [...] Overview 2. Economic growth 3. Unemployment 4. International reserves 5. Money supply M2 6. Exchange rates, Central Bank liquidations, and Venezuelan basket average oil prices 7. Consumer price index 8. Balance of payments 9. Merchandise trade balance 10. F [...]	2007-07-17 13:59:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS1419	VENEZUELA: CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM BACK TO FRONT [...] (C) Summary: After saying in early May that constitutional reform was not a priority for this year, President Chavez surprised everyone by announcing two months later that he would present his proposed changes in the second half of July. Around the same time, an alleged draft of one of his [...]	2007-07-17 15:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS1432	PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE [...] (SBU) This press freedom update outlines new and sustained efforts by the BRV to curtail freedom of expression in Venezuela. After removing Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) from public access television, the BRV has launched another round of attacks in an effort to damage the network's credibi [...]	2007-07-18 15:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS1434	OIL TRADING: SKELETONS IN PDVSA'S CLOSET [...] (C) SUMMARY: A senior PDVSA executive who was forced into retirement in March 2007 stated PDVSA exports 38 million barrels of oil per month excluding crude from the former Faja strategic associations. President Chavez ordered PDVSA to stop exporting to the United States before the November el [...]	2007-07-18 15:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1449	POLITICS AND TAXES [...] (SBU) The BRV's tax authority, SENIAT is taking the lead role in going after many of Chavez' political and economic opponents while at the same time taking positive steps to cut down on tax evasion and improve the government's tax base. The SENIAT Superintendent, Jose Vielma Mora has become mor [...]	2007-07-20 20:57:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS146	VFM VALERO ON BILATERAL DIALOGUE [...] (C) The Ambassador met with VFM Valero on Jan 19 to discuss possible topics for bilateral dialogue, following up on his earlier discussion with FM Maduro. We also took the opportunity to clear out some pending bilateral issues; of those the most interesting BRV response came on reciprocity, [...]	2007-01-23 15:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL US VE
07CARACAS1465	CHAVEZ LASHES OUT AT CHURCH LEADERS -- AGAIN [...] (C) Summary. Catholic Church officials on July 7 issued a pastoral letter strongly criticizing the Chavez government and questioning the need for proposed changes to the 1999 Constitution. The Venezuelan president responded by denouncing Venezuela's Catholic bishops publicly, while lauding C [...]	2007-07-23 21:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM SCUL VE
07CARACAS1466	PDVSA'S "IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL EMERGENCY" [...] (C) SUMMARY: Luis Vierma, PDVSA's Vice President for Exploration and Production, testified before the Comptroller Committee of the National Assembly on July 18 that PDVSA was facing an "important operational emergency" due to the failure of two bid rounds for drilling rigs. PDVSA's rig count [...]	2007-07-23 21:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1467	THE OIL SECTOR AND THE PUBLIC BIDDING LAW [...] (C) SUMMARY: Service companies have long complained that the Public Bidding Law has greatly decreased the effeciency of PDVSA's operations. A legal expert describes the law as "sub-standard" and politicized. Private sector partners in joint venture companies have argued the law does not appl [...]	2007-07-23 21:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS147	POLITICAL PRISONERS -- UPDATE ON SIMONOVIS, VIVAS, [...] (C) PolOff observed January 18 the latest session of the trial of former Caracas Metropolitan Police officials Ivan Simonovis, Henry Vivas, Lazaro Forero, and eight other former police officers, who are being charged as accomplices to murder for events related to the civil disturbances and the [...]	2007-01-23 16:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS148	CHAVEZ CONFRONTS CATHOLIC CHURCH; EPISCOPAL [...] (C) Summary. Venezuelan Catholic Church leaders have become increasingly vocal defenders of democratic freedoms since President Chavez' re-election on December 3, 2006. In recent statements to the media and via formal Episcopal Conference communiques, they have repeatedly expressed concerns [...]	2007-01-23 16:47:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
07CARACAS1481	CONOCOPHILLIPS DISCUSSES ITS NEXT MOVES [...] (C) SUMMARY: ConocoPhillips (CP) has presented a proposal to the BRV setting out what it considers to be fair compensation for its expropriated assets. Energy Vice Minister Bernard Mommer stood up CP executives as well as Chinese Petroleum Corporation executives in Houston last week. CP want [...]	2007-07-26 20:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1483	OUTGOING DEFENSE MINISTER QUESTIONS 'SOCIALIST' [...] (C) Summary. The Venezuelan president swore-in a new cadre of pro-Chavez military leaders to head the Venezuelan Armed Forces (FAN) on July 18 during a televised ceremony. His picks include hard-line Chavista and former head of the National Reserve and Mobilization Command Gustavo Rangel Bric [...]	2007-07-27 14:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV MARR PREL VE
07CARACAS149	CHAVEZ' NEW CABINET: BIOS ON ECONOMIC MINISTERS [...] (SBU) Summary: President Hugo Chavez swore in new cabinet ministers on January 8 for six key economic portfolios: the Ministry of Finance (Reftel A),a newly-formed Ministry of Telecommunications, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the [...]	2007-01-23 19:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
07CARACAS15	THE GLOVES ARE OFF: CHAVEZ SAYS HE WILL CLOSE RCTV [...] (U) SUMMARY: President Chavez on December 28 made his strongest statement yet threatening the broadcasting license of major opposition television outlet Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). During a New Year's address to the Armed Forces, Chavez stated unequivocally that RCTV's license for ove [...]	2007-01-04 13:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS1526	CHARGE'S MEETING WITH VICE MINISTER VALERO-JULY 30 [...] (C) Summary. Foreign Ministry Vice Minister Valero told Charge July 30 that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) wants more dialogue with the USG, so long as the USG "respects our sovereignty." Valero raised U.S. financing of Venezuelan NGOs, energy and commercial relations, consular r [...]	2007-08-01 19:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PHUM PTER SNAR VE
07CARACAS1527	UNSC SANCTIONS ON IRAN: VENEZUELA RECALCITRANT [...] (C) Charge raised reftel points July 30 with Jorge Valero, Vice Minister of North American and Multilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs. Charge reminded Valero of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) obligations with respect to Iran-related UNSCRs and [...]	2007-08-01 20:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KNNP PARM PREL IR VZ
07CARACAS1544	A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: NOTHING'S CHANGED, [...] (C) In analyzing Venezuela's history of boom and bust cycles, a series of patterns emerge that offer predictive value for the end of the current cycle. Links between oil prices, government spending, inflation, and devaluation are clearly evident over the past 35 years as oil booms have led to [...]	2007-08-02 15:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	ECON EFIN EPET VE
07CARACAS1554	SUMMER BONDING IN VENEZUELA [...] This message is Sensitive but Unclassified, please treat accordingly. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Venezuela is preparing a third "bonos del sur" issue for August or September which according to reports will be announced formally during Chavez' upcoming August 6 visit to Argentina. The expected anno [...]	2007-08-03 18:12:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EFIN VE
07CARACAS1555	SUPREME COURT GRANTS RCTV TEMPORARY RELIEF [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Supreme Court (TSJ) approved a last-minute injunction August 1 to grant cable network Radio Caracas Television International (RCTV) temporary relief from closure. The decision follows a July 26 announcement by Minister of Telecommunications (CONATEL) Jesse Chacon requiring R [...]	2007-08-03 20:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS157	OIL COMPANIES WEIGH THEIR OPTIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: All six international oil companies (IOCs) with stakes in the four strategic associations met with the BRV last week and received a written proposal regarding the transition to PDVSA controlled joint ventures. The BRV is expected to give companies its estimates on the value of t [...]	2007-01-24 13:52:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1577	CHEVRON DISCUSSES JOINT VENTURES' STRUCTURE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Due to concerns over Washington's understanding of its Venezuelan investments and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Chevron met with Post on August 7 to discuss the nature of its Venezuelan investments. Chevron's two joint ventures are equity companies that are subject to Venezue [...]	2007-08-08 16:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1597	JEFE SUPREMO: HUGO CHAVEZ'S PERSONALITY CULT [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez and his supporters are devoting considerable resources to construct a cult of personality for the Venezuelan president (see Embassy Caracas website on Siprnet for accompanying photo essay). Flattering images of the Venezuelan president dominate government buildi [...]	2007-08-10 19:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SOCI VE
07CARACAS161	SUMATE SEES TOUGH YEAR AHEAD [...] (C) PolCouns and PolOff met with Sumate President Alejandro Plaz and Director Roberto Abdul January 17 to discuss their views of developments and plans for 2007. Pleased with the significant expansion of their volunteer network engendered by their activities during the 2006 presidential campa [...]	2007-01-24 18:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS1611	CHAVEZ' CONSTITUTION REWRITE: BATTLE LINES FORMING [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez continues to promote major changes to the 1999 Constitution, but has delayed releasing to the National Assembly a formal package of proposals. Simmering opposition to the elimination of presidential term limits and further centralization of power has forced the V [...]	2007-08-14 12:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS1613	SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER: VENEZUELA'S BRAIN DRAIN [...] (SBU) BRV radicalization in recent months and decreasing economic and physical security continue to push more Venezuelans to consider leaving their country (reftel A). Recent nationwide polls parallel informal surveys and anecdotal evidence which show that an increasing number of Venezuelans a [...]	2007-08-14 15:08:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON CVIS CASC SOCI VE
07CARACAS1617	BRV SENDING MIXED MESSAGES ON DIALOGUE WITH USG [...] (C) SUMMARY. BRV officials have privately expressed interest in working with the incoming Ambassador on a practical agenda, but President Chavez' recent public remarks appear to preclude cooperation. During a televised August 2 speech, Chavez dismissed the possibility of dialogue under the c [...]	2007-08-14 19:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
07CARACAS162	ANGRY MOB BURNS CARACAS POLICE STATION [...] (SBU) Angry neighbors set fire on January 17 to a police station after the alleged shooting death of a teenage boy in police custody. The seventeen year old was detained by the Metropolitan Police in the "Silsa Catia" neighborhood, part of "23 de enero," an improvished district and Chavez str [...]	2007-01-24 19:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
07CARACAS1622	PDVSA: NEW LIFE IN THE EMBERS? [...] (C) SUMMARY: The president of the Petroleum Chamber of Venezuela believes significant new investments will occur in the Faja in the near future beginning with de-bottlenecking projects in the existing upgraders. Leading candidates for new projects in the Faja are Petrobras, Shell, and the Chi [...]	2007-08-14 20:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1628	LABORING UNDER CHAVEZ' ECONOMIC PLANNING [...] (SBU) Summary: Since 2005 the BRV has tightened the noose around the Venezuelan private sector by steadily approving rigorous labor laws, including the Organic Law on Prevention, Work Conditions, and Work Environment (Lopcymat),a laundry list of nearly impossible to fulfill labor regulations. [...]	2007-08-15 22:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ELAB ECON PGOV EINV VE
07CARACAS1635	CHAVEZ PROPOSES "SOCIALIST" CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES [...] (C) Summary. After numerous delays (reftels),President Chavez finally proposed significant "socialist" changes to the 1999 Constitution in a lengthy August 15 speech at the National Assembly. As expected, Chavez framed his controversial proposals as giving more power to the people. He also [...]	2007-08-16 20:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS1637	IV PARTICIPANTS AND USAID PARTNERS OUTED, AGAIN [...] (C) During a presentation before the National Assembly (NA) August 1, Amcit Eva Golinger and Mario Silva, host of the stridently Chavista television show "La Hojilla," accused 33 former International Visitors (IV) Program participants and several USAID partners of working on behalf of the USG t [...]	2007-08-17 11:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV SCUL VE
07CARACAS1638	BLAME IT ON THE VOLATILITY OF INTERNATIONAL [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On the afternoon of August 16 Finance Minister Cabezas announced that the BRV would cancel its USD 1.5 billion "bonos del sur" bond issuance. According to Cabezas, the volatility of international markets made the issuance untimely. Section contacts considered the bonds a marg [...]	2007-08-17 11:44:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS1649	VENEZUELA: FEEDBACK ON WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE [...] (C) Per reftel, Poloff met August 18 with Fredery Calderon (protect throughout),president of the NGO "For the Caracas That's Possible" (Por la Caracas Posible),to solicit feedback regarding his participation in the July 9 White House Conference on the Americas. Calderon's organization coord [...]	2007-08-20 13:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KSUM KPAO VE
07CARACAS1655	SINCOR'S ROCKY TRANSITION TO PETROCEDENO [...] (C) SUMMARY: Strategic association Sincor's transition to Petrocedeno, a PDVSA-controlled joint venture, has been fraught with labor problems. Labor union members have blocked the road to the upgrader 33 days so far this year. Approximately 100 employees have quit their jobs. A work plan is [...]	2007-08-20 20:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1664	SERVICE COMPANIES DISCUSS CURRENT OPERATING [...] (C) SUMMARY: Service companies report an increase in the number of signed contracts with PDVSA. The increase is despite the fact that service company bids frequently include substantial premiums. However, PDVSA's ability to implement new projects appears to be quite limited. At this point, [...]	2007-08-21 13:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1670	MONETARY CONVERSION: READY OR NOT HERE IT COMES [...] (SBU) The BRV is charging ahead with its project to introduce the new "Bolivar Fuerte," or Strong Bolivar currency on January 1, 2008. With a little over four months before the conversion, and only one month before companies must express prices in both old and new currencies, businesses are b [...]	2007-08-22 17:15:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS1671	CHAVEZ' NEW PARTY PLAGUED BY ORGANIZATIONAL [...] (C) Summary. The organization of aspiring members of President Chavez' United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) into neighborhood "battalions" has been plagued by confusion and poor attendance. Scant grassroots party activity to date raises serious doubts that the PSUV has almost six millio [...]	2007-08-22 17:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
07CARACAS1672	CONOCOPHILLIPS UPDATE: STILL FAR APART [...] (C) Econ Counselor and Petroleum Attache met with ConocoPhillips (CP) Latin America President Roy Lyons (strictly protect throughout) and Government Affairs Manager Alex Martinez (strictly protect throughout) on August 22 to discuss the current status of CP's negotiations on compensation for e [...]	2007-08-22 19:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1679	BRV'S DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC CREDIT -- A SMOOTH [...] (C) SUMMARY: Econoffs met with the Director of Public Credit, Luis Davila on August 21. During a frank discussion of the BRV's financial policies and activities in the capital markets, Davila painted a rosy picture. The BRV did not expect to issue any foreign debt this year and debt should s [...]	2007-08-23 15:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS1680	CHAVEZ REACHES OUT TO COLOMBIA; BUT BORDER SPAT [...] (C) Summary. Despite President Chavez's historically rocky relationship with Colombia, he has made an effort of late to reach out to the Uribe government, particularly through his offer to be a key mediator in the negotiations for a humanitarian exchange with the FARC. The importance of comm [...]	2007-08-23 19:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PTER MARR ETRD VE
07CARACAS1686	THE TEFLON EFFECT: CHAVEZ EVADES SUITCASE SCANDAL [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez so far seems to have escaped largely unscathed by the fallout from the seizure in Buenos Aires of $800,000 cash carried by a U.S.-Venezuelan businessman. Using a variety of public relations tactics, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has managed to defle [...]	2007-08-24 15:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS169	VENEZUELAN FREE PRESS FACES AN EVEN MORE RESOLUTE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Since turning the calendar to 2007, President Chavez has ratcheted up his vitriol - and promised concrete actions - against opposition media outlets, including but not limited to RCTV (reftel). He is also focusing his attention on his own house, dictating not just what, but al [...]	2007-01-25 13:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS1690	PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE [...] (C) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) is employing a variety of mechanisms to harass opposition-oriented journalists and independent media outlets. Journalists, particularly former International Visitor (IV) Program participants, have been harassed and accused of fomenting [...]	2007-08-24 16:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
07CARACAS1703	STUDENT MOVEMENT PREPARING FOR RENEWED ACTIVISM [...] (C) Summary. After a long summer lull, student activists recently formed a new student parliament to coordinate pro-democracy student efforts nation-wide this fall. Law students Stalin Gonzales, Yon Goicochea, and Jose Caricote were elected to lead Venezuela's opposition student movement ove [...]	2007-08-27 14:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE
07CARACAS1718	ROUND ONE OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM DEBATE [...] (C) Summary. In the days following President Chavez' rollout of his proposed constitutional revisions, debates are already taking shape as to the reform process. Chavez' opponents, still divided over whether or not to participate at all, have been unsuccessful in their initial attempt to inf [...]	2007-08-28 20:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
07CARACAS1727	CHAVEZ' CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES: STRATEGIC [...] (C) Summary. Local constitutional experts are focusing public attention on the fact that the language President Chavez proposes to delete from the 1999 Constitution is as problematic as the new language he proposes to insert. Chavez' constitutional changes would remove language that promotes [...]	2007-08-30 20:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS173	VENEZUELA -- INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT (PART [...] No summary [...]	2007-01-26 12:12:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON EINV EFIN KTDB STR OPIC VE
07CARACAS174	VENEZUELA -- INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT (PART [...] No summary [...]	2007-01-26 12:12:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON EINV EFIN KTDB STR OPIC VE
07CARACAS1742	POLITICAL POLARIZATION: VENEZUELA'S DIVIDED [...] (C) Summary. Venezuelan society has become increasingly politically polarized as a result of President Chavez' "with me or against me" tone of governance. Controversial constitutional reform proposals and his efforts to implement an increasingly radical "revolutionary" program in the Bolivar [...]	2007-09-04 19:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MARR PGOV PINR PREL VE
07CARACAS175	USAID/OTI WATCHDOGS START TO SHED LIGHT [...] (C) In October of 2005, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) began implementation of a USAID/OTI funded project to develop a grants program to support watchdog organizations. Although the Bolivarian "Revolution" is failing its citizens in many ways, there are few reputable organiz [...]	2007-01-26 14:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS1755	DEFORESTATION IN VENEZUELA: MISSION TREE OR [...] (SBU) Summary: Despite Chavez' pro-environment rhetoric and support for replanting thousands of trees through his Mission Tree ("Mision Arbol"),deforestation rates have not abated. Lack of transparency and enforcement of environmental laws have undermined BRV progress, and Venezuela now find [...]	2007-09-05 18:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	SENV ECON PGOV VE
07CARACAS1765	BP: STABILITY BEGINS TO EMERGE FROM CHAOS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Cerro Negro's acreage has been reduced from 290 square kilometers to 210 and BP paid the BRV 50 million USD in notes as part of the reduction. Cerro Negro operations are running in a surprisingly smooth manner and PDVSA is not moving senior managers around as much as it did befor [...]	2007-09-06 20:08:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1771	CATHOLIC CHURCH PREPARING TO OPPOSE CONSTITUTIONAL [...] (C) Papal Nuncio Giacinto Berloco told the Ambassador September 6 that the Catholic Church is concerned with the "radical direction" of Chavez' proposed constitutional changes. Berloco said he expected the bishops would be critical in their evaluation of the proposals in an October communique [...]	2007-09-07 19:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE

07CARACAS1773	SCENESETTER FOR WHA/AND CHACON VISIT - SEPT 12-14 [...] (C) Embassy welcomes the September 12-14 visit of WHA/AND Director Arnold Chacon. Your visit comes on the heels of Ambassador Duddy's arrival at post on August 29 and after the June 11-15 visit of Special Coordinator for Venezuela McCarthy. Since winning re-election in December 2006, Preside [...]	2007-09-07 20:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PHUM ECON VE
07CARACAS1776	CHAVEZ' NEW PARTY: DISCIPLINING DISCUSSION [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez continues to face serious internal challenges to his efforts to forge a single pro-government party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Most recently, Chavez' new PSUV discipline committee stripped Francisco Ameliach, Chavez' 2006 presidential campa [...]	2007-09-07 20:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS1804	PRO-CHAVEZ PARTY CRITICIZES CHAVEZ' CONSTITUTIONAL [...] (C) Summary. Leaders of the small, but prominent, pro-government party Podemos outlined their objections to President Chavez' proposal for constitutional changes at a September 7 Caracas party event. Podemos Secretary General Ismael Garcia argued that Chavez' proposals give more power to the [...]	2007-09-11 21:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS1805	PERUVIAN AMBASSADOR ON VENEZUELA'S RE-ENTRY INTO [...] (C) Speaking "unofficially" Peruvian Ambassador Luis Santa Maria Calderon told the Ambassador during an initial courtesy call September 10 that Peru would probably welcome Venezuela's reintegration into the Andean Community of Nations (CAN),but prefers that Venezuela be re-admitted as an asso [...]	2007-09-12 14:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ETRD VE
07CARACAS1808	AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH CONOCOPHILLIPS [...] (C) SUMMARY: ConocoPhillips (CP) and the BRV's positions on the valuation of CP's expropriated assets differ by a factor of six or seven to one. PDVSA continues to honor two long-term supply contracts that supply CP refineries in the U.S. CP believes an arbitration case would take five to se [...]	2007-09-12 15:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1812	EXXONMOBIL FILES FOR ARBITRATION [...] (C) David Perez (strictly protect throughout),the remaining ExxonMobil (XM) executive in Venezuela, met with the Ambassador on September 12 (ref. A) to inform him that XM filed for arbitration on September 6 with the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). XM file [...]	2007-09-13 14:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1814	CHAVEZ' REFORM PACKAGE PASSES SECOND READING [...] (SBU) The National Assembly (NA) overwhelmingly approved President Chavez' constitutional reform package during the second of three readings on September 11, bringing it one step closer to passage and a national referendum tentatively scheduled for early December. The proposed changes, however [...]	2007-09-13 16:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS1816	BRAZILIAN AMBASSADOR ON VENEZUELA'S MERCOSUR [...] (C) Brazilian Ambassador Joan Carlos Souza-Gomes told the Ambassador during a September 11 courtesy call that Brazil continues to push for Venezuela's Mercosur accession. Ambassador Souza-Gomes said Brazil believes Chavez is easier to contain within Mercosur than outside of it, and that Brazil [...]	2007-09-13 21:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ETRD PGOV VE
07CARACAS1819	PDVSA REVENUES UP, PROFITS DOWN FOR 2006 [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: PDVSA reported 2006 gross revenues of 99.3 billion USD, a 19.7% increase over 2005, and net profits of 5.5 billion USD, a decline of 16%. The principal reason for the decline in net profits was an almost 100% increase in social development expenditures. Administrative expenses [...]	2007-09-14 14:21:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS182	CHAVEZ THREATENS TO PNG AMBASSADOR [...] (C) Summary - During a lengthy speech at a swearing-in ceremony on the evening of January 25, President Chavez threatened to expel the Ambassador. Chavez said, "Mr. Ambassador, if you keep interfering in Venezuelan affairs, you could be declared persona non grata (PNG) and would have to lea [...]	2007-01-26 20:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS1822	STATOIL: A GOOD DEAL [...] No summary [...]	2007-09-14 16:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS183	BRV BEGINS TO REAP WHAT IT HAS SOWN [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA reportedly told tax authorities in August 2006 that it was unable to pay its royalties and taxes due to cash flow problems stemming from social development expenditures. President Chavez' recent statements regarding an increase in gasoline prices appear to stem from PDVSA's [...]	2007-01-26 20:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1831	WE AREN'T MAKING THIS UP: THE BRV'S BIZARRE POLICY [...] (SBU) Summary: Over the last month the BRV has proposed an amalgamation of ambitious socialist and populist projects that further expand the role of the state in society and seemingly defy common sense. President Chavez has announced his intention to construct socialist cities and islands, re [...]	2007-09-17 12:47:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV ECON SOCI VE
07CARACAS184	CHAVEZ'S NEW CABINET: A LOOK AT SOME NEW MINISTERS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. President Chavez swore in a new cabinet of hard-line loyalists on January 8. His picks include a number of his party's, the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR),National Assembly (NA) deputies who gave up their seats to assume the ministry positions. The ideological and political te [...]	2007-01-26 20:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PINR PREL VE
07CARACAS1846	WHA/AND DIRECTOR'S VISIT: CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES [...] (C) Summary. A wide range of Embassy contacts discussed Chavez' proposed constitutional changes September 12-14 with the Ambassador and visiting WHA/AND Director Chacon. There is widespread consensus among analysts, pro-Chavez and opposition politicians, and third country diplomats that Chav [...]	2007-09-18 17:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
07CARACAS186	CUBA COMES TO TOWN [...] (U) SUMMARY: President Hugo Chavez received Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage on January 24 with fanfare but without pubic announcement prior to Lage's arrival. Lage's presentation of a letter purportedly written by Fidel Castro to Chavez gave Chavez the opportunity to publicly trumpet Cast [...]	2007-01-26 22:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS1864	BRV TIGHTENS THE VISA SCREWS ON FOREIGN JOURNALISTS [...] No summary [...]	2007-09-20 20:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS1879	ONCE AGAIN CHAVEZ TAKES HUGE ENTOURAGE TO UNGA [...] No summary [...]	2007-09-21 21:16:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PREL UNGA OVIP KSEP ITRA VE
07CARACAS1894	AHMADINEJAD TO VISIT VENEZUELA FOLLOWING UNGA [...] (SBU) On September 24, during his longest "Alo, Presidente" television broadcast to date (eight hours and fifteen minutes),President Chavez confirmed press reports that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Venezuela on September 26. Ahmadinejad is expected to give a speech at the [...]	2007-09-24 21:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM IR VE
07CARACAS1902	BOND OF THE SOUTH III RELAUNCHED [...] This message is Sensitive but Unclassified, please treat accordingly. 2. (U) The Ministry of Peoples Power for Finance (MPPF) announced on September 24 that the price of the USD 1.2 billion Bonos del Sur III (Bond of the South III) would be set at 108 percent of face value. The combo bond [...]	2007-09-25 21:47:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EFIN VE
07CARACAS1913	CHAVEZ' CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE: OPPOSITION DIVIDED [...] (C) Summary. Less than ten weeks before a constitutional referendum, Venezuela's opposition parties remain splintered as to how to oppose President Chavez' sweeping reforms. Leading opposition parties advocate voting "no" while more hard-line opposition parties promote abstention. Opposition [...]	2007-09-27 15:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS1914	CHAVEZ MEETS WITH FAMILIES OF AMERICAN CITIZEN [...] (SBU) President Chavez met with the family members of Amcit FARC hostages Keith Stansell, Thomas Howes, and Marc Gonsalves the evening of September 25. Paloma Diaz, the sister of FARC prisoner in Colombia, and Yolanda Pulecio, mother of Colombian/French hostage Ingrid Betancourt, were also pr [...]	2007-09-27 15:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PTER PHUM CO VE
07CARACAS1936	UNT LOBBIES EU, PLANS MEETING WITH OAS TO RAISE [...] (C) Summary. Former presidential candidate Manuel Rosales and Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) party leaders are actively sharing their concerns about the anti-democratic nature of Chavez' proposed constitutional changes with foreign governments and the OAS. Zulia Governor Rosales briefed 13 European A [...]	2007-09-28 20:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS1937	CHAVEZ AND AHMADINEJAD: PROUD TO BE BROTHERS IN [...] (U) On the evening of September 27, 2007 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited President Chavez at the Miraflores, Presidential Palace. Arriving in Caracas from La Paz, Bolivia, in an aircraft provided by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV),Ahmadinejad received full formal ho [...]	2007-09-28 22:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KDEM PGOV PREL IR VE
07CARACAS1942	BRAZILIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AMORIM REAFFIRMS GOB [...] (SBU) According to local media, on September 29, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim met with President Chavez and Foreign Minister Maduro in Caracas to discuss, inter alia, Venezuela's Mercosur accession, the status of the South American gas pipeline project, and bilateral cooperation in [...]	2007-10-01 18:57:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON PGOV KIPR VE
07CARACAS1947	BRV PREPARING NEW SOCIALIST CURRICULUM: DETAILS TBD [...] (C) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) recently released for selective comment a new 500-page curriculum designed to reinforce President Chavez' ill-defined "Socialism in the XXI Century." The BRV is planning to make new government textbooks available in December and implemen [...]	2007-10-02 15:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV SOCI PHUM ELAB VE
07CARACAS1948	SERVICE COMPANIES FACE USG IRANIAN AND CUBAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Baker Hughes (BH) has three contracts with PDVSA in various stages of execution that they believe appear to violate USG Iranian and Cuban sanctions legislation. According to BH, other U.S. service companies have similar contracts that raise the same issues. BH will meet with PDVS [...]	2007-10-02 16:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON PREL KFPC ETTC CU IR VE
07CARACAS1969	NGOS CITE WORRISOME HUMAN RIGHTS PATTERNS [...] (C) SUMMARY. Several prominent local human rights organizations recently released critical reports on the human rights situation in Venezuela. These studies document patterns of human rights violations, often allegedly involving Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials, agents, and sy [...]	2007-10-04 22:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS1977	AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH CHEVRON [...] (C) SUMMARY: Chevron remains optimistic on Venezuela and believes that the Chavez administration has begun to realize that it cannot divorce Venezuela from the United States. Chinese oil company CNPC has approached Chevron about signing a cooperation agreement for projects in Venezuela. Chevro [...]	2007-10-09 11:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS1985	AMBASSADOR DUDDY PRESENTS CREDENTIALS COPIES TO [...] (C) A pleasant but disengaged Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, accompanied by North America Vice Foreign Minister Jorge Valero, received Ambassador Duddy,s copies of letters of credence and recall in his office Saturday, Oct 6. During the 20-minute meeting the Ambassador noted the FM,s Octobe [...]	2007-10-09 19:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE
07CARACAS1998	LOCAL RECALL ELECTIONS: MIXED RESULTS IN LOW-KEY [...] (C) Summary: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) held ten local recall elections in various parts of Venezuela on October 7. According to the preliminary results from the National Electoral Commission (CNE),four mayors, two Chavistas and two from the opposition, as well as one regio [...]	2007-10-11 13:47:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS20	VENEZUELA: 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM [...] The following is post's update on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) for the 2006 Country Reports on Terrorism: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's cooperation in international efforts against terrorism remained negligible. President Hugo Chavez continued to criticize U.S. counter [...]	2007-01-04 17:18:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PTER ASEC VE
07CARACAS2000	MITSUBISHI HOPES TO CLOSE MAJOR REFINERY DEAL BY [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Mitsubishi trading company hopes to complete a USD 3 billion financing deal for a deep conversion project at the Puerto La Cruz refinery by year-end. The Itochu trading company is working on a similar deal for the El Palito refinery. JBIC's participation in the projects and [...]	2007-10-11 18:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON JA CH VE
07CARACAS201	OPPOSITION SEVERELY CHALLENGED, LOOKING LONG TERM [...] (C) Still stinging from its tenth consecutive electoral defeat since 1998, the opposition is plagued by infighting, the need to rebuild, disillusioned supporters, and an inability to effectively confront President Chavez' plans to push his "socialist" agenda. Accion Democratica (AD),which m [...]	2007-01-30 16:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2010	VENEZUELA AND CUBA -- CONFEDERATION? [...] (C) Summary - President Chavez visited Cuba October 13-14, reportedly spending four hours with Fidel Castro. Chavez hosted his weekly Alo Presidente television program, in honor of Che Guevara, from Santa Clara, Cuba. The program included a video tape of his meeting with Castro as well as an [...]	2007-10-15 21:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM ELAB KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS2013	THE BRV'S PROPOSED ECONOMIC CONSTITUTIONAL [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: President Chavez' proposed economic changes to the constitution included in his reform package (Reftel A) are breathtaking in both scope and ambition. The draft proposals give Chavez, inter alia, the broad constitutional authority to consolidate his vision of a socialist model [...]	2007-10-16 20:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
07CARACAS2034	VENEZUELAN DAILY ALLEGES BRV PLAN FOR SUPPORT TO [...] (C) Summary. Venezuela daily "El Universal" recently published an article claiming that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has, as part of its Plan for Socio-Economic Development 2007-2013, the stated goal of promoting "alternative groups" in Mexico and Central America. The report ap [...]	2007-10-18 15:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2037	VENEZUELA: NOMINATION FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S [...] (U) Embassy Caracas is pleased to nominate Isela I. Iguaran for the Secretary's Award for International Women of Courage, per reftel. 2. (U) Nominee: Isela I. Iguaran 3. (U) Title and Institution: President, Bloque Vecinal Indigena (Indigenous Issues NGO) 4. (U) Date of Birth: Februa [...]	2007-10-18 17:34:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PREL KWMN PHUM KPAO VE
07CARACAS2049	COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVAL FOR AVIATION SAFETY [...] The Embassy grants country clearance for the visit to Venezuela of Joe Maiorana and Quentin Cruz of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the period of October 21, 2007 through October 27, 2007. This approval is granted on the condition that the traveler will be traveling with an appr [...]	2007-10-19 22:02:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAIR OTRA ASEC VE
07CARACAS2050	CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM - GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. [...] (C) Late on Friday October 12 the Venezuelan National Assembly's Mixed Commission on Constitutional Reform announced the addition of 25 amendments to the constitution, on top of the 33 proposed by President Chavez on August 15 (Ref A). While a few of the changes are fairly innocuous, many wil [...]	2007-10-19 22:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KIPR PHUM KDEM ECON VE
07CARACAS2056	CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES CHINESE APPROVAL OF STRATEGIC [...] On October 21, 2007 President Chavez announced Chinese approval of a USD six billion Strategic Fund between China and Venezuela (BRV). During a phone call from Miraflores Palace, 21 October, 2007, to aspirants to the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) in the State of Anzoategui Chave [...]	2007-10-22 21:36:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON VE
07CARACAS2058	FEAR, LOATHING, AND STATE PATERNALISM IN MERIDA [...] (C) Summary. University administrators, opposition parties, and civil society leaders in the university city of Merida increasingly fear the growing authoritarianism of President Chavez. University of Los Andes (ULA) administrators believe the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) will put [...]	2007-10-22 22:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM SOCI KDEM VE
07CARACAS206	GOVERNOR ROSALES AND EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE EAGER [...] (SBU) Action Request -- See Paragraph 12. 2. (C) Summary. During the Ambassador's January 23-24 visit to Maracaibo, Zulia Governor and former presidential candidate Manuel Rosales expressed strong interest in enhancing programs of cooperation with his state administration. Rosales said he [...]	2007-01-30 21:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL EAID PHUM PGOV SNAR VE
07CARACAS2062	VENEZUELA'S NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL REQUESTS [...] (U) The Directors of Globovision, Alberto Federico Ravell, and Venezolana de TeleVision (VTV),Romero Anselmi, met with the President of the National Electoral Council (CNE),Tibisay Lucena, October 17 to counter CNE efforts to suspend the transmission of spots critical of the government's [...]	2007-10-23 18:14:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2064	VENEZUELA: FIGHTING CORRUPTION IN LATIN AMERICA [...] (U) The Ambassador has identified DCM Philip French as Caracas' participant in the Fighting Corruption in Latin America Conference (reftel). DUDDY [...]	2007-10-23 19:21:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PINR PGOV OTRA KCOR
07CARACAS2071	PRINTING PRESS RAIDED, ANTI-REFORM MATERIAL SEIZED [...] (SBU) State Intelligence (DISIP) and Military Intelligence (DIM) police officials raided the Impresos Chirivel printing press in San Diego, Carabobo state October 23 in order to confiscate anti-constitutional reform promotional material. The seized goods, which read "No to constitutional reform [...]	2007-10-25 11:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
07CARACAS2074	AGRICULTURE EXPERTS PREDICT CORN, WHEAT, AND MILK [...] (SBU) Summary: Milk, white corn and wheat which make up Venezuela's three most consumed products (milk, pre-cooked corn meal, and pasta),are all facing worsening or impending shortages. Global price increases combined with local price controls have led to the current milk shortage and an eme [...]	2007-10-25 19:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EAGR ALOW VE
07CARACAS2076	CHAVEZ' NEW PARTY: A LABORIOUS BIRTH [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez' United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) is finally scheduled to hold its Founding Party Congress on November 2 after repeated postponements. The PSUV will not establish party policies or select leaders, however, until early 2008, well after the referendum on [...]	2007-10-25 21:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM PHUM VE
07CARACAS2077	UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PROTEST CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS [...] (U) In spite of a steady rain, violent pro-Chavez counter-protesters, delayed permits, and National Guard roadblocks preventing additional student protesters from entering Caracas, some 20,000 students marched through downtown Caracas October 23 protesting Chavez' proposed constitutional refor [...]	2007-10-25 21:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM PHUM VE
07CARACAS2084	PARALLEL DOLLAR RATE CONTINUES RAPID CLIMB [...] (C) The parallel rate for dollars has jumped sharply in recent months, increasing 65 percent in the last six months from 3,700 bolivares (Bs)/USD on April 26 to 6,180 Bs/USD on October 26. Reasons for the increase include increasing liquidity and general unease about the constitutional reform [...]	2007-10-26 20:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS2089	BRV AND CATHOLIC CHURCH AT ODDS OVER CHAVEZ' [...] (C) Summary. The Venezuelan Catholic Conference of Bishop's recently-released document entitled "Called to Live in Liberty" strongly criticizes President Chavez' proposed constitutional changes. The bishops call Chavez' efforts to construct a "socialist state" discriminatory, anti-democratic [...]	2007-10-26 20:50:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS2091	PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE [...] (C) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) continues to systematically harass independent media outlets and restrict freedom of expression. The BRV appears determined to find grounds to sanction opposition-oriented cable news network Globovision through a series of bizarre accus [...]	2007-10-26 20:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
07CARACAS2094	PRO-CHAVEZ MEDIA ESCALATE RHETORICAL ATTACKS ON [...] (C) Summary. A pro-government daily accused Jewish rabbis and Mossad agents October 29 of conspiring against the Chavez government. These unfounded assertions come on the heels of a government-run television network talk show asserting without proof that Jewish businessmen are funding student [...]	2007-10-29 17:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV VE
07CARACAS2099	CHAVEZ ACCEPTS AMBASSADOR'S CREDENTIALS, OFFERS [...] (C) In a surprisingly cordial October 29 meeting, the Ambassador presented his credentials to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias. President Chavez repeatedly stressed during the 35 minute discussion that the United States and Venezuela were not enemies and that his door was open "24 hours [...]	2007-10-30 19:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV SNAR PREL VE
07CARACAS21	VENEZUELA STRONGLY CONDEMNS EXECUTION OF SADDAM [...] (SBU) In a press release January 3, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the execution of Saddam Hussein, which it called "a political crime produced by an illegitimate foreign occupation." The BRV couched its objection not only as a rejection of the death penalty, but also of [...]	2007-01-04 17:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL VE
07CARACAS2103	CONOCOPHILLIPS HEADS TO ARBITRATION [...] (C) SUMMARY: ConocoPhillips (CP) Chairman, President and CEO James Mulva told the Ambassador on October 30 that CP will file an arbitration claim with ICSID against the BRV. Negotiations regarding compensation have proved unsuccessful to date but CP still holds out hope that the BRV may eventu [...]	2007-10-31 13:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS2104	LUKOIL DEEPLY PESSIMISTIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to a senior Lukoil executive, Lukoil is highly pessimistic about investment opportunities in Venezuela. The Russian company is particularly concerned about constitutional reforms such as the definition of private property and the six hour workday. In addition, the comp [...]	2007-10-31 13:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS2120	STUDENTS AND ANTI-REFORM SECTORS PROTEST [...] (C) Summary. Over 20,000 university student leaders and anti-reform protesters marched to the National Electoral Council's (CNE's) headquarters November 1 to petition the CNE to postpone the referendum until February 2008. After arriving at the CNE, some student delegates were refused access [...]	2007-11-02 15:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV ASEC KDEM PHUM VE
07CARACAS2122	ICAO: DEMARCHE ON MONTREAL CONVENTION AMENDMENT [...] On November 2, the Embassy sent reftel to DR Sohail Hernandez, Director General of Economics and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Embassy also sent the Demarche to Ramon Vinas Garcia, President of the National Institute of Civil Aviation. We will report any [...]	2007-11-02 20:36:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAIR KNNP KTIA OTRA PARM ICAO VE
07CARACAS2124	LEGISLATURE PASSES CHAVEZ' CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE; [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly (NA) voted overwhelmingly November 2 to approve President Chavez' proposed, sweeping constitutional changes and conveyed the approved text to the National Electoral Council (CNE) the same day. The formal 30-day referendum campign has now begun, with the CNE [...]	2007-11-02 21:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS2125	VENEZUELA - COLOMBIA BRIDGE BLOCKADE LIFTED [...] (SBU) Summary. Truckers ended a 97-day binational blockade of bridges joining Venezuela and Colombia on October 13 after the Colombian government agreed to relocate toll booths, giving motorists alternate local routes to avoid the Colombian tolls. Truck drivers from both countries were prot [...]	2007-11-02 21:40:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PGOV PREL PHUM VE CO
07CARACAS2128	PETROCEDINO'S COMPLICATED BIRTH [...] (C) SUMMARY: The creation of Petrocedino, the joint venture formed from the former Sincor strategic association, poses a variety of challenges for its private sector participants. The new company will extract and upgrade extra-heavy crude oil in the Faja region. Venezuelan state oil company [...]	2007-11-05 16:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON ELAB VE
07CARACAS2130	NEW TAX ON FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS IMPLEMENTED WITH [...] Summary: (C) On November 1 the BRV imposed a 1.5 percent tax on institutional financial transactions through December 31, 2008. The BRV's unveiling of this tax was particularly clumsy, as the government had to modify its original decree to prevent the collapse of key financial transactions [...]	2007-11-05 17:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS2132	AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH VICE FOREIGN MINISTER VALERO [...] (C) Ambassador Duddy and PolCouns met November 2 with BRV Vice Foreign Minister Jorge Valero and MFA Director for North America Affairs Yaneth Arocha at the CMR to review bilateral relations. This was the first meeting with BRV officials since the Ambassador's October 29 discussion with Chavez [...]	2007-11-05 19:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2134	CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM CAMPAIGN BEGINS WITH [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez held a peaceful November 4 mass rally to mobilize support for his proposed constitutional reform package. Chavez accused reform opponents of trying to destabilize his government and urged government officials to be more "firm" with university demonstrators. Some [...]	2007-11-05 21:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM ASEC VE
07CARACAS2136	SPANISH ENVOY RAISES PROPERTY RIGHTS WITH FM MADURO [...] (C) Summary. Spain's Secretary of State for Iberoamerica, Trinidad Jimenez, visited Caracas October 31. In addition to a lengthy meeting with Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, she met President Chavez, leaders from political parties (PODEMOS, Accion Democratica, Primero Justicia, Un Nuevo Tie [...]	2007-11-06 15:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL SP VE
07CARACAS214	CIVAIR: REPONSE TO AMERICAN/SPIRIT DESIGNATION [...] In response to Post's diplomatic note No. 809, dated December 13, 2006 (reftel),the BRV has provided the Embassy a list of requirements for Spirit Airlines to operate route 1 between the United States and Venezuela and has approved our designation of American Airlines (AA) to operate route 6. [...]	2007-01-31 21:44:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAIR VE
07CARACAS2140	FEDECAMARAS SPEAKS OUT AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL [...] (SBU) Fedecamaras, Venezuela's premier umbrella business association, has added its voice to those opposed to Chavez' proposed constitutional reforms. During a meeting on November 2, Jose Manuel Gonzalez, President of Fedecamaras, handed the Ambassador a paper discussing Fedecamaras' positio [...]	2007-11-06 20:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	PGOV ECON VE
07CARACAS2142	STUDENT LEADERS: "WE WILL REMAIN IN THE STREETS," [...] (C) SUMMARY. University student leaders vowed to continue with street actions to protest the December 2 constitutional referendum during a November 5 press conference. They announced plans to march to the Supreme Court November 7 to request that the referendum be postponed until February 2008. [...]	2007-11-06 21:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM ASEC VE
07CARACAS2143	INCREASES OF FOOD PRICES AND SUBSIDIES IN VENEZUELA [...] (U) SUMMARY: Venezuela continues to face shortages in milk and wheat products. The BRV has taken steps to subsidize powdered milk imports and has directed that wheat products be made with a combination of wheat and other cereal grains to increase quantities. The BRV also established a produ [...]	2007-11-06 21:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON VE
07CARACAS2144	AMBASSADOR DUDDY'S VISITS VALENCIA TO PROMOTE THE [...] (SBU) Ambassador Duddy's visit to the industrial city of Valencia on October 31 to November 1, 2007 included meetings with the three largest American auto manufacturers in Venezuela, American owned agricultural feed conglomerate Protinal, three of the largest industrial and commercial chambers [...]	2007-11-06 22:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
07CARACAS215	MFA REJECTS NEGROPONTE'S COMMENTS [...] (SBU) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) issued a January 30 press release criticizing Deputy Secretary-designate Negroponte's remarks to the Senate SIPDIS Foreign Relations Committee earlier the same day. The MFA release states that Negroponte "represents a real threat to peace and dem [...]	2007-01-31 22:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
07CARACAS2152	CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS FIRE ON OPPOSITION STUDENTS [...] (C) Summary. Supporters of President Chavez opened fire on opposition demonstrators November 7, seriously injuring at least two students. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials accuse opposition demonstrators of trying to "lynch" pro-Chavez students on campus, while opposition stud [...]	2007-11-08 16:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM ASEC VE
07CARACAS2158	BRV DERIDES BADUEL, OPPOSITION REACTS SLOWLY [...] (SBU) Summary: President Hugo Chavez and other senior Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials wasted no time in harshly criticizing ex-Defense Minister Raul Baduel for his November 5 press conference urging Venezuelans to vote "NO" in the constitutional referendum. On the other hand, [...]	2007-11-09 17:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS216	ROBIN HOOD WAS A SOCIALIST [...] (SBU) During the past two weeks Chavez and other BRV officials have proposed a dizzying array of tax increases, all of which Chavez will have the ability to impose through decrees sanctioned by the new "enabling" law. These proposals maintain the trend of growing the tax burden on individuals [...]	2007-02-01 13:58:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
07CARACAS2162	CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM: POLLS SAY CHAVEZ STILL [...] (C) SUMMARY. Local polls have focused on three issues in the lead-up to the December 2 constitutional referendum: likely participation rates, overall support for the referendum, and the popularity of specific reforms. Polls indicate that while Chavez' electoral camp does not necessarily enjoy [...]	2007-11-09 22:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS217	INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION VS. THE BRV [...] (C) Summary: International arbitration will become increasingly important to foreign investors as Chavez moves forward with his selective nationalizations and disputes over "prompt, adequate, and effective compensation" arise. Foreign investors have three options to avail themselves of arbitr [...]	2007-02-01 15:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EINV PGOV ECON VE
07CARACAS2172	CHAVEZ MEETS FARC REP, SANDBAGS COLOMBIA [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Hugo Chavez met November 8 with FARC representative Ivan Marquez and Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba. Although highly anticipated, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) gave the Colombian government no official prior notification. In an unstructured press availa [...]	2007-11-13 21:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PTER CO VE
07CARACAS2173	WEAK TURNOUT FOR OPPOSITION "NO" MARCH, [...] (C) SUMMARY: The November 11 march convoked by opposition parties advocating voting "No" in the December 2 constitutional referendum failed to generate a significant show of public support. Turnout for the event was likely hurt by a fractured anti-reform movement, recent well attended student [...]	2007-11-13 22:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
07CARACAS2174	JEWISH COMMUNITY UNDERSCORES GROWING CONCERNS [...] (C) Summary. The Ambassador met November 9 with fifteen Jewish community leaders to reinforce the USG's commitment to promoting religious freedom in Venezuela. All of the Jewish organization representatives expressed concern that President Chavez's government is fomenting anti-Semitism in Ven [...]	2007-11-13 22:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS218	CONOCOPHILLIPS MEETS WITH ENERGY VICE MINISTER [...] (C) SUMMARY: ConocoPhillips (CP) executives met with Energy (MEP) Vice Minister Bernard Mommer on January 31 to discuss the shipment of Cuban oil to the Petrozuata upgrader and the migration of the Petrozuata and Hamaca strategic associations to PDVSA controlled joint ventures. Mommer stated [...]	2007-02-01 15:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS2181	THE BRV PUTS THE BRAKES ON CAR IMPORTS [...] (C) Summary: On October 31, the BRV issued a resolution requiring all auto importers to obtain a license from the Ministry of Popular Power for Light Industry and Commerce (MILCO) for vehicle imports. The resolution also stipulates that all imported and locally assembled vehicles must run on [...]	2007-11-14 19:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV ETRD VE
07CARACAS2186	BRV BOND OFFERINGS TARGET PARALLEL DOLLAR MARKET [...] (C) Summary: The Ministry of People's Power for Finance (MPPF) recently announced a new series of dollar and bolivar-denominated debt issuances for the coming five months. The BRV's stated reason for these issuances was to optimize its debt profile and cover upcoming amortizations. Local an [...]	2007-11-15 17:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS2187	CHAVEZ KEEPS SPAT WITH SPAIN GOING [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Hugo Chavez, as well as his political supporters and detractors, are attempting to make political hay out of King Juan Carlos' royal rebuke of Chavez on November 10 at the Iberoamerican summit. The King's "why don't you shut up" sound bite is receiving extensive airpla [...]	2007-11-15 19:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS2188	FINANCE MINISTER ACCUSES FEDECAMARAS OF SUBVERSION [...] (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified, please treat accordingly. 2. (SBU) Finance Minister Rodrigo Cabezas went on the offensive November 14 and publicly accused FEDECAMARAS,the country's largest umbrella business organization, of "subversion" for its opposition to the BRV's cons [...]	2007-11-15 19:24:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON PGOV VE
07CARACAS219	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANDS CHAVEZ BROAD LEGISLATIVE [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly (NA) gave final approval January 31 to an omnibus Enabling Law that provides President Chavez with broad authority to issue executive decrees over the next 18 months in eleven areas, including energy. President Chavez is expected to promulgate the measure wi [...]	2007-02-01 16:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL ECON PHUM VE
07CARACAS2195	CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: PLAYERS AND THEIR POSITIONS [...] (C) Summary. The December 2 constitutional referendum is a highly polarized political battle between President Chavez and his extensive base on one side and opposition parties, university demonstrators, Catholic bishops, and important sectors of civil society on the other. President Chavez's [...]	2007-11-16 19:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS2201	CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM: KELLER POLL SAYS "NO" [...] (C) SUMMARY. Emboffs met November 16 with pollster Alfredo Keller of Keller and Associates to discuss the December 2 referendum on President Chavez' sweeping constitutional changes. Keller said that based on his current polls the "No" vote appears to be gaining support among Chavistas despite [...]	2007-11-19 17:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS2203	DEMARCHE DELIVERED: FATF STATEMENT AND GUIDANCE ON [...] (C) Emboffs delivered Ref A demarche on the recent Financial Action Task Force (FATF) decisions concerning Iran to Yaneth Arocha, Director of the MFA's Office of North American Affairs, and, separately, to Francisco Canela, Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (UNIF) at the Superintend [...]	2007-11-19 20:50:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PARM PREL MNUC ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS2207	CHINA LOANS VENEZUELA USD FOUR BILLION TO BE [...] (U) SUMMARY: BRV President Hugo Chavez and PRC Vice Minister of the National Committee and Reform Zhang Xiaoqiamg presided over a televised signing ceremony for energy, financial and technology agreements on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 at the presidential palace. The main agreement established [...]	2007-11-20 14:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EPET CH VE
07CARACAS2211	PRO-CHAVEZ PPT PARTY: GRUDGING SUPPORT FOR [...] (C) Summary. The small pro-Chavez party Patria Para Todos (PPT) is reluctantly supporting President Chavez's proposed, sweeping constitutional changes. PPT leaders told PolCouns that Chavez's constitutional package is a "tough sell" within Chavismo, and they predict that it will only narrowly [...]	2007-11-20 21:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM SNAR VE
07CARACAS2212	CHAVEZ VISITS IRAN: THE FOURTH TIME IN TWO YEARS [...] (C) On November 19, President Chavez visited Tehran for the fourth time since 2005 and the sixth time since 1998. During the five-hour stop-over, Chavez and his entourage of five ministers and the mayor of Caracas met with President Ahmadinejad and Iranian officials. According to media report [...]	2007-11-20 21:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KDEM PGOV PREL IR VE
07CARACAS2214	OPPOSITION UCV STUDENT BLOC WINS LANDSLIDE [...] (C) SUMMARY. Opposition-oriented candidates easily won student elections held November 16 at the public Central University of Venezuela's (UCV) campuses nationwide. Student voters elected a new president to the Federation of UCV Colleges (FCU),representatives for each college, and student de [...]	2007-11-21 14:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
07CARACAS2215	BRV APPOINTS DISMISSED JUDGES TO DIPLOMATIC POSTS [...] (SBU) The Foreign Ministry of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) appointed three dismissed appellate court judges to diplomatic posts in Europe and Latin America in late October. Judge Belkis Cedeno is the new consul general to Vigo, Spain. Judge Maikel Moreno is the new commercial [...]	2007-11-21 14:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS2221	AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH SHELL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Shell Venezuela President Sean Rooney paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador November 21 to discuss the current operating environment in Venezuela. In contacts with Shell, Energy Ministry and PDVSA working level contacts have significantly increased proposals for new projects and [...]	2007-11-23 19:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS2225	REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN UPDATE-NOVEMBER 21-23 [...] (C) SUMMARY. Pro-government and opposition university students across the country organized demonstrations in support of and against President Chavez' reform package November 21. Opposition student leaders announced that university students will not participate in the opposition's march Novem [...]	2007-11-23 21:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2226	CHAVEZ ELECTORAL MACHINE KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez' government and the "Yes" campaign are increasingly one and the same in the run-up to the December 2 referendum on Chavez' proposed, sweeping changes to the constitution. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) is injecting significant personnel and resources [...]	2007-11-23 21:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE
07CARACAS2228	BALANCE OF PAYMENTS DATA MAY FORESHADOW CHALLENGES [...] (C) Summary: The Central Bank of Venezuela's (BCV's) third quarter balance of payments data illustrate two important trends: a declining volume of petroleum exports and rapidly growing imports. Imports over the first three quarters of 2007 have grown a hefty 36 percent relative to the same p [...]	2007-11-26 12:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EFIN EPET VE
07CARACAS2229	VENEZUELA: VISIT OF G/TIP'S BARBARA FLECK [...] (C) SUMMARY. Barbara Fleck, Reports Officer for the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP),and Emboffs met with Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials and NGOs October 19-23 to discuss the government's anti-trafficking efforts. MFA officials agreed to facilitate [...]	2007-11-26 14:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM KCRM KWMN VE
07CARACAS2231	CHAVEZ' COLD WAR WITH COLOMBIA AND SPAIN [...] (C) Summary: President Hugo Chavez publicly announced November 25 that he was putting relations with Colombia "in the freezer" following his dismissal as mediator between Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) by Colombian President Uribe. Describing Uribe with a strin [...]	2007-11-26 16:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PTER CO VE

07CARACAS2238	REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN UPDATE-NOVEMBER 23-26 [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez raised for the first time the possibility of defeat at the polls on December 2. Chavez' statements, however, appear aimed more at galvanizing his base than admitting weakness. The Venezuelan Episcopal Conference issued a statement reiterating its concerns about t [...]	2007-11-27 10:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2243	CHEVRON'S NEXT MOVES [...] (C) SUMMARY: The BRV has approached Chevron with a proposal to significantly increase production at the former Ameriven strategic association. Petrochina has also offered to partner with Chevron in a Faja project. Chevron is not in a hurry to make additional investments in Venezuela. Labor [...]	2007-11-27 20:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON CH VE
07CARACAS2245	REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN UPDATE-NOVEMBER 27 [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez reminded his supporters November 26 that a loss for the "No" vote would not end his government or the Bolivarian Revolution. Opposition parties and university students continue to try to mobilize their supporters to participate in the December 2 referendum, emp [...]	2007-11-27 22:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2254	REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN UPDATE-NOVEMBER 27-28 [...] (C) Summary: Political polarization is increasing in the lastweek of campaigning before the December 2 referendm on President Chavez's proposed constitutional eform. A large gap in police coverage allowed pr-reform thugs to storm the fences of Andres Bell Catholic University (UCAB) while stu [...]	2007-11-28 23:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2258	REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN UPDATE-NOVEMBER 28-29 [...] (C) SUMMARY. The "No" bloc held its end-of-campaign rally in downtown Caracas November 29, and initial indications are it is the largest anti-reform rally thus far. Embassy contacts note that the "No" bloc still lacks sufficient electoral witnesses to provide coverage outside of Caracas on e [...]	2007-11-29 20:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2259	CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM BY THE NUMBERS [...] No summary [...]	2007-11-29 21:24:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS2260	STOCK EXCHANGE STRUGGLES FOR RELEVANCE AS STATE [...] (C) Summary: The Caracas Stock Exchange (BVC) has fallen 37 percent this year in the face of nationalizations and the advance of Chavez' socialist economic agenda. BVC management is turning to the BRV to breathe life back into the exchange, asking that the BRV sell some shares in nationalized [...]	2007-11-30 14:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS2262	FINAL "NO" CAMPAIGN RALLY YIELDS HIGH TURNOUT [...] (C) Summary: The "No" block successfully mustered a significant public show of support in its November 29 Caracas rally. As many as 100,000 voters attended the final "No" rally before the December 2 constitutional referendum, one of the opposition's biggest crowds in recent history. Univers [...]	2007-11-30 15:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2263	VENEZUELA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: A STEP TOWARDS [...] (C) Summary: The BRV's proposed constitutional reform removes unambiguous constitutional protections from intellectual property rights (IPR). The removal of these protections give the BRV more constitutional flexibility to walk away from its IPR obligations or pass anti-IPR laws that would vi [...]	2007-11-30 16:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KIPR ETRD VE
07CARACAS2268	VENEZUELA: TITLE III OF LIBERTAD ACT [...] (C) In response to REF A tasking, Post sees no evidence that the BRV has undertaken policies or actions to advance democracy, human rights, or fundamental freedoms in Cuba over the past year. On the contrary, President Hugo Chavez is Fidel Castro's closest ally and has repeatedly and publicly [...]	2007-11-30 20:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ETRD ETTC CU VE
07CARACAS2269	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO SELECT NEW OMBUDSMAN, [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly (NA) is expected to name a new Human Rights Ombudsman, Attorney General, and Comptroller in the coming weeks. Together these positions make up the "Public Power" branch of government, also known as the Moral Republican Council (CMR). The CMR's Candidate Eva [...]	2007-11-30 20:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV VE
07CARACAS2270	THE REFERENDUM -- AND AFTER: WHAT TO WATCH [...] (C) Summary. The December 2 constitutional referendum is proving to be President Chavez's most difficult electoral test since the 2004 recall referendum, but the Venezuelan president and his supporters still enjoy significant electoral advantages. Both the "Yes" and "No" camps are battling t [...]	2007-11-30 23:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
07CARACAS2271	REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN UPDATE-NOVEMBER 29-30 [...] (C) Summary: Following the November 29 final, substantial rally of the "No" camp, President Chavez canceled a planned visit to Ecuador. Instead, he prepared for his final "Yes" campaign speech on November 30 rally, while his Zamora Command alleged domestic conspiracies to reject a "Yes" vic [...]	2007-12-01 15:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
07CARACAS2272	CHAVEZ ALLEGES USG ELECTION INTERFERENCE; [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez told a mass rally November 29 that his electoral battle to win approval of sweeping proposed constitutional changes in the December 2 referendum is really a struggle against the United States and its opposition "lackeys" in Venezuela. As expected, Chavez has ram [...]	2007-12-01 18:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
07CARACAS2273	REFERENDUM ELECTORAL CONDITIONS A POTENTIALLY [...] (C) Summary: While not a main focus of the referendum campaign, widespread concern over electoral conditions remains, and could become a central issue if the opposition, which believes it has a chance to win, refuses to accept a result which has the no vote losing by a sizable margin. The N [...]	2007-12-01 18:52:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2274	CHAVEZ LOSES CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM [...] (C) Summary. The National Electoral Council (CNE) announced at 1:19 a.m. on December 3 that President Chavez and his supporters failed to win public approval for proposed, sweeping changes to the 1999 Constitution. According to the CNE announcement, Venezuelans voted down both blocks of the 6 [...]	2007-12-03 17:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE
07CARACAS2284	WHY CHAVEZ' CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM FAILED [...] (C) Summary: Chavez's defeat in the December 2 constitutional referendum is a rejection of the aggressive, radical agenda which he tried to impose this year. Chavez's sweeping proposals kept many of his supporters from voting, and lead many to vote against him. They also energized new sourc [...]	2007-12-04 20:47:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2290	A DEFIANT CHAVEZ DECLARES INTENTION TO REVISIT [...] (C) Summary. After appearing more statesmanlike in his December 4 concession speech, President Chavez lashed out at the opposition during a December 5 news conference, calling the "No" camp's electoral win in a December 2 constitutional referendum a "Pyhrric" and "sh-tty" victory. Chavez decl [...]	2007-12-06 20:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS2294	CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM: WINNERS AND LOSERS [...] (C) Summary. Venezuelan democracy is the big winner after voters rejected President Chavez' proposed anti-democratic changes to the 1999 Constitution on December 2. There are still few real checks on Chavez' power, but Chavez will be unable to legally impose much of his desired elements of a [...]	2007-12-07 14:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS2301	EMBASSY CARACAS: TERRORISM FINANCE COORDINATION [...] Name and contact information for Embassy Caracas' Terrorism Finance Coordination Officer (TFCO) and Deputy TFCO are below. TFCO Andrew N. Bowen Economic Counselor 58-212-907-8412 bowenan@state.gov bowenan@state.sgov.gov Deputy TFCO David Galbraith Economic Officer 58-212-907-8406 [...]	2007-12-07 20:00:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON ETTC PTER KTFN VE
07CARACAS2303	SIFTING THROUGH THE REFERENDUM RUMOR MILL [...] (C) Summary: Since the polls closed on the December 2 constitutional referendum, Caracas has been rife with rampant rumors about the accuracy of the results and Chavez's willingness to quickly accept defeat. While we may never know the real story of events, the opposition has publicly and pr [...]	2007-12-07 20:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS231	AMBASSADOR'S LUNCH WITH TEODORO PETKOFF [...] (C) In a lunch with the Ambassador January 30, long-time leftist and opposition figure Teodoro Petkoff shared his view of the post-election period. While he believed that Chavez would be in power for some time, Petkoff thought the Venezuelan President's aggressive political agenda was planti [...]	2007-02-02 20:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2319	VENEZUELAN AIR FORCE ANNOUNCES RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan Air Force announced on December 5 the purchase of 12 Russian cargo aircraft to upgrade their heavy lift and in-flight refueling capability. In late October 2007, Rosoboronexport announced that it planned to double or triple its defense industry contracts with the [...]	2007-12-10 21:18:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET//NOFORN	MARR MCAP PGOV VE
07CARACAS2322	DEMARCHE DELIVERED: SHARING U.S. CASH COURIER [...] Post forwarded reftel non-paper on December 11 to the head of the Ministry of People's Power for External Relation's North America department, with a copy to the head of the Financial Intellegence Unit of the Superintendency of Banks. We will notify the Department if we receive a substantive [...]	2007-12-11 15:20:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EFIN ETTC KTFIN PREL PTER ASEC VE
07CARACAS2325	CNE UPDATES REFERENDUM RESULTS AND RE-CERTIFIES [...] (U) National Electoral Council (CNE) President Tibisay Lucena released the "final" results of the December 2 constitutional referendum late on December 7 based on 94 of the returns. She reiterated that both blocks of proposed changes to the 1999 Constitution had been defeated. Although some [...]	2007-12-11 18:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS2327	JEWISH GROUP PROTESTS POLICE SEARCH OF CARACAS [...] (C) Summary. Venezuelan police searched the Caracas Hebrew Center compound in the early morning of December 2, several hours before polling stations opened for the constitutional referendum. The police had a warrant to search for drugs and weapons; they found nothing and left. The Venezuelan [...]	2007-12-11 19:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV VE
07CARACAS2330	PRESSURE MOUNTS ON VENEZUELA'S EXCHANGE CONTROL [...] (C) Summary: The BRV's exchange control system appears to be coming under increasing pressure, as a persistent and large gap between the official and parallel exchange rates makes acquiring dollars at the official rate the best business in town. Contacts note that CADIVI is falling further b [...]	2007-12-12 14:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS2346	PDVSA CASH FLOW PROBLEMS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Multiple oil sector contacts have stated that PDVSA is not paying service companies and has told a number of them that they will not be paid until mid-January or even February. A local analyst also stated that PDVSA had not paid the missions prior to the December 2 constitutional [...]	2007-12-14 16:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS2348	DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PARIS DONORS CONFERENCE [...] No summary [...]	2007-12-14 17:39:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EFIN PREL PGOV KWBG KPAL IS VE
07CARACAS235	CHAVEZ'S SELF-CORONATION; GOES AFTER ELECTRICITY, [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez promulgated the omnibus Enabling Law February 1, an instrument that gives him effectively unlimited power to rule by decree in eleven vaguely-defined areas for the next eighteen months. He then engaged in a rambling four-hour follow-on press conference in whic [...]	2007-02-02 21:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL ECON KDEM VE
07CARACAS2350	AMBASSADOR MEETS GOVERNOR ROSALES [...] (C) Zulia Governor and unsuccessful presidential candidate Manuel Rosales told the Ambassador on December 13 he was optimistic regarding the opposition's chances to win additional mayoral and governor positions in October 2008, but recognized the opposition faced significant hurdles. He was [...]	2007-12-14 19:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2351	BRV CALLS ANTONINI INDICTMENTS A U.S. PLOT [...] (C) Summary. In a December 12 press release Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro denounced the Justice Department's arrest of three Venezuelans and one Uruguayan as "a U.S. plot to smear progressive governments in South America". Information and Communication Minister William Lara later told a gov [...]	2007-12-14 19:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
07CARACAS2355	PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE -- DECEMBER 17 [...] (C) Summary. In the period leading up to and immediately following President Chavez' failed efforts to reform the 1999 constitution, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) continued to systematically harass and threaten independent media outlets and restrict freedom of expression. The op [...]	2007-12-17 17:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
07CARACAS2362	WISHING AWAY THE PARALLEL RATE: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY [...] (U) The National Assembly on December 13 approved a law revising the 2005 law on illicit foreign currency transactions. The new law, which will go into effect pending presidential approval and publication in the Official Gazette, continues to allow the bond transactions on which the parallel [...]	2007-12-18 15:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS2363	LULA: TOUCH AND GO IN CARACAS TO DISCUSS TRADE [...] (U) SUMMARY: Brazilian President Lula Da Silva, accompanied by approximately 130 Brazilian business leaders paid a five-hour visit to Caracas on December 13, and met with President Chavez and other senior BRV officials. Nine agreements were signed in the areas of health, agriculture, energy, [...]	2007-12-18 15:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ETRD ENRG EINV VE BR
07CARACAS2364	OPPOSITION LOOKS TOWARD 2008 [...] (C) Summary: Bolstered by its first electoral victory in nine years, the opposition is preparing for the 2008 state and municipal elections, where it hopes to take back a few governorships and mayoral posts. Mainstream opposition parties Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT),Primero Justicia (PJ) and Copei [...]	2007-12-18 16:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2367	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY APPOINTS LOYALISTS AS NEW HUMAN [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly (NA) appointed new members to the "Public Power" branch of government on December 13. Gabriela Ramirez will serve as Human Rights Ombudsman, Luisa Ortega Diaz as Attorney General, and Clobosbaldo Russian will serve a second seven-year term as Comptroller. [...]	2007-12-18 22:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV VE
07CARACAS2370	CHAVEZ RAMBLES ON ANNIVERSARY OF BOLIVAR'S DEATH [...] (C) In a six-hour speech on December 17 from the Pantheon (where Simon Bolivar is entombed),a clearly unhappy President Chavez delivered a particularly rambling discourse in which he attacked in succession "the Empire" (United States),Spain, Colombia and the international press. Speaking on [...]	2007-12-19 11:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM PREL VE
07CARACAS2371	AMBASSADOR'S DISCUSSION WITH BARUTA MAYOR HENRIQUE [...] No summary [...]	2007-12-19 11:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS2380	NEW BOLIVAR, SAME OLD ECONOMY [...] (C) Summary: The BRV is finalizing plans to change the denomination of its currency. Beginning January 1, 2008, one new bolivar (known during the transition period as the bolivar fuerte, or "strong" bolivar) will be worth 1000 old bolivars. Venezuela's Central Bank has provided what appears [...]	2007-12-20 19:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
07CARACAS2381	FOOD VULNERABILITIES: BRV POLICY RESPONSES CRACK [...] (SBU) Summary: Thanks to growing demand, inflation, strict price controls and other retrograde BRV economic policies, rolling shortages of basic food staples persist. To try to cope the BRV has rolled out massive open-air markets known as MegaMercals (frequented primarily by poor Venezuelans),[...]	2007-12-20 19:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EAGR VE
07CARACAS2386	PUBLIC REPORTING UNDERESTIMATES RISING HOMICIDE [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan newspaper, El Universal, reported that 315 violent deaths occurred in Caracas during the first two weeks of December, an average of 15.5 per day. The chief coroner (protect) at the Caracas morgue told Poloff that the actual rate was closer to one per hour. El Un [...]	2007-12-21 12:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KCRM VE
07CARACAS2388	CHAVISTA GOVERNOR LEADS PROTEST AT U.S. EMBASSY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Cojedes State Governor Jhonny Yanez Rangel led a small and peaceful protest on December 20 in front of the U.S. Embassy against the arrest of three Venezuelans implicated in the Antonini "valijagate" case. Governor Rangel held a press conference outside the mission and read al [...]	2007-12-21 19:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL ASEC PGOV VE
07CARACAS2396	ASSEMBLY APPROVES 2007-2013 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL [...] (SBU) On December 13 the National Assembly approved the BRV's "Guidelines for the 2007-2013 Economic and Social Development Plan for the Nation." The two page introduction of the 51 page document outlines President Chavez' vision to further develop "21st Century Socialism." Themes include " [...]	2007-12-26 20:32:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EINV VE
07CARACAS2398	CHAVEZ'S PLAN AND URIBE'S BURDEN TO RECOVER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: President Hugo Chavez outlined a plan designed to secure the release of three hostages of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) in a December 26 press conference. The plan calls for the participation of international observers from Venezuela and six other countries [...]	2007-12-27 15:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER CO VE
07CARACAS2403	FOR NOW: CHAVEZ' POST-REFERENDUM OPTIONS [...] (C) Summary. In the wake of his constitutional referendum defeat, President Chavez declared his intention to continue to pursue changes to the constitution, but he has not specified how or when. Amending the constitution is required to make major political changes, such as the elimination of [...]	2007-12-27 20:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS2404	BRV HARASSMENT OF POLITICAL OPPONENTS [...] (C) Summary. Despite the Christmas release of retired Army General Francisco Uson from a military prison, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) continues to use the judicial system to intimidate its high profile opponents. The BRV recently initiated hearings against ex-judge Monica Ferna [...]	2007-12-27 21:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV VE
07CARACAS241	JAPANESE AMBASSADOR WORRIED ABOUT INVESTMENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Ambassador met with Japanese Ambassador Matsui, at Matsui's request, on February 2 to discuss the current investment environment in Venezuela. Matsui was clearly concerned about the Japan Bank for International Cooperation's (JBIC) one billion USD loan to PDVSA. Matsui opin [...]	2007-02-05 21:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS2410	OPERATION TO RECOVER THREE FARC HOSTAGES BEGINS [...] (SBU) President Chavez personally kicked off what he called "phase one" of "Operation Emmanuel" on December 28 to facilitate the release of three FARC hostages. Chavez led the team of international commissioners from Caracas to the Santo Domingo airfield in the western state of Tachira on his [...]	2007-12-28 22:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER CO VE
07CARACAS242	FM MADURO CONTINUES ATTACKS ON NEGROPONTE [...] (SBU) For the third time in two weeks, Minister of Foreign Affairs (FM) Nicolas Maduro attacked Deputy Secretary-designate John Negroponte, calling him a "confessed SIPDIS and convicted drug dealer". Maduro launched the latest round of insults February 4 at a Caracas military parade marking [...]	2007-02-05 21:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS243	VENEZUELA: JUSTICE COWED [...] (C) During the opening of the Supreme Court's 2007 judicial year, Chief Justice Omar Mora laid the legal foundation for President Chavez' "socialist" agenda, and called on the entire judicial system to support Chavez' vision. Most of the initiatives Mora announced to transform the court syst [...]	2007-02-05 21:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS245	ROSALES CALLS FOR UNITED FRONT AGAINST [...] (C) Summary. Zulia Governor and de facto opposition leader Manuel Rosales tried to rally opposition to President Chavez and recapture some of his lost momentum in a combative February 1 speech in Caracas. Rosales said that his Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) would unite with several other mainstream op [...]	2007-02-05 22:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
07CARACAS25	CHAVEZ NAMES JORGE RODRIGUEZ VP AND PEDRO CARRENO [...] (C) Summary. President Hugo Chavez named former National Electoral Council (CNE) President Jorge Rodriguez to replace Jose Vicente Rangel as Vice President and Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) National Assembly deputy Pedro Carreno to replace Jessie Chacon as Interior and Justice Minister on Jan [...]	2007-01-04 21:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS256	CARDINAL PREDICTS FURTHER BRV PRESSURE ON CHURCH [...] (C) Summary. Ambassador had lunch February 1 with Cardinal Jorge Cardenal Urosa Savino at the Papal Nuncio's residence. The Venezuelan Cardinal predicted continued Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) pressure against the Catholic Church, noting that the BRV is trying to wrest control of the [...]	2007-02-06 21:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS264	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CEDES POWER TO CHAVEZ [...] (C) On January 31, the Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) passed the Omnibus Enabling Law, which gives unlimited power to legislate to President Chavez for 18 months. With this act, the 100-percent pro-Chavez National Assembly eagerly and completely abdicated its responsibility as an independe [...]	2007-02-07 21:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS291	OUT OF THE GATE INFLATION SURGES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Inflation grew 2 percent in January 2007, the second highest monthly rate in more than a decade. Prices for foodstuffs (food and non-alcoholic beverages) grew even faster at around 4 percent, and have risen 31.1 percent for the 12 months ending in January. BRV officials announce [...]	2007-02-09 21:00:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON VE
07CARACAS293	FM MADURO RESPONDS TO SECRETARY'S COMMENTS, CUT [...] (U) SUMMARY. Minister of Foreign Affairs (FM) Nicolas Maduro continued his anti-USG comments, this time in response to Secretary Rice's February 7 remarks to the U.S. Congress on the state of democracy in Venezuela. Maduro also reiterated allegations that the U.S. is mounting a "campaign" aga [...]	2007-02-09 21:26:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PREL PGOV SNAR VE
07CARACAS302	AES AND BRV REACH AGREEMENT ON ELECTRICIDAD DE [...] (C) Summary: AES Corporation and the BRV have reached a deal for the sale of Electricidad de Caracas (EDC),Venezuela's largest private energy company. The BRV will pay AES 739 million U.S. dollars for its 82.14 percent interest in EDC and will buyout minority shareholders at the same price [...]	2007-02-12 20:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ENRG EINV PGOV VE
07CARACAS305	A BILLION HERE, A BILLION THERE, AND PRETTY SOON [...] (C) SUMMARY: Econoffs met with the BNP Paribas Representative to discuss the recent announcement of a USD 1 billion revolving credit facility arranged by BNP for PDVSA. The Minister of Finance recently announced plans for up to a USD 3.5 billion PDVSA bond issue, and PDVSA has also arranged fo [...]	2007-02-13 13:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	ECON EPET ENRG EFIN VE
07CARACAS306	CHAVEZ PREPARING MAJOR CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez intends to make profound "socialist" changes to the 1999 Constitution via a constitutional "reform" process this year. Chavez says this effort will "complement" the executive decree-laws that he can issue over the next 18 months courtesy of the Enabling Law (Ref [...]	2007-02-13 16:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM EINV ECON ENRG VE
07CARACAS32	PRISON RIOT IN LARA STATE LEAVES 16 DEAD [...] (U) At least sixteen prisoners were killed in a riot in the early hours of January 2 at the notoriously violent Uribana prison in Lara state. Rival gangs within the prison engaged in brutal violence that left three major gang leaders among the dead, and over a dozen more inmates injured. In [...]	2007-01-05 18:17:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PGOV PHUM SOCI VE
07CARACAS321	VERIZON AGREES TO SELL CANTV SHARES TO THE BRV [...] (SBU) Four days after AES agreed to sell the BRV its interest in EDC (Reftel A),the BRV and Verizon announced February 12 that they had struck a deal for the sale of Verizon's 28.51 percent controlling interest in CANTV. Verizon will be paid USD 572 million for its shares and has indicated t [...]	2007-02-14 15:48:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON ECPS ENRG PGOV VE
07CARACAS329	VENEZUELA: EU DIPLOMAT CONCERNED ABOUT RCTV AND [...] (C) EU First Secretary Denis Daniilidis (protect) told Poloff February 7 that the EU Commission is increasingly concerned about President Chavez' push to implement his "socialist revolution." Daniilidis said the EU mission is organizing a trip to Brussels for Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) [...]	2007-02-15 13:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM EU VE
07CARACAS33	CHANGE IS IN THE AIR IN ECONOMIC MINISTRIES AS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Rodrigo Cabezas, Chairman of the National Assembly's Finance Committee, will be Venezuela's next Finance Minister, replacing current Finance Minister Nelson Merentes. The change is part of a larger re-shuffling of positions by Chavez and will likely be followed by more announce [...]	2007-01-05 18:50:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON PGOV EFIN VE
07CARACAS330	VENEZUELA NOMINATIONS FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S [...] (U) Post identified a number of potential nominees for the Secretary of State's Award for International Women of Courage. Because of the abundance of deserving candidates, post has decided to nominate two Venezuelan Women of Courage for Washington's consideration. Both are working for the s [...]	2007-02-15 15:08:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PREL KWMN PHUM KPAO VE
07CARACAS332	AFTER THE FIRST PASS, BRV GOES ON ATTACK AGAINST [...] (SBU) At a press conference on February 11, Vice President Jorge Rodriguez, Finance Minister Rodrigo Cabezas, and Minister of Light Industries and Commerce (MILCO) Maria Cristina Iglesias announced details of the BRV's anti-inflation pact. Plans include eliminating the Value Added Tax (IVA) o [...]	2007-02-15 17:26:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS336	CHAVEZ: DEATH TO THE U.S. "EMPIRE" [...] (SBU) Summary: President Chavez lashed out (again) at the United States on February 14 and threatened to nationalize supermarkets not abiding by government price controls. Responding to Under Secretary Burns' comments last week on U.S. foreign oil dependence, Chavez downplayed the importanc [...]	2007-02-15 22:03:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV ECON ENRG VE
07CARACAS35	CHAVEZ PRESSING AHEAD WITH A SINGLE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez has announced that his intention to form a single "revolutionary" party early in 2007 is firm, although he has not yet specified exactly when or how he plans to form the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Chavez and other leaders of the ruling Fifth Rep [...]	2007-01-05 21:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS354	SCENESETTER FOR CODEL JACKSON LEE [...] (SBU) Embassy welcomes the visit of Congresswoman Jackson Lee, the first congressional visitor to come to Caracas since the April 23-24, 2006 visit of Representatives Delahunt and Meeks. Since winning re-election on December 3, President Hugo Chavez has launched the "socialist" phase of the " [...]	2007-02-16 21:06:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	OVIP PREL PGOV VE
07CARACAS357	PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE [...] (SBU) This press freedom update comes in the wake of President Chavez assuming the power to draft and promulgate decree-laws via an Enabling Law passed January 31 by the National Assembly (reftel b). We expect Chavez and the BRV to continue employing a variety of mechanisms - legal, economic, [...]	2007-02-16 21:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS358	CHAVEZ TO LOWER VAT, "STRENGTHEN" CURRENCY AND [...] (SBU) Summary: On February 15, Chavez announced a two stage reduction of the value added sales tax (VAT),which will reduce the tax from 14 percent to 9 percent by July 2007. He also presented a plan for "monetary reform," removing three zeroes places from the bolivar by 2008, to create th [...]	2007-02-16 21:28:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON ENRG PGOV VE
07CARACAS359	SHELL'S OIL SECTOR OUTLOOK: WAIT AND SEE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Shell has been monitoring the strategic association migration negotiations closely and will base future investment decisions on their outcomes. It believes the strategic association partners' decision not to engage the BRV and offer opening negotiating positions was a grave erro [...]	2007-02-16 21:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS361	VENEZUELA: CHAVEZ PICKS NEW CHIEF JUSTICE [...] (C) On February 7, Chavez' hand-picked candidate, Luisa Estella Morales, was elected Chief Justice of the Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ). Morales, who also sits on the President's constitutional reform committee, retained the presidency of the TSJ Constitutional Chamber and, as [...]	2007-02-20 02:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM KJUS VE
07CARACAS363	SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: "THERE IS NO JUSTICE IN [...] (C) Perhaps the sole remaining opposition-leaning Supreme Court Justice Blanca Rosa Marmol bluntly told Poloff during a February 13 meeting that justice no longer existed in Venezuela, as the BRV had fired, intimidated, or co-opted once independent judges, and packed the judiciary with sympat [...]	2007-02-21 11:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM KJUS VE
07CARACAS366	2007 SPECIAL 301 RECOMMENDATION: KEEP VENEZUELA [...] Summary: (SBU) The BRV's protection and enforcement of IPR continues to deteriorate. The market for legitimate music CDs is eclipsed by piracy, with piracy rates for CDs, DVDs, and business software hovering around 80 percent. SAPI, the agency that oversees IPR enforcement and issues patent [...]	2007-02-21 14:38:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	KIPR VE
07CARACAS38	CNPC'S VENEZUELAN WOES [...] (C) SUMMARY: CNPC executives stated Sinovensa, the joint venture between PDVSA and CNPC that produces Orimulsion, no longer produces the product on orders of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MEP). CNPC views the situation as an expropriation and has reserved its rights to arbitration. T [...]	2007-01-08 14:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS387	CHAVEZ WELCOMES KIRCHNER TO VENEZUELA'S OIL BELT: [...] (SBU) Summary: During a 24 hour trip to Venezuela's Faja oil belt, February 21-22, Presidents Kirchner and Chavez announced a new USD 1.5 billion joint "Bond of the South" offering, and the creation of the "Bank of the South" within 120 days. The two presidents also inaugurated Argentina's ( [...]	2007-02-23 22:24:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON ENRG PGOV
07CARACAS404	CHAVEZ' FIRST DECREE UNDER THE ENABLING LAW: [...] (SBU) Summary: The decree-law against speculation and hoarding, the first executive decree introduced by Chavez under the Enabling Law, was published, as amended, in Venezuela's Official Gazette on February 21. This measure criminalizes the hoarding and price speculation of food products sub [...]	2007-02-26 20:49:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON PGOV VE
07CARACAS411	OIL NATIONALIZATION DECREE RAISES QUESTIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez stated on February 26 that the oil nationalization decree required the four strategic associations, the three profit sharing agreements, the Chinese Orimulsion company Orifuels Sinoven S.A. and any other companies "that carry out commercial activities in the Faja [...]	2007-02-27 16:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS423	ACTION REQUEST: BRV QUERIES ON MILITARY [...] (C) This is an Action Request; See Paragraph 3, and action recommendation in Paragraph 5. 2. (C) BACKGROUND: In May 2006 the Department announced that the BRV was not fully cooperating with the global war on terrorism. As a result, the USG, though the Arms Export Control Policy, "suspende [...]	2007-02-28 19:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MARR MASS PGOV PM PREL VE
07CARACAS424	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONDEMNS U.S. "WAR PREPARATIONS" [...] (SBU) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV) anti-American foreign policy recently reached new rhetorical depths. The National Assembly unanimously passed a February 22 resolution that condemns U.S. "war preparations" against Iran (sic) and exhorts all countries to "confront t [...]	2007-03-01 14:07:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PREL KNNP PTER IR VE
07CARACAS426	BRV PUBLISHES OIL NATIONALIZATION DECREE [...] (C) SUMMARY: The oil nationalization decree, which was published on February 26 but publicly available on February 27, requires the four strategic associations, the three profit sharing agreements, the Chinese Orimulsion company Orifuels Sinoven S.A. and any related entities "that carry out c [...]	2007-03-01 16:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS434	CODEL JACKSON LEE VISITS CARACAS [...] (SBU) Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee visited Caracas February 19-22. During her visit, she met with representatives of civil society, visited an Embassy supported orphanage, met with union leaders, U.S. businesses, U.S. oil company executives, representatives of the Foreign Ministry, Nation [...]	2007-03-02 13:41:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV PREL ECON VE
07CARACAS444	LIKELY CHAVEZ RANTS IN ARGENTINA AND BOLIVIA [...] (S) Summary. President Chavez announced February 28 that he will visit Argentina and Bolivia starting on March 9-10, the same time that the President is visiting Brazil, Uruguay, and Colombia. Chavez is publicly criticizing the President's upcoming visit to Latin America and is helping organi [...]	2007-03-02 18:41:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	PREL ETRD VE AR
07CARACAS446	HOW, WHY VENEZUELA'S 2007 ENABLING LAW DIFFERS [...] (C) The BRV frequently tries to argue that the Enabling Law (Ley Habilitante) passed January 31 giving Chavez broad power to legislate by decree for the next 18 months is no different from past decree laws. A review of previous Enabling Laws, however, shows that the current law is much broad [...]	2007-03-02 19:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS448	INSIGHT INTO 3.5 BILLION USD JAPANESE LOAN TO PDVSA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Mitsui & Co. Ltd., Marubeni Corporation, and the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) announced the closing of an agreement with PDVSA on February 23 for 3.5 billion USD, 15 year loan facilities in exchange for contracts that gave both companies rights to negotiate and [...]	2007-03-02 20:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS470	FOOD SECURITY IN THE BRV: MERCAL'S WOES [...] (SBU) Summary: Mission Mercal, the BRV's subsidized food distribution network, is plagued with corruption, inefficiency, and mismanagement. Shortages in basic staples have developed in large part because Mercal has fallen 2-3 months behind in imports. Once the poster child of the BRV's mis [...]	2007-03-05 18:22:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
07CARACAS472	STATOIL: VERY ANNOYED VIKINGS [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to Statoil, the three key issues in the strategic association migrations are compensation, governance, and taxes. Statoil believes it has six months to negotiate the terms of the migration. Financing arrangements will not be a serious issue. Senior BRV energy official [...]	2007-03-05 20:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS473	EU AND DOMESTIC OBSERVERS RELEASE FINAL ELECTION [...] (C) The recently released European Union (EU),Ojo Electoral, and Sumate final observation reports on the 2006 presidential election reinforced criticisms of the preliminary versions (Ref A). All criticized President Chavez for his illegal use of government resources in the campaign, BRV off [...]	2007-03-05 20:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS474	CHAVEZ: NEGROPONTE A "PROFESSIONAL ASSASSIN" [...] (SBU) President Chavez launched his latest round of anti-American insults March 4 as a special guest on the first edition of former-Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel's new Sunday television talk show, "Jose Vicente, Today." Chavez called the Deputy Secretary a "professional assassin," and ac [...]	2007-03-05 20:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS489	MPPFA ANNOUNCES LOYAL AMBASSADORS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. The Venezuelan Ministry of People's Power for Foreign Affairs (MPPFA) announced a series of new ambassadorial assignments for Argentina, Peru, Paraguay, Central America, and the Caribbean in February. Following the December election, Chavez has moved quickly to place close an [...]	2007-03-07 11:29:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	PGOV PINR PREL VE
07CARACAS493	BONOS DEL SUR: ROUND 2 [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Venezuela will issue another round of the "Bonos del Sur" on March 8 worth USD 1.5 billion. Preliminary reports indicate that the issuance is more than nine times oversubscribed. Demand for these Venezuelan-Argentinian bonds is well ahead of supply, as the Argentinian half offe [...]	2007-03-07 16:45:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS502	VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT DECLARES THE PRESIDENT [...] (C) The National Assembly criticized the President's upcoming trip to Latin America by unanimously adopting a resolution on March 6 that declares the President "persona non-grata" in Latin America and rejects any attempts by him to thwart regional integration and counter Venezuela. Senior Ve [...]	2007-03-08 15:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS504	EXXONMOBIL: OUT BY JULY 1? [...] (C) SUMMARY: ExxonMobil (XM) appears to be edging closer to going to arbitration with the BRV over the migration of the Cerro Negro strategic association. However, it still holds out hope that it will be able to sell its stake in the association. XM does not expect to be in Venezuela by July [...]	2007-03-08 15:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS505	CARACAS-TEHRAN FLIGHT: BUILDING A BOLIVARIAN [...] (SBU) Summary: On March 2, an Iran Air Boeing 747 touched down in Caracas, carrying 60 passengers on the inaugural flight of the Caracas-Damascas-Tehran route. Iran Air will operate this route once a week as a code-share with Conviasa, the BRV's fledgling state carrier. The inauguration of t [...]	2007-03-08 15:42:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PREL EAIR VE
07CARACAS511	MITSUBISHI GOES AFTER MAJOR REFINERY DEAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Mitsubishi trading company is putting together a USD 1.795 billion financing deal tied to the deep conversion project at the Puerto La Cruz refinery. The company believes the deal will come to fruition in one to two years. Mitsubishi also is involved in the shipment of base [...]	2007-03-08 20:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON JA VE
07CARACAS512	PDVSA AND MPPEP ANNOUNCE 2006 RESULTS: BEWARE THE [...] (SBU) Minister for People's Power of Energy and Petroleum (MPPEP) and PDVSA President Rafael Ramirez presented a consolidated financial report on their 2006 results on March 4. The end of year report details PDSVA's activities this past year, including much of its social participation. Accor [...]	2007-03-08 21:07:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EPET EINV VE
07CARACAS52	CHAVEZ NAMES A "YES" CABINET/PREVIEWS HIS [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez used the televised January 8 swearing-in ceremony for his new cabinet to preview his plans to steer his government toward "socialist" reforms, including expropriations of privatized industries and the revision of Venezuela's commercial code. He also harshly crit [...]	2007-01-09 21:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM PINR VE
07CARACAS526	CUBAN OIL CONCERNS RESURFACE [...] (U) Action Requested. Please see paragraph 10. 2. (C) SUMMARY: A senior PDVSA official indicated that the Petrozuata upgrader, which is operated by ConocoPhillips, would be required to process non-Venezuelan crude in the near future. It is not clear where the crude would come from, but [...]	2007-03-09 16:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS528	BP: TRYING TO KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP [...] (C) SUMMARY: The USD 250 million in crude that BP and Total received for the Jusepin field was based on capital recovery rather than book or market value. The deadline for negotiations on the strategic associations appears to be June 26 instead of May 1. BP is concerned about support service [...]	2007-03-09 17:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE

07CARACAS53	TO THE MAT: CHAVEZ TAKES ON INSULZA AND CHURCH [...] (C) SUMMARY In a blustery January 8 address to commemorate the swearing-in of his new cabinet (septel),President Chavez again declared that the non-renewal of RCTV's broadcast license was "irreversible." Chavez lashed out at two actors who urged reconsideration of the RCTV decision, OAS S [...]	2007-01-09 21:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS531	VENEZUELA'S BRAIN DRAIN: SEARCHING FOR A PLAN B, [...] (SBU) Over the last two months, President Chavez has heralded a "deepening of the Bolivarian Revolution" with a series of actions, including nationalization of key industries, new threats to foreign investors, aggressive attacks on private industry, and granting himself the power to legislate [...]	2007-03-09 20:58:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	CVIS CASC ECON SOCI VE
07CARACAS534	CHAVEZ AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: DUELING GOSPELS [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez recently renewed his public attacks on the Catholic Church by contrasting the attitude of his "good friend" San Cristobal Bishop Mario Moronta with the "oligarchs" of Venezuela's Episcopal Conference. Chavez highlighted Bishop Moronta's exhortation in a pastora [...]	2007-03-12 13:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
07CARACAS542	BRV RESPONDS TO HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT [...] (SBU) BRV officials reacted angrily to the Venezuela section of the March 6 release of the Department's 2006 Human Rights Report, but their response has been overshadowed by other events. BRV Human Rights Ombudsman German Mundarain said the USG lacked the "moral authority" to speak on human r [...]	2007-03-12 20:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PREL VE
07CARACAS55	IRAN - BRV VIEWS ON UNSCR 1737 [...] (C) PolCouns delivered the points on UN Security Council Resolution 1737 regarding Iran's nuclear and missile programs (reftel) to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for North American and Multilateral Affairs Yaneth Arocha. Uncharacteristically for the Bolivarian Ministry of Foreign Affair [...]	2007-01-09 21:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MNUC KNNP KDGOV VE
07CARACAS554	THE FIFTH MOTOR OF THE REVOLUTION SHIFTS INTO [...] (U) Summary: On February 28, Minister of Popular Power for Participation and Social Development David Velazquez and other senior BRV officials announced the BRV's intention to form 32,000 new communal councils (Consejos Comunales) during a crowded inaugural kick-off in Caracas. These new coun [...]	2007-03-14 13:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV ECON VE
07CARACAS564	NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES TO LOCAL TAX LAW PURSUANT [...] (U) This is an action request; please see paragraph 4. 2. (U) Ambassador Brownfield received a letter on March 9 from the Superintendent of Customs and Taxation (SENIAT) informing Post of partial reforms to Venezuelan income tax law in 2006 and 2007. SENIAT delivered this letter pursuant [...]	2007-03-15 14:57:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EFIN ECON VE
07CARACAS567	PRO-CHAVEZ PARTIES PUT BRAKES ON FORMATION OF A [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez' efforts to impose the formation of a United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) on pro-Chavez parties has sparked significant, public divisions among his supporters. The main Chavista party, the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR),is on board with the PSUV, but three [...]	2007-03-15 15:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
07CARACAS568	A STRONG BOLIVAR FOR A STRONG BOLIVARIAN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Central Bank plans to introduce a new currency in Venezuela on January 1, 2008. The new currency, to be called the "Bolivar Fuerte" (or Strong Bolivar),and will have the same value as the current Bolivar, minus three zeros. Prices are supposed to be quoted in the new curr [...]	2007-03-15 16:37:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS569	VENEZUELA: A NEW TIME LAUNCHES NATIONALLY [...] (C) Zulia Governor and former opposition presidential candidate Manuel Rosales launched his Zulia-based Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT, or A New Time in English) as a national "alternative opposition" party March 3. The new UNT incorporates Rosales' trusted Zulian advisers and popular Caracas personal [...]	2007-03-15 19:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS574	CHAVEZ SHADOWS POTUS TOUR, PROMISING AID AND LATIN [...] (SBU) Summary: During Chavez' March 9-13 "shadow tour" of President Bush's Latin American trip, he continued to aggressively push forward his own brand of dollar diplomacy and the "Bolivarian alternative" of regional financing and integration to counter USG initiatives in the region. Chavez [...]	2007-03-16 12:52:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON PREL EINT VE
07CARACAS584	THE ANTI-BUSH "SHADOW TOUR": CHAVEZ ON THE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez visited Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Jamaica March 8-13 in an obvious, but in our view unsuccessful, effort to upstage the President's March 8-14 visit to Latin America (Refs B-D). Upon his return to Venezuela, an unusually defensive Chavez appeared [...]	2007-03-19 14:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
07CARACAS587	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SETS AGENDA [...] (C) Despite ceding almost total legislative power to President Chavez in late January, the National Assembly (NA) has incorporated 26 laws into its legislative agenda, in addition to Chavez' planned constitutional amendments. The agenda includes some important, controversial laws, such as th [...]	2007-03-19 16:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS59	CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES PLANS TO NATIONALIZE STRATEGIC [...] (SBU) President Chavez took the opportunity during the swearing-in ceremony for new ministers on January 8 to announce plans to "nationalize telecommunications and strategic areas such as water, (and) electrical energy." He added, "all that was privatized, nationalize them" and specifically s [...]	2007-01-09 22:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ENRG PGOV EPET EINV VE
07CARACAS591	STUDENT LEADER SEEKS ASYLUM [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Opposition student leader Nixon Moreno emerged from nine months of hiding and petitioned for political asylum March 13 at the Papal Nunciature. The BRV is pursuing criminal charges against Moreno for attempted murder and threatening a policewomen during student clashes at the U [...]	2007-03-19 21:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM SCUL SOCI VE
07CARACAS597	CHAVEZ' ETHANOL HYPOCRISY [...] (SBU) Summary: Subsequent to the ethanol cooperation agreement President Bush signed with Brazil on March 9, Chavez has labeled ethanol as "immoral," accusing the United States of turning "food into fuel." The BRV's reaction is indicative of its hypocrisy. It has actively pursued a domestic [...]	2007-03-20 21:01:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON ENIV ENRG PREL VE CU
07CARACAS610	VENEZUELA SIGNS TREATY WITH TNT ON SHARED GAS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: President Chavez and Trinidad and Tobago (TNT) Prime Minister Patrick Manning signed an accord to unify the reserves of two offshore gas fields on March 20. The accord is the first unitization agreement signed in the Western Hemisphere. The agreement will permit both countries [...]	2007-03-22 17:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS616	CHAVEZ BLASTS PRO-CHAVEZ PARTIES FOR NOT DISSOLVING [...] (C) Summary. During a March 18 television broadcast, President Chavez strongly criticized and questioned the political loyalty of three prominent pro-Chavez parties, Podemos, Patria Para Todos, and the Communist Party. He urged them to either dissolve and merge into his proposed United Soci [...]	2007-03-22 21:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
07CARACAS617	VENEZUELA: A NEW TIME BUILDING SLOWLY [...] (C) Omar Barboza, Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) party President and confidant of Zulia Governor and de facto opposition leader Manuel Rosales, reviewed the UNT's organizational plans for PolCouns and PolOffs on March 20. Only three weeks into its transition as a national party (Ref A),UNT leaders a [...]	2007-03-22 21:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS62	CHAVEZ' SWEARING IN: "SOCIALISM OR DEATH" [...] (C) Summary. At his carefully choreographed January 10 inauguration ceremony, President Chavez staunchly defended and elaborated on his plans to enact profound "socialist" changes in Venezuela as the embodiment of the "will of the people." The Venezuelan president reiterated his intention to [...]	2007-01-10 21:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS634	ACTION REQUEST: CLOSURE OF VMAO [...] (C) This is an Action Request -- see Paragraph 3. 2. (C) Post requested February 28 guidance on the status of the Venezuelan Air Force's purchases currently in the pipeline and regarding the removal of items in the Venezuelan Military Acquisitions Office (VMAO) in Miami, Florida. Based on [...]	2007-03-26 18:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MARR MASS PGOV PM PREL VE
07CARACAS637	VENEZUELAN JEWISH COMMUNITY COURTS INTERNATIONAL [...] (C) Summary. The Confederation of Jewish Associations in Venezuela (CAIV) attracted considerable international support and media attention for its 40th anniversary celebration on March 24. Argentine First Lady and Senator Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner electrified the audience of several hu [...]	2007-03-26 21:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS655	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEMANDS U.S. WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly passed a March 20 resolution calling for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. and coalition troops from Iraq. This latest resolution comes on the heels of a February 22 resolution condemning U.S. "war preparations" against Iran (reftel). Having conceded to Chav [...]	2007-03-28 21:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE IZ
07CARACAS657	CHAVEZ USHERS IN NEW WAVE OF LAND EXPROPRIATIONS [...] (U) Summary: During his weekly television program "Alo Presidente" on March 25, Chavez announced the expropriation of 16 estates totaling 330,796 hectares (800,000 acres) of "idle land" in seven Venezuelan states. He added that the armed forces would confiscate and help run an additional 13 [...]	2007-03-29 14:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
07CARACAS659	BRV DRAMATICALLY REDUCES EXXONMOBIL'S OPTIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: The BRV dramatically reduced ExxonMobil's (XM) options in the strategic association migration negotiations by ruling out the sale of XM's stake in Cerro Negro to third parties. The BRV also stated that the only Citgo/PDVSA asset that could be used to compensate XM is the Chalmet [...]	2007-03-29 18:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS66	BRV CONTINUES PRESSURING OIL COMPANIES [...] (C) SUMMARY: The BRV ordered strategic associations to cut production in order to meet OPEC cuts. The order violates the associations' contracts. Continued rhetoric about nationalization raises questions about the development of the Faja. END SUMMARY. ----------------------- ADDING INSU [...]	2007-01-11 19:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS666	SERVICE COMPANIES: THE NOOSE BEGINS TO TIGHTEN [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA is considering the formation of one or more service companies that will compete directly with the private sector. In addition to this threat, service companies still face payment delays and a myriad of administrative hurdles in dealing with PDVSA. As a result, private sec [...]	2007-03-30 17:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS667	PDVSA'S MEGA USD 5 BILLION BOND ISSUE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On April 12 PDVSA is scheduled to issue USD 5 billion in debt. This bond sale represents the largest issuance of debt in Venezuelan history, and one of the largest for emerging markets. The bonds are dollar-denominated Eurobonds and will almost certainly be resold by most loca [...]	2007-03-30 18:03:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EFIN EPET VEN
07CARACAS669	CHINESE POLITBURO COMES TO TOWN [...] (SBU) Summary: During Chinese Politburo Member Li Changchun's visit to Caracas March 25-27, Venezuela and China signed six new cooperative agreements in the petroleum sector and reaffirmed a USD 6 billion joint development fund. Chavez assured China that Venezuela would be a trustworthy oil s [...]	2007-03-30 20:04:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON ENIV ENRG EPET PGOV VE CH
07CARACAS673	DEMARCHE ON BUILDING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR [...] No summary [...]	2007-04-02 14:07:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PREL PHUM ZI VE
07CARACAS686	MEETING WITH BANKING SUPERINTENDENT: MONEY [...] (C) Econoffs met with Banking Superintendent Trino Diaz and Director of Venezuela's Financial Intelligence Unit (UNIF) Francisco Canela March 29 to discuss the sector's outlook and to follow-up several anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism finance demarches (refs A and B). Diaz was confide [...]	2007-04-02 20:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EFIN KTFN VE
07CARACAS688	PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE [...] (SBU) This press freedom update comes in the wake President Chavez' plans to "deepen" his revolution and implement "21st century socialism" despite increasing international scrutiny. Within this context, the BRV continues its attacks against independent media outlets. We expect Chavez to con [...]	2007-04-02 21:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS689	JAILED OPPOSITION GOVERNOR ESCAPES [...] (SBU) Summary. Eduardo Lapi, former opposition governor of Yaracuy state, reportedly escaped from San Felipe prison late March 31 or early April 1. Lapi, who was identified as a political prisoner in the 2006 Country Report on Human Rights Practices, was arrested in May 2006 on corruption c [...]	2007-04-02 21:50:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS699	CHAVEZ TAKES AIM AT UNION AUTONOMY/CTV PREPARES [...] (C) Summary. During his March 24 speech to promote the creation of a single, pro-government party, President Chavez called union autonomy a "capitalist trap" and demanded that unions join his proposed United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) as part of a "workers front." Manuel Cova, Secret [...]	2007-04-04 17:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ELAB PHUM PGOV VE
07CARACAS700	CNPC'S TAKE ON RECENT BILATERAL AGREEMENTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: CNPC was guardedly optimistic about the recent signing of bilateral petroleum agreements between China and Venezuela (Reftel A). CNPC believes the BRV is still open to foreign investment in the hydrocarbon sector. However, the company is frustrated with negotations to migrate Si [...]	2007-04-04 21:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS701	VENEZUELAN ARMY HOSTS U.S. MILITARY DELEGATION [...] (C) SUMMARY. An eight person U.S. Army delegation attended a March 26-30 Conference of American Armies (CAA) seminar on Disaster Relief in Venezuela, the first U.S. military delegation hosted in-country since 2003. U.S. participants were generally well received. Failure to conduct the exerci [...]	2007-04-04 21:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MARR MASS PGOV PM PREL VE
07CARACAS709	AN - TSJ SHOWDOWN MASKS FIGHT FOR SPOILS, CONTROL, [...] (C) A dispute between the National Assembly (NA) and Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) began in late March when the NA condemned a controversial TSJ Constitutional Chamber decision to modify an article of the Venezuelan tax law and opened an investigation that could lead to the justices' impe [...]	2007-04-10 16:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS71	CHAVEZ'S WAY AHEAD: WORDS TO DEEDS [...] (C) SUMMARY In the wake of President Chavez's January 10 swearing-in, Post offers the following preliminary assessment of how Chavez intends to unfold his "socialist" project in coming months. Chavez has been foreshadowing most of these moves, and we take him at his word. Untethered by vo [...]	2007-01-12 11:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
07CARACAS710	MORE BRV POLICY CONTRADICTIONS: IPR "REFORM" AND [...] (SBU) Summary: Venezuela's withdrawal from the Andean Community (CAN) in April 2006 has created legal uncertainty as to both the present and future legal framework of IPR. Venezuela must now deal with an awkward reality of three concurrent IPR regimes - vestiges of the CAN, outdated domestic [...]	2007-04-10 16:46:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON ETRD KIPR OTRA VE
07CARACAS718	EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE [...] (SBU) The BRV is spending more money than ever before on the back of historically high oil prices. Despite these high oil prices, PDVSA appears to have cash flow problems stemming from its role as the BRV's cash cow. Official production figures exceed most analyst estimates, and PDVSA's abili [...]	2007-04-11 16:01:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN EPET EINV ENRG VE
07CARACAS721	CONOCOPHILLIPS HANGS TOUGH FOR NOW [...] (C) SUMMARY: ConocoPhillips (CP) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Mulva told Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez that CP will turn over operational control of the Petrozuata and Hamaca strategic associations as well as the Corocoro project in the Gulf of Paria on May 1. CP will not contin [...]	2007-04-11 20:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS725	VENEZUELA: POLITICAL PRISIONER CONDITIONS WORSEN [...] (C) There are indications that the BRV is stepping up its efforts to demean, discourage, and disillusion its political prisoners. Former police commissioners Ivan Simonovis, Lazaro Forero, and Henry Vivas launched a hunger strike April 10 to protest the deplorable conditions in the prison to [...]	2007-04-12 14:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS733	ENERGY MINISTER RAMIREZ' MAY 3 SPEECH IN HOUSTON [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see Paragraph 3. 2. (SBU) Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez is scheduled to give a major speech on May 3 at the 2007 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas. The speech will occur two days after PDVSA assumes operational control of the four strat [...]	2007-04-12 21:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS741	PDVSA BONDS POSTMORTEM [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On April 12, PDVSA issued USD 7.5 billion worth of bonds. The issuance, an increase over the USD 5 billion originally offered, was divided between three securities, yielding 5.25 percent, 5.3 percent and 5.5 percent, and maturing in 2017, 2027, and 2037, respectively. The bonds [...]	2007-04-13 21:00:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EFIN ENRG VE
07CARACAS763	CAPRILES BACK IN COURT [...] (C) SUMMARY. Opposition mayor of Baruta municipality Henrique Capriles Radonski appeared in appeals court April 16, following the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV) decision to appeal a lower court's ruling to acquit him December 15. The prosecution argued Capriles failed to impede the [...]	2007-04-17 20:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS766	CHAVEZ PRESSES RADICAL AGENDA DURING FIFTH [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez exploited the April 11-13 commemorations of the fifth anniversary of the short-lived April 2002 coup to convey some of his most extreme political positions to date, and to buttress "Bolivarian" myths. Specifically, the Venezuelan president ruled out any meaningfu [...]	2007-04-18 12:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS777	CHAVEZ PRAISES IRANIAN ASSISTANCE AND DEFENDS [...] (SBU) Summary. President Chavez continues to increase his political support for Iran and facilitate Iran's plans to establish closer relations with the rest of Latin America. Chavez vigorously defended Iran's nuclear ambitions at a recent international women's conference hosted by the Bolivar [...]	2007-04-18 20:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS781	THE FIRST SOUTH AMERICAN ENERGY SUMMIT [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez described the First South American Energy Summit (Summit),which was held on Margarita Island on April 17, as a "perfect summit." Chavez ducked a fight with Brazil over ethanol and used the event to showcase his vision of South American integration -- effectively [...]	2007-04-18 23:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECIN ECON ENRG EPET EINV VE
07CARACAS787	VENEZUELA: PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FOR G/TIP FUNDING [...] (U) Per reftel, Post submits the following executive summary of an anti-trafficking in persons project proposal for G/TIP funding. -------------------- Project Information -------------------- 2. (U) Please find the requested project information below: -- Name of the applicant: Internat [...]	2007-04-20 21:12:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PHUM ELAB KCRM ASEC PREL SMIG VE
07CARACAS789	VENEZUELA CONDEMNS POSADA CARRILES' RELEASE ON BAIL [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez, Foreign Minister Maduro, and the National Assembly have all condemned a U.S. federal judge's decision to order Luis Posada Carriles' release on bail. They have also reiterated the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) demands that Posada Carriles be extrad [...]	2007-04-20 21:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PTER VE
07CARACAS805	2007 VENEZUELA RECALL PROCESS: A PRIMER [...] (SBU) Summary. Venezuela's constitution permits the recall of elected officials through a petition and referendum process. Venezuelans exercised this mechanism most notably in 2004, in seeking to recall President Chavez. Venezuelans continue to use this constitutional authority actively; the [...]	2007-04-24 12:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS812	POOR TURNOUT AT RCTV SOLIDARITY MARCH [...] (C) Summary. The highly publicized April 21 opposition demonstration to protest the government's decision to revoke independent television station Radio Caracas Television's (RCTV's) broadcasting license on May 28 failed to generate a significant show of public support. The march's coordinato [...]	2007-04-24 21:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS820	CHAVEZ' SINGLE PARTY: BY UNITING, HE DIVIDES [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez is aggressively forging ahead with his proposal to forge a single pro-government party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Swearing in over 16,000 red-shirted party promoters on April 19, Chavez announced that a party inscription drive to attract ove [...]	2007-04-26 15:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS823	INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO BRV: RCTV CLOSURE [...] (C) SUMMARY. As the May 28 deadline for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) closure of independent television station Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) approaches, prominent international organizations, legislative bodies, and local support groups are becoming more vocal. Numerous in [...]	2007-04-26 19:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS825	OIL COMPANIES SIGN "MOU'S" TRANSFERRING [...] (C) SUMMARY: Ten foreign oil companies signed documents on April 25 transferring operational control of their respective projects to PDVSA or one of its affiliates. Chevron and ExxonMobil broadly differ in their interpretations of the nature of the documents. The documents do not deal with a [...]	2007-04-26 20:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS83	BRV RAISES STAKES IN THE FAJA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez announced at a press conference on January 15 that the BRV would enact a law that "nationalized" the four strategic associations in the Faja. Ramirez's comments appeared to confuse the concepts of "control" and "nationalization" to take advantage o [...]	2007-01-16 15:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS833	CHEVRON PROVIDES MORE DETAILS ON MOU [...] (C) SUMMARY: Chevron believes production at the Hamaca strategic association will decline 30% due to morale issues related to uncertainty among employees. Chevron expects the BRV to adopt a more private sector friendly hydrocarbons policy by 2009 due to production declines and fiscal pressure [...]	2007-04-27 18:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS84	CANTV'S PRESIDENT DISCUSSES NATIONALIZATION WITH [...] (C) Summary: Econoffs met with CANTV President Gustavo Roosen and senior staff on January 11 to get their take on Chavez, plans to nationalize the Venezuelan telecommunications giant, of which Verizon owns 28.5 percent. Roosen noted that Chavez surprised everyone with the timing of his annou [...]	2007-01-16 15:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ECPS ENRG PGOV VE
07CARACAS843	POLITICAL PARTIES AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS APPEAL [...] (C) Summary. Opposition political parties and judicial NGO Foro Penal capitalized on the presence of regional heads of state at the April 17 Energy Summit to draw attention to President Chavez and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) authoritarian tendencies. Opposition politicians m [...]	2007-04-30 21:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS861	CHAVEZ: WORKERS UNITE - BEHIND ME! [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez blasted pro-government union leaders in televised April 30 and May 1 speeches and appealed directly to workers to foster unity by joining his new United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Leaders of both the opposition Confederation of Venezuelan Workers (CTV) [...]	2007-05-03 18:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ELAB PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS866	BRV STEPS UP PROSECUTION AND HARASSMENT OF [...] (C) Summary: Since the five-year commemoration of Chavez' temporary ouster in April 2002, the BRV appears to be taking a harder line against political prisoners. The deplorable prison conditions (Ref A) for ex-police commissioners Ivan Simonovis, Henry Vivas, and Lazaro Forero, and the eight [...]	2007-05-03 20:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM KDEM VE
07CARACAS869	IMF AND WORLD BANK: SO LONG AND THANKS FOR THE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On April 30, President Chavez announced that Venezuela would withdraw from the IMF and World Bank. The announcement, which followed action taken in March by Venezuela to pay off the last of its IMF and World Bank debt and continued negotiations regarding a Bank of the South, tr [...]	2007-05-03 22:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EFIN VE
07CARACAS9	ENDING 2006 ON A HIGH [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Caracas Stock Exchange (BVC) is set to end 2006 at a record high (up 155 pct) as investors constrained by currency controls and sitting on piles of cash continue to seek out means to boost returns. As 2006 drew to a close, the BVC's high demonstrates the bubble mentality t [...]	2007-01-03 15:48:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
07CARACAS90	FM MADURO INSULTS NEGROPONTE [...] (U) On January 12, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro called U.S. National Intelligence Director John Negroponte a "criminal" after Negroponte expressed concern over the state of democracy in Venezuela and Bolivia during a hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Grossly misch [...]	2007-01-16 22:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
07CARACAS906	THE THIRD MOTOR OF CHAVEZ' REVOLUTION: [...] (C) Summary. President Hugo Chavez and his brother Adan Chavez, are leading ambitious Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) efforts to transform the country's educational system from top to bottom. The proposed reforms and a public education "Morality and Enlightenment" campaign are designe [...]	2007-05-04 20:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM ELAB SOCI VE
07CARACAS907	PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE [...] No summary [...]	2007-05-04 21:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS91	CHAVEZ AND AHMADINEJAD UNITE TO SAVE THE WORLD [...] (U) President of Iran Mohammed Ahmadinejad kicked off a Latin American tour with a short (hours-long) January 13 stop in Caracas to visit with President Chavez. The trip marks Ahmadinejad's second trip to Caracas in less than six months, having also visited with Chavez in September of last y [...]	2007-01-16 22:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
07CARACAS92	RCTVQ,S LAST DITCH FIGHT AGAINST BRV CLOSURE [...] (C) Summary: In a January 11 lunch with ChargQ, Polcouns and A/PAO, RCTV President Marcel Granier outlined his plans for a last ditch defense against the closure of RCTV. He believes he has a strong case under both domestic and international law, but doubts the fairness of the former and e [...]	2007-01-16 22:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
07CARACAS920	AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FORMER VP RANGEL - MAY 4 [...] (C) Summary. The Ambassador met former Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel May 4 and probed as to how the USG could best initiate a pragmatic, bilateral dialogue with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV). Rangel said President Chavez wants dialogue, but U.S. criticism of BRV policies un [...]	2007-05-08 15:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
07CARACAS930	VENEZUELA'S DEBT PICTURE [...] (SBU) Venezuela's debt profile is changing, with the BRV financing more domestically and incurring additional debt and liabilities through PDVSA and the Central Bank. External debt as a percentage of GDP remains low (16 percent of GDP) by historical and regional terms; however, "total debt" ( [...]	2007-05-09 20:42:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EFIN VE
07CARACAS931	CHAVISTAS USE RECALL REFERENDA TO SETTLE SCORES [...] (C) Summary: In late 2006, most of Venezuela's governors, mayors, and local legislators completed the mid-point of their term, at which point they became vulnerable to being recalled. The National Electoral Council has approved requests to initiate recall proceedings against more than 200 mo [...]	2007-05-09 21:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS949	MFA LAUNCHES PUBLIC RELATIONS BLITZ ON RCTV [...] (C) SUMMARY. Minister of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs Nicolas Maduro convoked the diplomatic corps May 8 to outline the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) justifications for revoking the broadcasting license of independent media outlet Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) on May 28. Th [...]	2007-05-11 14:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM SCUL VE
07CARACAS959	AN ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT: THE CRACKS ARE SHOWING [...] (SBU) Inflation continues to rise despite government efforts to talk it down, and the government's tools to drain liquidity are increasingly ineffective. Foreign exchange reserves have fallen by 33.5 percent this year. Government spending continues apace, with the BRV running a large, though [...]	2007-05-11 21:19:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN SOCI VE
07CARACAS967	UPDATE ON THE FAJA STRATEGIC ASSOCIATION MIGRATION [...] (C) SUMMARY: International oil companies (IOCs) believe PDVSA's assumption of operational control on May 1 went relatively smoothly. IOCs stated production numbers are holding stable, but the companies believe PDVSA will begin having problems operating the upgraders by the end of the year. A [...]	2007-05-15 13:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON ELAB VE
07CARACAS968	PSUV MEMBERSHIP DRIVE STARTS SLOW, PICKS UP WITH [...] (C) Summary. Over one million voters have reportedly joined President Chavez' United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) during the first three weekends of party registration. With only three more weekends left in the PSUV's initial membership drive, the PSUV may fall short of Chavez' outsize [...]	2007-05-15 13:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM ELAB PREL VE
07CARACAS978	EU PLANS RESPONSE TO RCTV CLOSURE [...] (C) Summary: The international protest against the closure of independent media outlet Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) may be aided if the European Union (EU),which has so far been quiet, adds its voice to the chorus of dissent. Five EU Parliamentarians will visit Venezuela May 16-18 and are [...]	2007-05-17 18:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM VE
07CARACAS988	VENEZUELAN PRODUCTION AND OPERATING TRENDS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Private sector contacts place overall Venezuelan production at 2.1 to 2.3 million barrels a day, down from previous estimates of 2.4 to 2.6. The BRV has lifted OPEC production cuts on the four Faja strategic associations. PDVSA has been unable to find additional drilling rigs d [...]	2007-05-18 20:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
07CARACAS990	BATTLE OVER RCTV'S CLOSURE HEATS UP [...] (C) Summary. RCTV lost the first of its legal appeals to fend off the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) plans to close the independent broadcaster on May 28. Battlelines are hardening between the BRV and proponents of RCTV and freedom of expression. The BRV is forcing private statio [...]	2007-05-18 21:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV KDEM ELAB VE
08CARACAS1000	OPPOSITION STILL DIVIDED ON MOST STATE AND LOCAL [...] (C) Summary. Mainstream opposition parties announced consensus candidates for only seven of 22 gubernatorial races in November in a July 15 press conference. While predicting they would announce many more consensus gubernatorial and mayoral candidates before registration begins August 5, opp [...]	2008-07-18 23:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS102	AD-HOC BRV CONFISCATIONS FURTHER THREATEN FOOD [...] (C) Summary: During the period of January 21 - 23, the Venezuelan National Guard seized more than 500 tons of food produced by Polar, Venezuela's largest food processing company, claiming that the food was being smuggled illegally to Colombia or "hoarded." According to Polar representatives, [...]	2008-01-25 19:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV EAGR VE
08CARACAS1024	CHAVEZ BUYS ARMS AND INVITES RUSSIAN NAVY [...] (C) SUMMARY: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Communications Minister Andres Izarra on July 22 denied local media reports that President Hugo Chavez offered to base Russian troops at a military facility in Venezuela and that Chavez' arms deal with Russia has swollen to almost USD 30 billion. [...]	2008-07-23 22:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MCAP PGOV PREL RU VE
08CARACAS1042	STRUCTURED NOTES RESOLUTIONS: TARGETED AT VARGAS? [...] (C) Summary: Our contacts point to Banco Occidental de Descuento (BOD) president Victor Vargas as the primary target of recent BRV resolutions ordering banks to divest themselves of structured notes within 90 days (ref A). They claim the regulatory action was taken following a business dispu [...]	2008-07-28 20:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EFIN PGOV VE
08CARACAS1058	DRUG SUMMIT AND GO-IT-ALONE DRUG RHETORIC [...] (C) Summary: Minister of Interior and Justice Ramon Rodriguez Chacin will represent the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) at an August 1 regional drug summit in Cartagena hosted by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. According to sources at the Colombian Embassy, the BRV ignored the invita [...]	2008-07-31 16:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER SNAR VE CO
08CARACAS1059	FARC EXTORTION IN VENEZUELA [...] (C) Gustavo Sposito, (strictly protect throughout) the incoming president of the Tachira State Cattlemen Association, met July 29 with embassy and defense attachQ staff to discuss FARC and ELN criminal operations in Venezuela. Sposito explained how lawlessness along the permeable border with [...]	2008-07-31 18:24:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET//NOFORN	PGOV PREL PTER VE CO
08CARACAS1060	INTERNATIONAL PRESSURES MOUNTS ON BRV TO DECIDE [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) is growing increasingly defensive as international bodies are calling for it to rule on the constitutionality of disqualifying 272 candidates from running for public office in the November state and local elections. The Inter-American Co [...]	2008-07-31 22:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
08CARACAS1061	CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES INTENTION TO NATIONALIZE BANCO DE [...] (SBU) President Chavez announced on July 31 his intention to nationalize Banco de Venezuela, one of Venezuela's four largest banks, currently owned by the Spanish Grupo Santander. According to press reports, Chavez suggested three reasons for this move: first, the government "could use a ba [...]	2008-07-31 22:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1062	PRO-CHAVEZ FORCES STILL DIVIDED (NOT JUST THE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez and his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) have been publicly feuding with small pro-government parties, such as Patria Para Todos (PPT) and the Communist Party (PCV),over the selection of consensus candidates for the November state and local elections. [...]	2008-08-01 11:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1078	AMBASSADOR VISITS ANZOATEGUI AND NUEVA ESPARTA [...] (C) Summary. During a July 25 - 29 visit to Anzoategui and Nueva Esparta, the Ambassador met with local political leaders and media. Almost all interlocutors were in agreement that pro-opposition Nueva Esparta Governor Morel Rodriguez was a near lock to be re-elected in November's gubernato [...]	2008-08-01 19:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL EPET ECON SNAR KPAO VE NL TD
08CARACAS1079	63RD UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: EXPECTED DELEGATION FROM [...] (SBU) Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) officials reported to us that President Chavez' attendance at the United Nations General Assembley is as yet undetermined. The Venezuelan delegation will likely include Foreign Minister Maduro and Vice Foreign Minister for North America and M [...]	2008-08-01 20:37:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PREL OTRA OVIP KSEP UNGA VE
08CARACAS108	PDVSA WAKES UP TO ITS PRODUCTION PROBLEM [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA's volume committee, which normally works on production planning, is aggressively pressuring joint venture partners and service companies to increase crude oil production. In order to facilitate production increases, the BRV is attempting to streamline administrative proced [...]	2008-01-28 21:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS1080	BRV DEPORTS FARC GUERRILLA [...] (C) FARC chief of borders and finance, Gabriel Culma Ortiz A.K.A. "Guillermo" was turned over to Colombian authorities at the Tachira - Santander border on the evening of July 31. According to Colombia, Ortiz was a member of the unit responsible for the loss of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other [...]	2008-08-01 20:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER VE CO
08CARACAS1081	VENEZUELAN MARKET INTERFERENCE LEADS TO BOTH FOOD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Although local headlines on July 31 reporting 60 tons of rotten chicken in a city dump proved to be exaggerated, the incident drew attention to continuing distortions in the Venezuelan food supply. While the dairy and poultry industries have successfully lobbied for a temporary [...]	2008-08-01 21:34:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAGR PGOV VE ECON ETRD
08CARACAS1089	STUDENT LEADER BECOMES CABINET MINISTER [...] (SBU) President Chavez announced Sunday the appointment of pro-government student leader Hector Rodriguez as Minister of Popular Power for the Office of the President. Rodriguez replaces Jesse Chacon, who is the United Socialist Party of Venezuela's (PSUV's) candidate for mayor of the Sucre bo [...]	2008-08-04 21:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PINR
08CARACAS1090	ENABLING LAW ENDS WITH A BANG OF UNKNOWN [...] (U) Under the broad powers of an enabling law ("Ley Habilitante") that expired July 31 (or August 1, depending on one's interpretation),President Chavez has decreed 26 new laws. The titles of these laws were published in the official Gazette dated July 31 and available August 1. The text o [...]	2008-08-04 21:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS1093	VISIT OF SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR VENEZUELA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Special Coordinator for Venezuela Robinson visited Caracas July 21-25. Editor Teodoro Petkoff, Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez, and third-country Ambassadors told him separately that they believed President Chavez's recent public overture to the USG on counter-narcotics cooperation w [...]	2008-08-05 22:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV SNAR VE
08CARACAS1094	CHAVEZ THREATENS FOURTH FLEET - AGAIN [...] (C) During the August 3 broadcast of his "Alo, Presidente" talk show, President Chavez accused the U.S. FOURTH FLEET of having a riverine capability in order invade Venezuela. The Venezuelan Commander-in-Chief promised that any U.S. brown water ships entering Venezuelan waters would soon be [...]	2008-08-06 15:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MCAP PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1095	SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS COMPTROLLER'S INELIGIBLES [...] (C) Summary. The Supreme Court ruled August 5 that the Comptroller may declare persons ineligible to run for office based on administrative sanctions. The ruling essentially ends the opposition's effort to obtain collective judicial relief from a government measure that disproportionately af [...]	2008-08-06 22:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KJUS VE
08CARACAS1099	BRV DEFENSIVE ABOUT MERCOSUR HUMAN RIGHTS VISIT [...] (SBU) Uruguayan congressional deputy and president of the MERCOSUR parliament's Human Rights Commission, Adriana Pena arrived on August 6 in Caracas. All local media covered her arrival at the airport. Members of the Venezuelan National Assembly (NA),Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and othe [...]	2008-08-07 21:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1100	UPDATE ON CONOCOPHILLIPS NEGOTIATIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: After an August 4 meeting with members of the BRV negotiating team, ConocoPhillips (CP) is less optimistic about the outcome of the compensation negotiations for its expropriated assets in Venezuela. Senior BRV officials indicated that, after review of CP's proposed valuation of [...]	2008-08-07 21:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS1103	STATE OF BRV-ISRAEL RELATIONS C-NE8-00834 [...] (SBU) This cable is a response to State 064659 (C-NE8-00834) requesting details on Israeli relations with Venezuela. 2. (C) Summary. Relations between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) and Israel are severely strained. Bilateral relations, cool for the last several months, show [...]	2008-08-07 22:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL ECON IS VE

08CARACAS1111	VENEZUELA FORMALLY REJECTS TSA AIRPORT SECURITY [...] (C) SUMMARY: Since late 2006, Post has attempted to obtain an official response to TSA's request for airport inspections in Venezuela. Following four diplomatic notes, a letter from the current Ambassador, and multiple meetings over the years, the response finally arrived on August 7. Post re [...]	2008-08-08 20:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAIR ECON PGOV MARR VE ASEC
08CARACAS1114	INELIGIBLE LIST AND ENABLING LAW FALLOUT INCREASING [...] (C) Summary. The Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Comptroller's ineligible list and President Chavez's July 31 issuance of 26 far-reaching decree-laws are generating growing international and domestic opposition. In an August 8 briefing, Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez urged local diplomats [...]	2008-08-08 22:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
08CARACAS1127	CHAVEZ' ECONOMIC DECREES STRENGTHEN EXECUTIVE [...] (C) Summary: The laws decreed by President Chavez July 31 further consolidate executive control over the economy. In the specific area of food supply and the more general area of consumer protection, they give the Executive broad command and control powers and greater expropriation authoritie [...]	2008-08-12 21:47:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EAGR ELAB PGOV VE
08CARACAS1135	BANCO DE VENEZUELA EXECUTIVE EXPECTS RAPID CLOSE [...] (C) Banco de Venezuela (BdV) Vicepresident and Chief Economist Milton Guzman (strictly protect throughout) shared with EconCouns on August 12 his expectation that the BRV's nationalization of BdV, announced by President Chavez July 31 (ref A),would be completed in three to six weeks. "The g [...]	2008-08-13 20:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1142	CHAVEZ REJECTS ANTI-SEMITISM CHARGE IN MEETING [...] (C) SUMMARY. A delegation of Jewish leaders, led by World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald Lauder, visited Venezuela August 12 - 13 and met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. According to the President of the Confederation of Israelite Associations of Venezuela (CAIV),Chavez reje [...]	2008-08-14 22:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KIRF VE
08CARACAS1143	PUBLIC ADMIN DECREE ALLOWS CHAVEZ TO APPOINT [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Organic Decree on Public Administration, one of the 26 laws promulgated by President Chavez on the last day of the now-expired Enabling Law, allows him to appoint like-minded regional leaders. It is widely believed the decree will be used selectively to neutralize opposition [...]	2008-08-15 13:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
08CARACAS1146	VENEZUELAN ECONOMY FALTERING AS ELECTION SEASON [...] (C) Summary: Venezuela's economy appears increasingly fragile as campaigning begins to heat up for regional elections in November. The feeling of boom times has worn off in the face of increasing inflation, slower growth, tighter credit, and slowing consumption. The BRV has focused economi [...]	2008-08-15 17:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS1152	VENEZUELA INCREASES REGULATED FOOD PRICES TO [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On August 11, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) freed prices for a number of price-controlled food products and raised maximum prices for several others. Press reports indicate the BRV has increased regulated food prices over thirty times since October 2007. Although t [...]	2008-08-15 20:04:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAGR PGOV VE ECON ETRD
08CARACAS1155	PRO-GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION PARTIES ACHIEVE [...] (C) Summary. The opposition reached agreement on consensus gubernatorial candidates in 19 of 22 races by August 12, the last day for the registration of gubernatorial and mayoral candidates. Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) enjoys the consensus support of smaller pro-gover [...]	2008-08-18 14:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1160	BRV BLAMES U.S. FOR GEORGIA CONFLICT [...] (SBU) The BRV Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an August 14 press release asserting that the United States "planned, prepared, and ordered" the Georgian military offensive against the break-away region of South Ossetia. The statement continued, "The international community was once again w [...]	2008-08-18 16:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL RS GG VE
08CARACAS1170	VENEZUELA OFFERED CEMEX A LOWER PRICE THAN ITS [...] (C) On August 19 Venezuelan Vice President Carrizalez announced that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) had successfully negotiated the purchase of cement companies Lafarge and Holcim but had failed to reach an agreement with Mexico's Cemex. National Guard troops took possession of Ce [...]	2008-08-19 22:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE
08CARACAS1177	GM FACES CONTINUED LABOR PROBLEMS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Despite its intention to re-open its assembly plant on August 18, General Motors (GM) de Venezuela remains closed in the face of a plant takeover by radical workers who have refused to accede to either a court order ordering them to grant the company access or to pressure from th [...]	2008-08-21 12:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV EIND ELAB PGOV VE
08CARACAS118	NOT MUCH SUBSTANCE AT THE VI ALBA SUMMIT [...] (U) SUMMARY: Venezuela hosted the VI Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of our Americas (ALBA) summit January 24-26, 2008 in Caracas. While little substantive occurred at the summit, it provided Hugo Chavez a platform to rail against capitalism and the United States. Three of the four [...]	2008-01-30 18:44:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON ETRD ENRG EINV VE
08CARACAS119	CNE REJECTS OPPOSITION REQUEST TO HOLD AMNESTY [...] (C) Summary. National Electoral Council (CNE) President Tibisay Lucena rejected an opposition request to convoke a referendum on an alternative amnesty bill proposed by civil society groups. Lucena said the authority to issue amnesty decrees had been delegated to President Chavez under the E [...]	2008-01-30 20:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1191	CHAVEZ ACCUSES PRESIDENT BUSH OF BEING INTOXICATED [...] (SBU) President Chavez called President Bush, "the face of the Venezuelan opposition," and said he deserved a "gold medal for drunkenness" during an August 21 interview with a Venezuelan state television talk show. During the live coverage, Chavez presented still photos of President Bush view [...]	2008-08-22 23:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SNAR VE
08CARACAS1192	SEN. SPECTER URGES BRV TO INCREASE COOPERATION [...] (C) SUMMARY. During his August 22 meeting with Foreign Minister Maduro, Senator Specter urged the BRV to tone down its rhetoric against the United States and increase bilateral communication and cooperation on issues of mutual concern, such as counternarcotics. The Senator urged the Ministe [...]	2008-08-22 23:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	OVIP PGOV PREL SNAR VE
08CARACAS1197	BRV SEEKS NULLIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL [...] (SBU) Summary. Lawyers associated with the government filed a brief on June 12 before the Supreme Court seeking nullification of a key clause in Venezuela's Investment Law as well as a reinterpretation of the Constitution. Article 22 of Venezuela's Investment Law is currently interpreted to [...]	2008-08-25 16:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EINV PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1200	VENEZUELAN CEMENT NATIONALIZATIONS DESIGNED TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: A senior executive from the Swiss cement company Holcim, nationalized by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) as of August 18, suggested that the BRV had rushed to nationalize the cement sector after months of relative inactivity out of a desire to claim ownership of a key [...]	2008-08-26 16:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE
08CARACAS1206	PPT AND CHAVEZ: A TENUOUS ALLIANCE [...] (C) Summary. National Assembly Second Vice President and Patria Para Todos Secretary General Jose Albornoz told PolCouns August 19 that he expects President Chavez to initiate "an opening" with the USG after the U.S. presidential election and Venezuela's November state and local elections. A [...]	2008-08-27 18:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1207	DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON REJECTION OF RECOGNITION OF [...] (SBU) Embassy delivered talking points in reftel to Foreign Ministry Affairs Director for North American Affairs Yaneth Arocha. No response is expected from the MFA. 2. (SBU) The Venezuelan government has so far refrained from recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia, however President Ch [...]	2008-08-27 21:36:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1209	VENEZUELA'S HOUSING CRISIS - SOCIALISM THE ANSWER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: An estimated 2 million unit housing shortage is complicating Chavez' chances for success in the November state and local elections. In an effort to improve one of the worst housing construction records of any recent administration, Chavez has nationalized companies providing c [...]	2008-08-28 14:18:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE SOCI
08CARACAS1210	SENATOR SPECTER ENGAGES A BROAD CROSS SECTION OF [...] (SBU) Summary. During his August 19-23 visit to Caracas, Senator Arlen Specter engaged leaders from religious, business, cultural, political and official government circles. A central theme for Venezuelans in all discussions was the importance of the upcoming November 23 elections in determ [...]	2008-08-28 15:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV SNAR OVIP VE
08CARACAS1215	VENEZUELA MEDIA UPDATE: PROPOSED MEDIA LAW, OTHER [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) continues to undermine independent media. A telecommunications bill is rumored to be in the works that will severely curtail free press in Venezuela, giving the executive branch the ability to control the flow of radio, TV, internet, an [...]	2008-08-28 20:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1217	ARAGUA GOVERNOR: OPPOSITION MUST STRIVE FOR [...] (C) Summary. Aragua Governor Didalco Bolivar, of the formerly pro-Chavez party Podemos, told the Ambassador August 22 that he expects the opposition to win five or six governorships and over 130 mayorships in November. Bolivar stressed that such electoral gains should be considered a signifi [...]	2008-08-28 22:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV MCAP VE
08CARACAS1224	AMBASSADOR'S MEETINGS IN COLONIA TOVAR AND VALENCIA [...] (C) Summary. The Ambassador traveled August 29-30 to Colonia Tovar and Valencia. Aragua State Governor Didalco Bolivar and Colonia Tovar Mayor Esteban Bocaranda underscored that tourist town Colonia Tovar's economic success is due to private sector dynamism, not the small amount of government [...]	2008-09-02 20:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SNAR VE
08CARACAS1225	BRV DEFENDS COUNTERDRUG EFFORTS; CHAVEZ THREATENS [...] (C) Summary. Senior Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials are vigorously defending the BRV's counter-drug efforts and accusing the USG of being complicit in the international drug trade. During his August 31 "Alo, Presidente" broadcast, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called ONDC [...]	2008-09-02 20:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SNAR VE
08CARACAS1228	VENEZUELAN ELECTRICITY SECTOR IN CRISIS AFTER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: A power blackout that affected half of the country on September 1 illustrates the fragility of Venezuela's electrical power sector. The consequences of the government's failure to invest in the sector are now clear from insufficient generation to dilapidated distributions infr [...]	2008-09-02 22:01:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE
08CARACAS1231	CHAVEZ OUTFLANKS CONSTITUTION [...] (C) Summary. The Organic Law of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (LOFAB) was among the 26 decrees enacted into law by President Hugo Chavez on July 31 the last day of his special powers to rule by presidential fiat under the Enabling Law. In addition to resurrecting defeated constitution [...]	2008-09-03 17:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MCAP PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1237	VENEZUELA THREATENS TO ELIMINATE U.S. AIRLINES' [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 28 the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed receipt of a Diplomatic Note reiterating the August 8 statement to the Venezuelan Charge in Washington that TSA would issue a Public Notice on September 8 if the Venezuelan Government continues in its refusal to all [...]	2008-09-04 19:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAIR ECON PGOV MARR VE ASEC SNAR
08CARACAS124	CHAVEZ PREPARING FOR STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez is urging his supporters to unite in preparation for gubernatorial elections in 22 states and mayoral elections in over 300 municipalities in late 2008. However, during his January 27 "Alo, Presidente" broadcast, Chavez threatened to expel any of his supporters [...]	2008-01-30 21:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1245	BRV ENACTS CREDIT CARD LAW [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Legislation approved by the National Assembly on September 4, (posited as necessary for public order and social interest) codifies existing regulations and promulgates new ones for the credit card industry in Venezuela. Among its most significant clauses, the law prohibits ba [...]	2008-09-05 21:37:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE
08CARACAS1246	VENEZUELA: CONOCOPHILLIPS NEGOTIATIONS STALL [...] (C) SUMMARY: ConocoPhillips Latin America President Roy Lyons met with EconCouns September 5 to report that, following a September 4 meeting with the Venezuelan Government (BRV) negotiating team, negotiations on compensation for its expropriated assets in Venezuela have broken down and no futu [...]	2008-09-05 23:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS1256	JUSTICE AND INTERIOR MINISTER CHACIN RESIGNS [...] (SBU) Justice and Interior Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin resigned September 8, leaving Tarek el Aissami as Acting Minister. This was the embattled Chacin's second stint as Minister, serving first in 2002 and then again from January - September 2008. Chacin told the local media that he was [...]	2008-09-08 21:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SNAR PINR VE
08CARACAS1263	CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES NAVAL EXERCISE WITH RUSSIA - MAYBE [...] (SBU). President Hugo Chavez hedged regarding a possible joint Naval exercises in November with visiting Russian vessels. During the September 7 episode of his Sunday television show "Alo Presidente," Chavez admitted Venezuela "was not ready" to host a port visit and exercise in September o [...]	2008-09-09 21:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MCAP MOPS PGOV PREL RU VE
08CARACAS1266	VENEZUELA ANNOUNCES CUTS TO U.S. AIR CARRIER [...] (C) SUMMARY: On September 10 Venezuela's civil aviation authority (INAC) informed the three U.S. carriers with operations in Venezuela that INAC would cut an undetermined number of their flights to and from the United States in retaliation for the September 8 Transportation Security Administra [...]	2008-09-10 22:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAIR ECON PGOV MARR VE ASEC
08CARACAS1269	RUSSIAN BOMBERS LAND IN MARACAY [...] (SBU) Two Russian Tu-160 BLACKJACK supersonic bombers arrived in the early afternoon of September 10 at the Libertador airbase in Maracay, Venezuela. President Hugo Chavez revealed the arrival of the aircraft during a nation-wide broadcast inaugurating nine new medical clinics. Chavez was han [...]	2008-09-11 19:30:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	MCAP MOPS PGOV PINR PREL RU VE
08CARACAS1271	CHAVEZ CLAIMS ANOTHER U.S. COUP PLOT [...] No summary [...]	2008-09-11 21:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1272	OPPOSITION UNITES BEHIND CARACAS MAYORAL [...] (C) Summary. Opposition parties named Alianza Bravo Pueblo (ABP) leader Antonio Ledezma September 9 their consensus candidate for the Caracas mayorship. Ledezma also picked up the personal endorsement of Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez, who had led early polls in the same race, but whom the Comp [...]	2008-09-12 13:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
08CARACAS1274	CHAVEZ EXPELS U.S. AMBASSADOR [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez announced the expulsion of the Ambassador and recall of the Venezuelan Ambassador in Washington during two televised political rallies the evening of September 11 (Ref A). Chavez said he was expelling the "Yankee Ambassador" to show solidarity with the Bolivian [...]	2008-09-12 16:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL CASC PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1276	VENEZUELA: EMBASSY DISCUSSES TSA NOTICE WITH MFA [...] (C) SUMMARY: On September 11, Emboffs discussed the September 8 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Public Notice with representatives of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Emboffs urged that the BRV not proceed with threatened flight redu [...]	2008-09-12 19:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAIR ECON PGOV MARR ASEC VE
08CARACAS1278	ACCUSATIONS FLY, ARRESTS BEGIN, INVESTIGATIONS TO [...] (C) Summary: As President Hugo Chavez accused businessmen, media outlets, opposition leaders, active duty and retired military of conspiring in a U.S. backed coup plot the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DIM) confirmed the arrest of four persons for "inciting rebellion." National Assem [...]	2008-09-12 21:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KDEM PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1279	FM MADURO: BRV WILL REEVALUATE RELATIONS WITH USG [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. In a short televised September 12 press conference Foreign Minster Nicolas Maduro read from a communique saying the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) will submit the U.S.-Venezuela bilateral relationship to "an intense process of reevaluation." The communique also include [...]	2008-09-12 21:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1283	CHAVEZ RATCHETS BACK ATTACKS ON USG; CONTINUES TO [...] (C) Summary. After reaching a fever pitch when he expelled Ambassador Duddy, President Chavez has toned down his anti-U.S. rhetoric over the past 72 hours. Chavez and his followers have said that relations with the United States would not be broken, although political relations were at a low [...]	2008-09-15 19:28:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET//NOFORN	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1284	BRV OFAC DESIGNATIONS OVERSHADOWED BY EXPULSIONS, [...] (SBU) The designations of three BRV officials as FARC supporters by the Office of Foreign Assets Control have been largely overshadowed by President Chavez's bellicose rumblings about support for Bolivian President Morales. Chavez made a series of statements on state media September 12 - 14 d [...]	2008-09-16 14:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL BL CO VE
08CARACAS129	SUPREME COURT: JUSTICE SHOULD SERVE THE REVOLUTION [...] (SBU) At the opening of the 2008 Supreme Court session on January 28, the two senior justices who addressed the crowd made it clear that the Venezuelan courts exist to serve the Bolivarian revolution. While not chanting "Uh, Ah Chavez No Se Va!" (Chavez Don't Leave!) as the justices did at the [...]	2008-01-31 21:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KJUS PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1293	VENEZUELAN NATIONAL GUARD HARASSES DELTA FLIGHT [...] (C) SUMMARY: On September 14, Delta Airlines Corporate Security contacted the Embassy to report that Delta crew members going through security for their September 13 flight felt threatened by Venezuelan National Guard comments to the point that the captain ordered a second, precautionary secur [...]	2008-09-17 13:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	VE CASC ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR
08CARACAS1298	CHAVEZ UNSHAKEN AS COUP ACCUSATIONS BROADEN AND [...] (C) Summary: Despite his earlier bluster of U.S. F-16's coming to bomb the presidential palace, President Hugo Chavez told supporters on September 14 that the coup attempt "revealed" three days prior was "no threat," to him. A National Assembly (AN) Deputy claimed several prominent business [...]	2008-09-17 19:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ASEC PGOV PINR PREL VE
08CARACAS1299	REACTION TO AMBASSADOR'S EXPULSION [...] (C) Summary. Local reaction to the September 11 expulsion of Ambassador Duddy has largely been split along pro-Chavez and opposition lines. For the opposition and independent opinion-makers, the expulsion reinforces their view that an increasingly erratic Chavez is undermining the nation's i [...]	2008-09-17 20:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1304	VENEZUELA'S PARALLEL EXCHANGE RATE RESUMES ITS RISE [...] (U) After remaining largely stable since March, Venezuela's parallel exchange rate has jumped by more than 40 percent over the past month, from 3.4 bolivars (Bs) to the dollar on August 14, to 4.8 Bs/USD as of September 15. The BRV has been regularly intervening in the parallel market since [...]	2008-09-18 14:34:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1307	BRV "REJECTS" USG DESIGNATION OF BRV AS MAJOR DRUG [...] (C) Summary: Senior Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials publicly "rejected" the USG designation of the BRV as one of the countries that failed to carry out its international counternarcotics obligations. Minister of Justice and Interior Tarek al Aissami and National Anti-Drug Age [...]	2008-09-18 22:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	SNAR PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1312	BRV EXPELS HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH DIRECTOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. On the evening of September 18, the BRV expelled Jose Miguel Vivanco, the Americas Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW),on the grounds of allegedly involving himself illegally in the internal affairs of Venezuela, attacking its democratic institutions, and violating the Venez [...]	2008-09-19 19:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ASEC PGOV PHUM PREL VE
08CARACAS1316	REACTION TO AMBASSADOR'S EXPULSION [...] (C) Summary. Local reaction to the September 11 expulsion of Ambassador Duddy has largely been split along pro-Chavez and opposition lines. For the opposition and independent opinion-makers, the expulsion reinforces their view that an increasingly erratic Chavez is undermining the nation's i [...]	2008-09-19 19:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1320	VENEZUELAN ASSOCIATION BELIEVES GOVERNMENT WILL [...] (C) SUMMARY: On September 18, the Executive Director of the Venezuelan Air Transport Chamber (Ceveta) William Bracho told Econoffs he does not believe the Venezuelan Civil Aviation Authority (INAC) will follow through on its threat to cut U.S. carrier flights as market demand is extremely high [...]	2008-09-22 14:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	VE CASC ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR
08CARACAS1324	CHARGE DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATION WITH BRV [...] (C) SUMMARY. Charge met September 19 with Rene Arreaza, an unofficial high-level contact of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV),to discuss bilateral relations. The Charge urged the BRV to work more closely with the Embassy to resolve pending and future operational issues including vi [...]	2008-09-22 17:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1328	INVESTIGATION INTO FINANCIAL FRAUD SHOWS BRV'S [...] (C) Summary: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has opened an investigation into financial fraud associated with four bond issuances in late 2006 and 2007. This investigation included a public, high-profile raid of one of Venezuela's largest brokerage houses in July 2008 during whic [...]	2008-09-22 19:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1332	CHARGE DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATIONS, EXPULSION [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Charge met September 19 with MFA Director for Multilateral and North American Affairs Yaneth Arocha to discuss bilateral relations. This was the Charge's first meeting with MFA officials, and it followed President Chavez's expulsion of the Ambassador on September 11. Arocha [...]	2008-09-23 12:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1333	CHARGE DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATIONS, EXPULSION [...] No summary [...]	2008-09-23 12:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1334	FEW NEW FACES AMONG OPPOSITION CANDIDATES [...] (C) Summary: The opposition, beset by parochial interests, appears to be relying on well-established politicians in November's gubernatorial and mayoral elections rather than cultivating "new faces" with broad public appeal. Moreover, the older and previously discredited parties, Copei and D [...]	2008-09-23 12:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1337	ANNUAL INFLATION NEARS 35 PERCENT [...] (U) According to figures recently released by the Central Bank (BCV) and the National Statistics Institute, annual (August 08/August 07) inflation in metropolitan Caracas has reached 34.5 percent, the highest in Latin American and up from 32.2 percent through June (ref A). Some local economi [...]	2008-09-23 18:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON VE
08CARACAS1338	BRV NOT IMMUNE TO INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL TURMOIL [...] (SBU) Summary: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuelan (BRV) has not escaped recent problems in the US financial sector unscathed. The government holds about USD 300 million and private banks an additional USD 400 million in structured debt notes issued by the bankrupt Lehman Brothers. The fi [...]	2008-09-23 18:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1340	BRV DOING DAMAGE CONTROL WITH USG [...] (C) Summary. Prior to departing September 21 for Cuba, Portugal, France, Russia, and China, President Chavez continued to temper his anti-U.S. rhetoric (Ref A). The BRV reportedly moved a signing ceremony involving Chevron up to September 19, presumably to underscore continuity in the U.S.-V [...]	2008-09-23 21:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1341	VENEZUELA: CHEVRON SIGNS LNG FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT [...] (C) Summary: Chevron will participate in the planned development of the first of three liquefied natural gas (LNG) trains planned by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV). The company will have a 10 percent share in the joint venture formed to develop the first train; the gas will come f [...]	2008-09-23 21:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS1351	DIVISIONS WITHIN CHAVEZ'S "PATRIOTIC ALLIANCE" [...] (C) Summary: Several former and current members of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) have broken ranks with the party to pursue their own political ambitions in the November 23 gubernatorial and municipal elections. Moreover, small pro-Chavez parties, such as Patria Para Todos (P [...]	2008-09-25 22:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1352	DEMONSTRATION AT EMBASSY CARACAS [...] (SBU) On 09/23/2008, a group of approximately 50 demonstrators gathered outside the main entrance of Embassy Caracas. Post officials received advance notice of the protest and in light of increased anti-U.S. rhetoric from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV),decided it was prudent to c [...]	2008-09-25 22:46:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ASEC CVIS PREL VE
08CARACAS136	REVISED INDEX SHOWS CONTINUED HIGH INFLATION IN [...] (SBU) According to the newly revised official consumer price index (CPI),inflation rose to 3.4 percent in January 2008. This figure, which works out to 50 percent on an annual basis, is slightly higher than the 3.3 percent inflation figure from December 2007, and will put additional pressu [...]	2008-02-01 20:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1364	VENEZUELA REFUSES USG REQUEST FOR AVIATION [...] (U) On September 16 the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Venezuelan Civil Aviation Authority (INAC) both acknowledged receipt of the Embassy's diplomatic note requesting consultations under the authority of the 1953 bilateral aviation agreement with Venezuela. That note cit [...]	2008-09-26 22:55:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	VE CASC ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR
08CARACAS1365	STRUCTURED NOTE DEADLINE PASSES, ISSUE FIZZLES [...] (SBU) Summary: On September 24 the deadline for Venezuelan banks to sell their holdings of bolivar-denominated structured notes passed with little apparent effect on the banking sector. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) showed an unusual amount of flexibility in its implementation o [...]	2008-09-29 14:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1374	CHURCH CALLS FOR CLEAN ELECTIONS; CLASHES WITH BRV [...] (C) Summary: The Catholic Church is increasingly taking an active role in defense of democracy and human rights. In a September 24 press conference, Catholic Church leaders publicly urged all political actors to avoid any actions that might allow for the postponement of the November 23 state a [...]	2008-09-30 15:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF VT VE
08CARACAS1375	CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS ERECT STATUE OF FARC LEADER [...] (C) Summary. Radical Chavistas unveiled a bust of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) founder Manuel Marulanda in an poor eastern Caracas neighborhood on September 26. The Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) was the principal force behind the public ceremony honoring Marulanda, alth [...]	2008-09-30 15:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE CO
08CARACAS1380	OPPOSITION ELECTS CONSENSUS CANDIDATES IN TACHIRA [...] (C) Summary: The Christian Democratic Party of Venezuela (Copei) won a decisive victory in the September 28 opposition primary in the western state of Tachira to determine the consensus candidates for the November 23 state and local elections. The opposition now claims that it has 20 consens [...]	2008-09-30 20:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1381	NOVEMBER STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS: WHAT'S AT STAKE [...] (C) Summary. Venezuelan voters are slated to elect 22 governors, state legislative assemblies, and 328 mayors on November 23. These state and local elections will be a key indicator of the future of Venezuela's fragile democracy, and the Embassy is actively promoting free and fair elections [...]	2008-09-30 20:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM PHUM SNAR VE
08CARACAS1382	AS ELECTION APPROACHES, WHERE'S THE SPENDING? [...] (C) Summary: An anticipated jump in spending prior to the November 23 state and local elections by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) does not appear to have materialized. Local analysts primarily attribute this surprising failure to boost spending significantly to increasing incomp [...]	2008-09-30 20:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV EFIN VE
08CARACAS1383	IMMIGRATION, DISIP OFFICIALS STEP-UP HARASSMENT OF [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) is stepping up its harassment of outspoken as well as perceived critics of the regime. In September, four persons reported being pressured by immigration and intelligence police (DISIP) officials at the Caracas airport to surrender thei [...]	2008-09-30 22:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1388	COMMUNAL ECONOMY CENTER [...] (SBU) Summary. EmbOffs visited a newly inaugurated communal economic center near Caracas. The center, extremely modern by Venezuelan standards, offers a space for communal cooperatives to sell local goods. However, many of the cooperatives did not sell locally produced goods or sold cheap [...]	2008-10-01 15:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE
08CARACAS1390	VENEZUELA: AMERICAN AIRLINES CREW DETAINED AT [...] (C) The evening of September 30, American Airlines Country Manager Omar Nottaro (strictly protect throughout) called Econoff to report that the captain and crew of American Airlines flight 903 were being held at the airport. He explained that upon landing a crew member said "Welcome to Venezuela. L [...]	2008-10-01 16:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	CASC ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR VE
08CARACAS1393	VENEZUELAN CEMENT PRODUCTION DROPPING FOLLOWING [...] (C) SUMMARY: Mexican Ambassador to Venezuela Mario Chacon informed Econoffs that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has not budged from its initial, USD 500 million offer for Mexico's Cemex that, in effect, represents an expropriation of Cemex assets in Venezuela. Chacon believes the [...]	2008-10-01 20:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE
08CARACAS14	CHAVEZ RESHUFFLES CABINET BUT KEEPS LOYALISTS CLOSE [...] (C) Summary. During a call-in to Venezolana de Television (VTV) on January 3 President Chavez announced the first of a series of thirteen cabinet changes. Chavez replaced former Vice President Jorge Rodriguez, Telecommunications Minister Jesse Chacon, and Communications Minister William Lara w [...]	2008-01-04 20:50:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1404	ZULIA STUDENT LEADER MURDERED IN HAIL OF BULLETS [...] (C) Unknown gunmen shot and killed Julian Soto, a 31-year old undergraduate and president of the Federation of University Centers (FCU) for the autonomous University of Zulia (LUZ) on October 1 as he drove to lunch. The University Centers are influential student bodies in Venezuela's five au [...]	2008-10-03 13:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
08CARACAS1405	EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FROM BRV PARLIAMENT FOR FIVE [...] (SBU) The Embassy received an official statement of support from the National Assembly (NA) of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) for five Cuban citizens held in the United States on spying charges. The expression of support, passed by the NA on September 23, 2008, condemns the case [...]	2008-10-03 13:00:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1406	WARNING: VENEZUELA'S NEW LABELING LAW HAZARDOUS TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuela's new food labeling law requires that original food product packaging be printed in Spanish, and prohibits the use of add-on Spanish-language stickers for imported goods. This requirement is contained in the set of 26 new decrees issued at the end of July, and came as [...]	2008-10-03 13:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ETRD EAGR PGOV VE
08CARACAS1413	GENERAL ARRESTED IN ANOTHER ALLEGED COUP PLOT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Mario Isea, president of the National Assembly special committee investigating the attempt to overthrow/assassinate President Hugo Chavez, announced the arrest of Air Force Inspector General Jose Felix Caraballo Gomez on September 26. The arrest is based on a tape recording bet [...]	2008-10-03 21:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
08CARACAS1414	EARLY ELECTORAL POLLS: CHAVEZ STILL STRONG BUT NOT [...] (C) Summary: According to recent independent polls shared with the Embassy, Venezuelans are chiefly concerned with the rise in crime, and secondarily by inflation, unemployment, and traffic. The scarcity of basic goods is much less of an issue than it was in the run-up to the December 2007 fa [...]	2008-10-03 21:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1422	GENERAL BADUEL ARRESTED [...] (SBU) Agents of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DIM),on October 3 unceremoniously pulled former Defense Minister General Raul Baduel off of the city streets of Maracay. General Ernesto Cedeno of the Judge Advocate General told the press that Baduel had to account for 31 billion Bs [...]	2008-10-07 22:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
08CARACAS1427	IPR CHANGES FOR PHARMACEUTICALS [...] (C) Summary. On September 12, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) agency responsible for intellectual property protection issued a press release resurrecting the Industrial Property Law of 1955, which expressly prohibits intellectual property rights for pharmaceuticals and other produc [...]	2008-10-08 20:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN ETRD ECIN PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1428	FALLING OIL PRICES: CLEAR BUT NOT PRESENT DANGER [...] (C) Summary: Venezuela's economic model is dependent on ever-rising oil prices. As such, the economy is clearly vulnerable to reduced global demand for oil, an increasingly likely consequence of the current global financial crisis. With oil prices already down 25 percent from their historic [...]	2008-10-08 21:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EPET VE
08CARACAS1434	STUDENTS WILL PLAY ONLY A MINOR ROLE IN UPCOMING [...] (C) Summary: Widely perceived as the most trustworthy group in the country, student leaders are now trying to preserve their voice and role in Venezuelan politics. Many leaders eschew a direct political role, especially in the upcoming November 23 elections. However, some former leaders wh [...]	2008-10-09 20:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1435	CHAVEZ THREATENS TO DENY OPPOSITION STATES [...] (C) Summary. At an October 6 political rally, President Chavez threatened to deny future development funds to state and municipalities run by opposition politicians after the November 23 state and local elections. Chavez said he did not want to give the opposition resources to "steal and con [...]	2008-10-09 21:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1436	BOLIVARIAN INSIDER CLAIMS FOREIGN MINISTRY [...] (C) Summary. Embassy Bolivarian contact Rene Arreaza expressed to ChargQ his frustration with the failure of his Foreign Ministry to end harassment of Embassy Caracas' operations and offered to make another attempt to overcome these "bureaucratic" problems. His comments revealed GBRV infigh [...]	2008-10-09 21:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1440	UNEVEN ELECTORAL PLAYING FIELD FAVORS CHAVISMO [...] (C) Summary: A number of opposition and even pro-government dissident candidates have complained to the National Electoral Council (CNE) about the PSUV enjoying an unfair advantage as state resources are being used in its favor. The government-owned media outlets are blatant in their support [...]	2008-10-10 14:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ASEC VE
08CARACAS1443	VENEZUELA: LABOR UNREST CONTINUES AT COCA-COLA [...] (C) Summary. Coca-Cola has taken control of most of its installations this week following the 4th labor blockade of 2008. Despite a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the company, earlier this year, radical National Assembly members have continued to push the claims of ex-company contractors. [...]	2008-10-10 20:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE
08CARACAS1444	VENEZUELA: BRV SHUTS MACDONALD'S FOR TWO DAYS [...] (SBU) The 115 MacDonald's restaurants in Venezuela were closed for 48 hours on October 9 following an inspection by the tax authority, Seniat. According to a Seniat press release, Seniat fined as many as 16 of the MacDonald's restaurants 1,150 BsF ($535 at the official exchange rate) because [...]	2008-10-10 22:14:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE
08CARACAS1449	CHAVEZ BLASTS POLITICAL ALLIES AND ZULIA OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: During campaign stops in three states October 11-13, President Chavez vociferously attacked both key opposition leaders and two pro-government allied parties. Despite his pledge not to air his weekly "Alo, Presidente" TV show, he used an obligatory two-hour "cadena" broadcast o [...]	2008-10-15 16:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1453	BRV DEVELOPS PUBLIC FINANCE TOOLS TO SQUEEZE [...] (C) Summary: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) public finance system has undergone a series of important changes since 2005 that give the Executive the tools to limit significantly the resources available to state and municipal governments. These governments receive the vast ma [...]	2008-10-16 19:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
08CARACAS1455	BRV SUBMITS 2009 BUDGET, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH [...] (U) Press reports indicate that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has submitted the 2009 budget to the National Assembly (AN),though it has not yet been formally presented by the Minister of Finance as is the custom. According to these reports, which cite AN deputy and president of [...]	2008-10-16 20:28:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1456	GBRV SQUEEZING DEMOCRACY [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez and the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) are stepping up pressure on the opposition and civil society. Specifically, the GBRV is harassing opponents and the independent media, manufacturing coup plot agitprop, and disqualifying key oppos [...]	2008-10-16 20:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS146	CHAVEZ MARKS ANNIVERSARIES WITH THREATS [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez delivered combative televised speeches February 2 and 4 to commemorate his ninth anniversary in the presidency and the sixteenth anniversary of his unsuccessful coup. On February 2, Chavez accused Colombia of preparing a conflict with Venezuela, adding that the [...]	2008-02-07 15:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PTER PHUM CO VE
08CARACAS1463	TAX AUTHORITY RAMPS UP TAX ENFORCEMENT AND MONEY [...] (SBU) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, through its tax agency, has ramped up enforcement of Plan Zero Evasion (Evasion Cero) first announced in 2005. The Plan involves audits of company accounting procedures and violations include fines, closures and "voluntary payments" of ta [...]	2008-10-17 20:51:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE
08CARACAS1464	CHAVEZ SOFTENS TONE ON BILATERAL RELATIONS [...] (C) Summary: During televised remarks to the nation on October 16, Chavez made several seemingly conciliatory remarks regarding bilateral ties in response to the U.S. presidential candidates' comments on the need to achieve energy independence from Venezuela and the Middle East. Chavez spec [...]	2008-10-17 21:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ASEC PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1476	OPPOSITION CONFIDENT IN ZULIA [...] (C) SUMMARY: The four major opposition parties are confident of maintaining control of the Zulia governorship, regaining control of Maracaibo, Venezuela's second largest city, as well as 17 of the 19 municipalities up for election. Outgoing governor Manuel Rosales is widely believed to be s [...]	2008-10-21 22:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE
08CARACAS1477	2009 VENEZUELAN BUDGET: OPTIMISM FADES [...] (SBU) Summary. On October 21, Minister of Finance Ali Rodriguez formally presented the 2009 budget to the National Assembly. The budget continues to use unrealistic economic assumptions, such as a low inflation rate and overstatement of oil production and related revenue. Whereas the pres [...]	2008-10-22 21:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE

08CARACAS149	AMBASSADOR VISITS BARQUISIMETO AND LARA STATE [...] (C) Ambassador and Mrs. Duddy visited Barquisimeto and Lara state January 30 - February 1. During the visit, the Ambassador met with local church and business leaders and civil society, all of whom agreed that support for Chavez was being affected by food shortages and a general lack of perso [...]	2008-02-07 16:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS1495	GBRV STILL IGNORING EU AND OAS ELECTORAL [...] (C) Summary: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) continues to ignore key recommendations issued by previous European Union (EU) and Organization of American States (OAS) election observation missions, thus skewing the electoral playing field to the GBRV's advantage. [...]	2008-10-24 19:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1496	STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS UPDATE--FOUR WEEKS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez is campaigning hard for his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) candidates in the run-up to the November 23 state and local elections. Chavez is conceding no electoral races, even in opposition strongholds, and is equating votes for PSUV candidates with a [...]	2008-10-25 14:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1497	VENEZUELA (OVER)REACTS TO EP CRITICISM, BLAMES U.S. [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) strongly rejected the October 23 passage of an European Parliament (EP) resolution condemning political rights abuses in the country. Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly accused the United St [...]	2008-10-25 14:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
08CARACAS15	MEDIA REACTION: FARC FALLS FROM FRONT PAGE AS [...] (SBU) Days before Christmas Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stated that a mission to liberate three FARC-held hostages ("Operation Emmanuel") would commence December 28th. As of January 4, the hostages remain captive, international observers have left Colombia accusations of blame are flying [...]	2008-01-04 22:04:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PREL PGOV VE CO
08CARACAS1506	CHAVEZ ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL [...] (C) Summary: In the run-up to the November 23 state and local elections, Chavez has relied on his colloquial style and infamously colorful language to attack both the Venezuelan opposition and the United States. He has sought to depict the traditional political opposition as foolish and co [...]	2008-10-30 14:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1507	VENEZUELA: CONSTITUTIONAL COURT UPHOLDS [...] (SBU) On October 17, the Venezuelan Supreme Court (Court) upheld the constitutional viability of international arbitration. The decision interpreted Article 258 of the Constitution, which states "The law shall promote arbitration, conciliation, mediation and any other means of alternative d [...]	2008-10-30 20:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE
08CARACAS1513	VENEZUELAN AIRLINES ADMIT THEIR OWN CONCERN WITH [...] (C) On October 28, Emboffs met with 13 members of the Venezuelan Air Transport Chamber (CEVETA),one of whom raised serious concerns with Venezuelan airport security and spoke out in favor of immediate TSA security assessments. The association, which represents Venezuelan passenger and cargo [...]	2008-10-31 17:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	VE CVIS ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR
08CARACAS1518	STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS -- THREE WEEKS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: With three weeks until state and local elections on November 23, President Chavez has focused his attention on attacking the opposition in Zulia State. Chavez may be preparing the ground to declare Zulia State Governor Manuel Rosales ineligible to run for the Maracaibo mayorshi [...]	2008-10-31 21:08:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ASEC PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS152	CHAVEZ THREATENS TO EXPROPRIATE LARGE FOOD [...] (U) This message is Sensitive But Unclassified, Please Treat Accordingly. 2. (SBU) During a February 4 speech celebrating the 16th anniversary of his attempted 1992 coup (Septel),Chavez threatened to expropriate large food distributors and producers. Chavez said, "I have ordered Mr. Vice- [...]	2008-02-07 20:42:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS1522	OPEN UP AND SAY AHHHH: VENEZUELA'S HEALTH CARE [...] (C) Summary. Conditions in public hospitals continue to deteriorate and private hospitals face a growing threat of nationalization. Despite multiple 2008 budgetary authorizations for increases in health care worker salaries, labor actions continue by health care workers. One public health [...]	2008-11-03 18:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE
08CARACAS1525	VENEZUELAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE CONDUCTS RAID ON [...] (U) According to media reports, Directorate of Military Intelligence (DIM) officials raided offices of Stanford Bank in Caracas on Friday October 31. (Note: Stanford Bank, an affiliate of the Houston-based Stanford Financial Group, is one of two U.S. banks operating in Venezuela. It is a sm [...]	2008-11-04 18:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN ASEC VE
08CARACAS1526	GBRV DISQUALIFIES AT LEAST ONE MORE OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: On November 3, the Supreme Court disqualified another opposition contender for the state and local elections on November 23 -- Yaracuy gubernatorial candidate and political exile Eduardo Lappi. The Supreme Court is also considering whether or not to declare another leading opp [...]	2008-11-04 20:37:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1537	CHAVEZ OBSCURES MIAMI VERDICT, FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (SBU) President Hugo Chavez took over the airwaves in an obligatory national "cadena" broadcast on November 3, squashing early news reports of Franklin Duran's guilt in the Miami "suitcase" trial. Venezuelan law requires free-to-air broadcasters to carry presidential "cadena" broadcasts in t [...]	2008-11-06 12:29:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV VE
08CARACAS1545	VENEZUELAN AIRLINE WITH KNOWN DRUG TRAFFICKING [...] (S) SUMMARY: Venezuelan airline Aeropostal, which halted its flights to the U.S. earlier this year, has filed an application with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to resume its U.S. routes. Given that the new owners of Aeropostal, the Makled family, are Venezuela's preeminent drug traff [...]	2008-11-07 12:00:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	VE ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR SNAR PREL CVIS
08CARACAS1546	VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT IGNORES USG WARNING ON PORT [...] (C) Summary: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) has not responded to two diplomatic notes and multiple Embassy requests for a meeting to discuss U.S. Coast Guard efforts dating back to 2006 to arrange port visits. Embassy maritime contacts believe that Venezuelan ports would not pas [...]	2008-11-07 12:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	VE ASEC MARR PGOV ECON EAIR EWWT ETRD KHLS
08CARACAS1554	THE 64 BILLION DOLLAR QUESTION: HOW MUCH CASH [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez has argued that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) can endure a period of low oil prices by drawing down his government's savings. While no one disputes the BRV Government (GBRV) has accumulated financial assets during the oil bonanza, the value and liqu [...]	2008-11-10 10:37:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
08CARACAS1555	STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS -- TWO WEEKS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: With just over two weeks until state and local elections, the opposition remains relatively disorganized, divided in some races, and increasingly pessimistic about its election prospects. Moreover, there appears to be more electoral fatigue than excitement in most races. The GB [...]	2008-11-10 10:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1556	GBRV REACTION TO OBAMA WIN CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC [...] (C) Summary: Official reaction to President-elect Obama's victory following the U.S. election continues to be optimistic, yet tempered. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro sent positive signals November 5 about establishing new ties with Washington, although he added that the GBRV is neither "hur [...]	2008-11-10 10:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1559	GBRV IMPEDES VISIT OF LECH WALESA [...] (C) Summary. The GBRV discouraged the visit of Nobel Peace Prize winner and former president of Poland Lech Walesa to Venezuela on November 2, citing security concerns. Walesa, a prominent pro-democracy figure, has at times been critical of President Chavez. The government reportedly notifie [...]	2008-11-10 14:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV PREL PL EZ VE
08CARACAS1562	GBRV ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF JOINT DEVELOPMENT BANK [...] (U) The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) announced November 8 that Russia and Venezuela had agreed to create a binational bank and that Finance Minister Ali Rodriguez would travel to Russia the following week to finalize details. Rodriguez and an official from Russia [...]	2008-11-10 16:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1568	CHAVEZ THREATENS MILITARY ACTION AGAINST OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez ratcheted up his threats against the opposition on November 8 and 9 while stumping for his candidates in Carabobo, Sucre, and Zulia States, states where opposition gubernatorial candidates are running strong. The Venezuelan president ordered a nearby garrison t [...]	2008-11-10 22:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1570	VENEZUELA: GM, FORD AND CHRYSLER ONCE AGAIN HALT [...] (C) Summary: GM, Ford and Chrysler, the three U.S. car manufacturers in Venezuela, are once again shut down due to a labor action against a parts supplier. The industry faces on-going, severe labor problems, power outages averaging once every three days, and a dramatically reduced 2008 vehicl [...]	2008-11-12 20:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV PREL ETRAD PTER VE
08CARACAS1572	STUDENTS PREPARING FOR ELECTION DAY [...] (C) Summary: Venezuelan university student activists appear interested in using their widely-respected legitimacy to safeguard the transparency of the state and local elections on November 23. Their efforts, however, have been undermined by lack of coordination and socioeconomic tensions be [...]	2008-11-12 21:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1573	VENEZUELAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHT BENEFITS OF FOURTH FLEET [...] (U) SUMMARY: Thanks to the combined efforts of the USS Kearsarge, SouthCom, and the U.S. Embassies in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, Venezuelans received a thorough and accurate look into the humanitarian work of the Navy's newly-reactivated Fourth Fleet. Reporters from two major Venez [...]	2008-11-13 16:08:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	KPAO PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1576	BRV DEPORTS TWO DRUG TRAFFICKERS TO U.S. [...] (SBU) The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) turned over Colombian drug traffickers Henry Fortich Coneo and Wilmer Villadiego Coneo to the Drug Enforcement Administration for transport to the United States. National Anti-Drug Office (ONA) Director Nestor Reverol told th [...]	2008-11-13 22:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	SNAR PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS1580	VENEZUELA RESPONDS TO USG REQUEST FOR PORT VISITS [...] (SBU) Post has received a Diplomatic Note dated November 13 responding to the Embassy's October 6 Diplomatic Note, which stated that the GBRV must set a port visit date within 30 days of the Diplomatic Note's receipt, or the Coast Guard would impose "conditions of entry". An unofficial transl [...]	2008-11-14 18:55:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON ASEC MARR PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD KHLS PTER
08CARACAS1582	STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS -- 10 DAYS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: With just over a week until the November 23 state and local elections, President Chavez is vigorously supporting his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) candidates. He is simultaneously calling for arrests of opposition figures and pledging to make campaign stops in ele [...]	2008-11-14 20:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1583	BNP PARIBAS REPRESENTATIVE SEES FEW PROSPECTS FOR [...] (C) BNP Paribas country representative in Venezuela Gregorio Toulemonde (strictly protect throughout) said he was "very worried" about the overall economic situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV). He predicted a difficult 2009, with the BRV government (GBRV) "desperately see [...]	2008-11-14 20:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EPET VE
08CARACAS1584	VENEZUELA: INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL [...] No summary [...]	2008-11-14 20:51:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS1590	GBRV ARRESTS MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKER/MAYORAL [...] (S/NOFORN) Summary. GBRV authorities arrested three members of the powerful Makled family, one of Venezuela's most notorious drug trafficking families, following a November 13 raid of Walid Makled's farm that reportedly netted 392 kilos of cocaine. With November 23 state and local elections [...]	2008-11-17 21:54:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET//NOFORN	SNAR ECON EAIR PREL VE
08CARACAS1595	NOVEMBER 23 STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS: BY THE [...] No summary [...]	2008-11-18 15:09:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	KDEM PGOV VE
08CARACAS1599	CHAVEZ FIRES UP THE BASE [...] (C) Summary: During visits to Anzoategui, Barinas, and Zulia States from November 14 to 16, Chavez renewed his threats to arrest Zulia governor and Maracaibo mayoral candidate Manuel Rosales. He also told supporters to "stay in the streets" following the vote and "stay alert" against alleg [...]	2008-11-18 20:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1607	VENEZUELAN PORTS IN CHAOS, DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN [...] (C) Summary: Industry sources report that Venezuelan ports are in a "state of chaos" with long lines of ships waiting to dock, and numerous instances of ships diverted to other countries to unload cargo after failing to dock in Venezuela. Port authorities have reportedly advised shipping compa [...]	2008-11-19 20:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ASEC MARR PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD KHLS PTER
08CARACAS1613	BANESCO PRESIDENT CONCERNED OVER ALLEGED U.S. [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5. 2. (C) Banesco President Juan Carlos Escotet visited the Charge November 18 to express his concern about an alleged investigation of Banesco by the USG. (Note: Banesco is by most measures Venezuela's largest bank, holding 12 percent [...]	2008-11-20 21:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EFIN VE
08CARACAS1615	STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS: NINE STORIES TO WATCH [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez will retain full control over the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) no matter what the results of the November 23 state and local elections. Nevertheless, these elections may influence the extent to which Chavez can accelerate his Bolivar [...]	2008-11-21 18:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1619	STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS -- 48 HOURS AWAY [...] (C) Summary: To the end, Chavez has campaigned hard on behalf of his PSUV candidates in swing states before the November 23 state and local elections. The campaigns officially closed November 20 in the midst of torrential rains that have caused a dozen deaths and are forecasted to last thr [...]	2008-11-21 20:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1620	LEADING VENEZUELAN FOOD PROCESSING COMPANY [...] (C) SUMMARY: A well-placed source within Alfonso Rivas and Co., Venezuela's second leading food processing company, has informed AgAttache that official government stores will not purchase food products from this firm. According to their Government Relations officer, the reason is that a le [...]	2008-11-24 12:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EAGR PGOV ETRD VE
08CARACAS1621	HIGH CRIME EFFECTS VOTERS BUT SPARES CANDIDATES [...] (SBU) Venezuela's spiraling crime has resulted in weekends with a homicide every hour in Caracas and earned the nation the unflattering title of violent crime capital of the world. Recent polling by Alfredo Keller showed 78% of respondents thought crime was worse this year and 67% opined tha [...]	2008-11-24 12:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ASEC CASC PGOV VE
08CARACAS1622	OPPOSITION CARVES OUT A NEW SPACE FOR ITSELF, [...] (C) Summary: By winning five of the most populous and resource rich states in the country, the opposition opened up new political space in Venezuela. The percentage of Venezuelans with an opposition governor increased from 25 to 40 percent and voter turnout was 65 percent, well above the h [...]	2008-11-24 21:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1625	CHAVEZ SPINS ELECTORAL RESULTS UNDERSCORING THE [...] (C) Summary: Chavez is seeking to spin the electoral results of the November 23 state and local elections to his favor. In a nationally-televised, five-hour long November 24 press conference with international journalists, the Venezuelan president blasted media reporting that his United So [...]	2008-11-25 21:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1626	CHAVEZ'S FIRST SALVO AT THE PRESIDENT-ELECT [...] (SBU) In a rambling nationally televised November 24 press conference following Venezuelan state and local elections, President Hugo Chavez labeled president-elect Obama's response to a congratulatory letter by Iranian president Mahmud Ahmadinejad "disrespectful and a bad sign." Chavez stated [...]	2008-11-25 21:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE IR
08CARACAS1627	IOC SUB-COMMISSION FOR THE CARIBBEAN AND ADJACENT [...] (U) SUMMARY: The USDEL to the tenth session of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and adjacent regions (IOCARIBE, 22-26 October in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela) met its primary objectives: the US was reelected as Vice Chairman for IOCARIBE; NOAA's [...]	2008-11-26 15:34:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON MARR PGOV EWWT AORC ICES KRVC SENV TPHY
08CARACAS1628	VENEZUELA: POINTS DELIVERED ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP [...] (U) Post delivered reftel points on the proposed Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food to the Ministries of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs, Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry and Commerce. Post will report a response if received, however, based on past experience, no reply is anti [...]	2008-11-26 19:58:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON PGOV EAGR PREL ETRD VE
08CARACAS1629	VENEZUELA OFFERS MEETING ON PORT SECURITY VISIT [...] (SBU) Economic Counselor was contacted November 26 by Nelson Dominguez of Venezuela's National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA). Dominguez identified himself as the head of INEA's maritime security unit and said he had been tasked by the President of INEA to meet with the Embassy to discuss [...]	2008-11-26 20:38:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON ASEC MARR PGOV PREL PTER VE
08CARACAS1633	STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS: WINNERS AND LOSERS [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez emerges as both a loser and winner from the November 23 state and local elections. He must contend with more opposition governors in key states, as well as opposition mayors in important cities. Several opposition parties can point to somewhat encouraging elect [...]	2008-11-28 19:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1635	OPPOSITION GOVERNOR PROFILES [...] (C) Summary: The opposition won five of 22 governorships in the November 23 state and local elections and will govern approximately 40 percent of Venezuelans. Four of the five opposition governors are political veterans with extensive administrative experience. Morel Rodriguez, the re-e [...]	2008-12-01 21:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE KDEM
08CARACAS1636	CHAVEZ SEEKS RE-ELECTION/GRABS POWERS FROM [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez is on the political offensive after the opposition scored some noteworthy gains in the November 23 state and local elections. In a nationally-televised November 30 speech, President Chavez urged his supporters to launch a signature drive that would force a new re [...]	2008-12-01 22:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1637	VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT PROPOSES FEBRUARY 2009 COAST [...] (C) On December 1 Emboffs met with the President of the Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA) and representatives of the Ministries of Infrastructure and Foreign Affairs (MRE) to discuss the US Coast Guard's repeated requests for port inspections (ref A). The head of INEA Port Security, Nelson D [...]	2008-12-02 18:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD EWWT VE
08CARACAS1638	VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT VERSUS THE COMBO MEAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan consumer protection law, passed July 2008, requires the government to approve all sales promotions with an eye to curtailing "excessive consumption" and punishing "capitalist impresarios" while also seeking to eliminate hoarding and speculation, particularly with fo [...]	2008-12-02 20:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV PREL ETRD EAGR VE
08CARACAS1640	PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE: GLOBOVISION ON THE HOOK [...] (C) Summary: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) is hardening its position against the remaining independent media outlets following the November 23 state and local elections. The government's telecommunication's agency (Conatel) is investigating Globovision, the cri [...]	2008-12-02 21:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS1661	ALBA SUMMIT: THE USUAL RHETORIC AND A NEW PROPOSAL [...] (U) The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) hosted on November 26 the third extraordinary summit of heads of state and government of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) - trade pact for the peoples. In attendance were the following representatives of ALBA coun [...]	2008-12-03 20:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PREL VE
08CARACAS1664	CHAVEZ MOVING FORWARD TO REMOVE TERM LIMITS [...] (C) Summary: Chavez announced December 1 that his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) would begin preparing a constitutional amendment to allow indefinite presidential reelection. Chavez said he hopes his supporters would send the proposed amendment to the National Electoral Counci [...]	2008-12-05 14:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1668	STATE AND LOCAL VOTING MOSTLY FREE AND FAIR ON [...] (C) Summary: Embassy Caracas deployed informal, unaccredited observation teams throughout Caracas and to six states during the November 23 balloting for state and local elections. They and other electoral observers confirmed scattered irregularities, such as late openings and closings of t [...]	2008-12-05 18:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1669	VENEZUELA: TAX AUTHORITY SURPASSES 2008 REVENUE [...] (U) Summary. The tax authority of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) announced December 2 it had already reached its tax revenue goal for budget year 2008. Tax officials predict record tax revenues for budget year 2009 and continue to find creative methods to increase compliance with [...]	2008-12-05 18:42:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE
08CARACAS1670	CHAVEZ STEERING AN EVEN MORE AUTHORITARIAN COURSE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez usually calibrates his efforts to concentrate power based on public opinion. But after losing the constitutional referendum in December 2007 and ceding more ground to the opposition in the November 23 state and local elections, the Venezuelan president appears to [...]	2008-12-05 19:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS1676	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY RELEASES FLIMSY REPORT ON [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly (NA) released a report calling on the Attorney General's Office (AG) to investigate retired military personnel, independent media owners, and businessmen for their supposed involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate President Chavez. It accused the USG of pr [...]	2008-12-05 20:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE
08CARACAS1677	VENEZUELAN-RUSSIAN EXERCISE WAS NO WORKOUT [...] (S/NOFORN) SUMMARY: Despite the heavy media attention, the Venezuelan-Russian naval exercise was a rudimentary affair, and Russian efforts to down play its importance were very clear. The BRV hoped to use the fact the exercise took place at the same time as a state visit by Russian President M [...]	2008-12-05 21:06:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET//NOFORN	MCAP PGOV PREL RU VE
08CARACAS168	EXXONMOBIL MOVES TO FREEZE PDVSA'S WORLDWIDE ASSETS [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan press reported on February 6-7 the attachment of a bank account in New York and an English court's freezing of USD 12 billion in PDVSA assets worldwide. Initial press reports in Venezuela were exaggerated in both tone and content. ExxonMobil (XM) filed a request fo [...]	2008-02-11 20:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS1685	CHAVEZ DUAL TRACKS RE-ELECTION INITIATIVE [...] (C) Summary: Chavez announced that the process to amend the constitution to remove presidential term limits will be initiated by both seeking to acquire 15 percent of registered voters' signatures and the support of 30 percent of the deputies in the National Assembly. He did not explain his [...]	2008-12-08 21:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE KDEM
08CARACAS1690	NATIONALIZATIONS WITHOUT COMPENSATION AS GBRV [...] (C) Summary: In 2008 the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) has announced but not finalized a growing number of nationalizations. To the best of our knowledge, deals or payments are still pending for three multinational cement companies (Cemex, Holcim, and LaFarge),s [...]	2008-12-09 21:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EIND VE
08CARACAS1693	NEW PSUV GOVERNORS REFLECT PREFERENCE FOR LOYALTY [...] (C) Summary: Most of the new PSUV governors have served previously in local or national political office, and many of them have longstanding ties to Chavez personally or left-wing credentials. The incoming governors from Anzoategui, Barinas, Guarico, and Trujillo States are tried and true [...]	2008-12-09 21:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE KDEM
08CARACAS1696	VENEZUELA: TITLE III OF LIBERTAD ACT [...] (U) Post's response to Reftel A questions follow. 2. (C) Has the host country, in post's opinion, worked to promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba? Post sees no evidence that the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has undertaken policies or [...]	2008-12-10 15:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ETRD ETTC PREL VE
08CARACAS1700	CHAVEZ'S BAND OF BROTHERS [...] (C) Six of the seventeen PSUV governors elected to office on November 23 were either co-conspirators in Chavez's 1992 coup attempt or his military contemporaries. Personal loyalty, reliability and the ethos of a military fraternity reflected in many of Chavez's ministerial appointments and w [...]	2008-12-10 21:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KDEM PGOV VE
08CARACAS1702	VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TO ASSUME PERMANENT CONTROL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Aeropostal president Dr. Mustafa Flores reports he expects the government to take permanent control of the airline by December 12 and will then bankrupt it. He, along with all but two of the Aeropostal board of directors, plan to resign as they fear they will ultimately be blamed. [...]	2008-12-11 13:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON CASC CVIS ASEC MARR PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD
08CARACAS1704	VENEZUELA: CHEVRON CONFIRMS INTEREST IN HEAVY OIL [...] No summary [...]	2008-12-12 21:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS1711	PDVSA FORCING JOINT VENTURES TO CUT BACK ON [...] (C) Summary: Shell Venezuela executives said PDVSA had mandated a 25 percent production cut in its joint venture with PDVSA as a result of OPEC-mandated production cuts; other joint ventures were also subject to cuts. They confirmed Shell's purchase of the data pack for the Carabobo blocks [...]	2008-12-15 14:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV VE
08CARACAS1712	VENEZUELA: CHEVRON CONFIRMS INTEREST IN HEAVY OIL [...] (C) Economic Counselor met briefly December 4 with Chevron President for Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production Ali Moshiri. Moshiri was accompanied by Wes Lohec, Managing Director of Chevron's Latin America Business Unit. Moshiri first underlined that Venezuela continues to be i [...]	2008-12-15 14:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS172	BRV WARNS GLOBOVISION OF POSSIBLE SANCTIONS, [...] (C) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) harassment of Globovision, Venezuela's only independent all-news television network, is intensifying. The BRV appears to be laying the groundwork for the network's possible closure in the near future. Citing "public pressure," the BR [...]	2008-02-12 23:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS1721	CHAVEZ PERSONALIZING AMENDMENT PROPOSAL [...] (C) Summary: Chavez initiated the drive to collect signatures December 11 in support of a constitutional amendment to allow for indefinite reelection, and continues to reiterate that the referendum must be held by February. He has framed the amendment as a minor legal tweak and personalized [...]	2008-12-16 13:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE KDEM
08CARACAS1724	PSUV STALWARTS RETAIN CONTROL IN SEVEN STATES [...] (C) Summary: The incoming United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) governors of Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Falcon, Monagas and Sucre States face significant challenges in meeting the needs of their relatively poor, sparsely-populated regions. The new PSUV governor of Merida will have to bal [...]	2008-12-16 21:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE KDEM
08CARACAS1725	CHAVEZ WARMLY WELCOMES RAUL CASTRO [...] (C) SUMMARY: Cuban president Raul Castro and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez signed or renewed in Caracas a myriad of bilateral agreements valued at USD 2.1 billion on December 13, during Castro's first post-succession trip abroad. Under tight security, Castro laid a wreath at the tomb of Simon [...]	2008-12-16 21:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ETRD PREL CU VE
08CARACAS1738	SUPREME COURT RULES AGAINST NEW TRIBES MISSION [...] (SBU) The Supreme Court of Venezuela ruled November 4 that the rights of the New Tribes Mission (NTM) had not been violated when it was required in 2005 to remove its personnel from all indigenous areas in the country. Over the past three years the NTM had argued before the court that they had [...]	2008-12-18 15:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KIRF PGOV PHUM PREL VE
08CARACAS1739	SUPREME COURT BLESSES AMENDMENT, PSUV GEARS UP THE [...] (C) Summary: The Supreme Court appears poised to remove any potential legal obstacles to Chavez's constitutional amendment proposal to remove presidential term limits, paving the way for his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) to begin both its signature drive and discussions within t [...]	2008-12-18 16:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE KDEM
08CARACAS174	CHAVEZ REPEATS THREATS TO PRIVATE SECTOR IN EFFORT [...] (SBU) Summary: On January 31, the BRV published a decree reforming the "Law Against Speculation and Hoarding," a 2007 decree that criminalized the hoarding and speculation of regulated goods, reduced the legal barriers for expropriations, and established harsh fines and jail time for violators [...]	2008-02-13 16:39:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS1747	VENEZUELAN CEMENT INDUSTRY HEADED TO INTERNATIONAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Cement companies Holcim and Lafarge are expected to soon join Cemex at the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) after giving up hope of compensation for their nationalized operations in Venezuela. According to a Holcim executive, the company was rel [...]	2008-12-19 16:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV PREL ETRD KHLS PTER VE
08CARACAS1748	DEMARCHE DELIVERED: U.S. DOMESTIC DESIGNATION OF [...] No summary [...]	2008-12-19 21:02:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	KTFN VE
08CARACAS175	PDVSA ANNOUNCES SUSPENSION OF COMMERCIAL RELATIONS [...] (C) In the evening of February 12, PDVSA issued a press release announcing that it would "suspend commercial relations and the supply of crude and products" to ExxonMobil in light of ExxonMobil's "unnecessary, intimidating, and hostile" legal actions (reftel). PDVSA promised to "fully honor [...]	2008-02-13 21:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EPET VE
08CARACAS1751	CHARGE'S MEETING WITH MFA VICE MINISTER VALERO - [...] (C) Summary. Charge met December 19 with MFA Vice Minister Jorge Valero to press the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuelan (GBRV) to resolve ongoing reciprocity issues and to sound out the GBRV's possible interest in a confidence-building dialogue on defense issues. Charge argu [...]	2008-12-19 21:52:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV SNAR MCAP AMGT VE
08CARACAS1753	CHAVEZ'S FEBRUARY REFERENDUM DATE A LEGAL STRETCH [...] (C) Summary: Chavez continues to move forward on his amendment proposal, apparently with the hope of holding a referendum before the end of February. The National Assembly (AN) concluded its first debate December 18 in favor of the amendment and has another debate scheduled for the second [...]	2008-12-19 22:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1754	VENEZUELAN CABINET RESHUFFLE MAY AFFECT PORTS AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: Chavez appointed Diosdado Cabello Rondon, the person most frequently mentioned as a possible successor, as the new Minister of Infrastructure (Minfra) on December 6. Cabello lost his re-election bid for the governorship of Miranda State in the November 23 election. We have already [...]	2008-12-19 22:08:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON CASC CVIS ASEC MARR PGOV EAIR PREL ETRD
08CARACAS1757	WOOD GROUP VICE PRESIDENT SAYS PDVSA "TECHNICALLY [...] (C) Summary: According to a Wood Group executive, PDVSA is "technically bankrupt," owing up to USD 7 billion to its suppliers in Venezuela. The situation is particularly critical at smaller oilfield service companies, which are finding credit drying up as banks refuse to grant them new loan [...]	2008-12-22 18:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EFIN VE
08CARACAS1758	CADIVI AUTHORIZATIONS SHARPLY DOWN [...] According to statistics published December 22, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (GBRV) foreign exchange authority, known by its Spanish acronym CADIVI, sharply reduced its foreign currency authorizations over the first three weeks of December. While in past years Dece [...]	2008-12-22 18:37:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON VE
08CARACAS1760	VENEZUELA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM [...] No summary [...]	2008-12-22 19:29:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ASEC PTER VE
08CARACAS1765	CHAVEZ ORDERS THE EXPROPRIATION OF JEWISH-OWNED [...] (U) On December 21, during the last "Alo, Presidente" broadcast of 2008, President Chavez ordered the mayor of Libertador Borough of Caracas Jorge Rodriguez to expropriate a large commercial center in the final stages of construction. In his latest tirade against the private sector, Chavez r [...]	2008-12-23 16:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV KIRF VE
08CARACAS1774	VENEZUELA: CHEVRON CONFIRMS OPEC QUOTA CUTS [...] (C) SUMMARY. A senior Chevron executive confirmed that PDVSA is aggressively enforcing OPEC-mandated quota cuts in the hope that the cuts will turn around the slump in oil prices. So far, the cuts have been levied on joint ventures based on the price per barrel received for the crude sales. [...]	2008-12-23 20:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV VE
08CARACAS1777	CHAVEZ'S PERPETUAL CAMPAIGN [...] (C) Summary: Since taking office in 1999, President Chavez has engaged in frequent, polarizing electoral campaigns to both burnish his democratic credentials and accumulate personal power. The Venezuelan president's electoral focus has hindered his government's ability to address pressing [...]	2008-12-24 13:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS1783	CHAVEZ LASHES OUT AT CARDINAL FOR CRITICIZING [...] (C) Summary: President Hugo Chavez reacted harshly to Venezuelan Cardinal Jorge Urosa's December 25 criticism of a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate presidential term limits. Phoning in to a state media talk show on December 26, Chavez called Cardinal Urosa "immoral" and [...]	2008-12-29 20:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KIRF PGOV PHUM VT VE
08CARACAS1784	CHAVEZ BLAMES USG FOR ISRAEL'S AIR [...] (C) Summary: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) continues to assert a singularly radical foreign policy out of step with most of the international community. The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) issued December 18 and 27 communiques that criticized un [...]	2008-12-29 20:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KIRF VE IS ZI
08CARACAS18	CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES HE WILL SLOW DOWN THE REVOLUTION [...] (C) Summary. During his January 6 "Alo, Presidente" broadcast, President Chavez said he plans to apply the brakes to his Bolivarian revolution after the defeat of his proposed changes to the 1999 Constitution. He and his new cabinet will not change ideology, but will "review, rectify, and re [...]	2008-01-07 21:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
08CARACAS186	BANCO MERCANTIL PRESENTS POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC [...] (C) Summary: In a February 12 meeting with the Ambassador, senior economists of Banco Mercantil, one of Venezuela's four largest banks, argued that President Chavez was facing simultaneous adverse political and economic shocks following the December 2 referendum. Given his current vulnerabil [...]	2008-02-15 14:47:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
08CARACAS188	AMBASSADOR VISITS MARACAIBO AND ZULIA STATE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Ambassador Duddy visited Maracaibo in Zulia state February 7-9, 2008 meeting with American & local business leaders, students, news media, opposition party mayors and the state Governor of Zulia. All groups encouraged increased interaction with the USG. Crime, and particularl [...]	2008-02-15 16:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON KDEM PGOV PREL SENV VE
08CARACAS190	BRV QUIETLY SELLS "STRUCTURED NOTES" [...] (SBU) According to press reports this week, over the past several weeks the BRV has sold "structured notes" to selected banks for a total sale of between USD 100 and 270 million dollars. Structured notes in this context are products that combine Argentine, Ecuadorian, and/or Colombian debt ac [...]	2008-02-15 20:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EFIN VE
08CARACAS193	PDVSA WILL PARTICIPATE IN ARBITRATION PROCESS WITH [...] (U) BRV Energy Minister and PDVSA President, Rafael Ramirez, in a Thursday, February 14, speech before the National Assembly on the ExxonMobil (XM) dispute stated: "We cannot refuse to address the agreements that the previous congress and PDVSA administration made....PDVSA is disposed to com [...]	2008-02-15 22:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ENRG EPET EINV PREL VE
08CARACAS197	VENEZUELAN KEY RESOURCES AND CRITICAL [...] In response to reftel A, Venezuela has little or no critical infrastructure (as defined in reftel A) and few key resources that are vital to the United States. Venezuela's most significant resource that is supplied to the US is petroleum and petroleum products. Venezuela produces approximat [...]	2008-02-19 17:18:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ASEC EAID ECON ETTC PGOV PTER PERL EAGER EFIN
08CARACAS204	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES CREATION OF BINATIONAL [...] (U) On February 14 the National Assembly approved three laws ratifying agreements with Iran and five ratifying agreements with Belarus. The Iranian agreements include a pact to create the Iranian-Venezuelan Binational Bank that was signed in Tehran on November 19, 2007; a binational developm [...]	2008-02-19 20:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EFIN KCRM IR BO VE
08CARACAS206	FM MADURO BLAMES USG FOR OIL DISPUTE, TERRORISM [...] (C) Summary. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro insisted to local media February 13 that the USG is behind ExxonMobil's dispute with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV). He also reiterated long-standing BRV accusations that the USG is working with the opposition and local media to destabi [...]	2008-02-19 21:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV ENGR SNAR VE
08CARACAS21	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SWEARS-IN NEW LEADERSHIP, FLORES [...] (C) SUMMARY. The National Assembly (NA) swore-in its new leadership team January 6. Cilia Flores, the current NA president, will serve out another term. Roberto Hernandez of the pro-government Communist Party (PCV) replaces Desiree Santos Amaral as First Vice President, while Jose Albornoz, [...]	2008-01-08 17:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE
08CARACAS213	AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PODEMOS LEADERS - FEB 19 [...] (C) Summary. Podemos leaders told the Ambassador February 19 that their break with President Chavez is permanent. They now believe Chavez has abandoned principle in favor of perpetuating himself in power. They hope to make political gains by focusing on pressing national issues and capitali [...]	2008-02-20 19:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PHUM PTER ENGR CO VE
08CARACAS219	VENEZUELA AND BRV REACT TO CASTRO'S RESIGNATION [...] (SBU) The February 19 announcement by Fidel Castro that he will step down as President and Commander-in-Chief after next Sunday's election was received by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) with a mixture of hero worship and denial. President Hugo Chavez told the local media, "What res [...]	2008-02-21 14:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL CU VE

08CARACAS223	EMERGING STUDENT LEADERS OUTLINE FUTURE STRATEGIES [...] (C) Summary. USAID Officer met February 9 with a dozen up-and-coming student leaders from western Venezuela. The students, primarily from the Law School Students' Association (Fedeve),were in the university town of Merida to prepare strategies for upcoming student elections. They were also [...]	2008-02-21 15:42:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	PGOV KDEM PHUM VE
08CARACAS227	PSUV FOUNDING CONGRESS: DELAYS AND AN EXPULSION [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez publicly declared after his constitutional referendum defeat that shoring up his political base will be one of his highest priorities. Since then, he has focused considerable personal attention on launching his proposed single, pro-government party, the United S [...]	2008-02-22 17:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
08CARACAS232	2008 SPECIAL 301 RECOMMENDATION: KEEP VENEZUELA [...] (SBU) Summary: The BRV's protection and enforcement of IPR continues to deteriorate. The market for legitimate music CDs is eclipsed by piracy, with piracy rates for CDs, DVDs, and business software hovering above 80 percent. SAPI, the agency that oversees IPR enforcement and issues patents, [...]	2008-02-22 21:27:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	KIPR VE
08CARACAS233	NO SURPRISE, CHAVEZ BACKS RUSSIA AGAINST KOSOVO [...] No summary [...]	2008-02-22 21:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL UNMIK VE KV EU
08CARACAS238	CHAVEZ: THE BEST PRESS IS A STATE-CONTROLLED PRESS [...] (C) President Hugo Chavez forced national electronic media February 21 to carry a 3-hour diatribe against the media and the "lies" they purvey, adding fuel to concerns that he is setting the stage to curtail what little free press remains in Venezuela. The ostensible reason for Chavez' speec [...]	2008-02-25 12:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL
08CARACAS245	OPPOSITION PARTY COPEI IS CONFIDENT OF OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: Christian Democratic Party (COPEI) leader Luis Ignacio Planas called on the Ambassador on February 21 to discuss political developments in Venezuela and the opposition's expectations for the November 2008 state and local elections. The 35-year-old Secretary General is putting th [...]	2008-02-26 20:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS25	SAME FACES, DIFFERENT PLACES: BIOS ON CHAVEZ' NEW [...] (SBU) Summary: On January 6, President Chavez announced changes in eight key economic portfolios: the Ministry of Finance, Telecommunications, Planning and Development, Housing, Basic Industry and Mining, Light Industry and Trade, Food, Housing, and Social Development and Popular Participation [...]	2008-01-09 19:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS26	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS SEEK TO REVIVE "BOSTON [...] (C) Summary: Five members of the National Assembly (NA) are seeking to establish an Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group with U.S. congresspersons, akin to the congressional relations they had cultivated via the informal "Boston Group." Foreign Policy Commission Chairman Saul Ortega and three [...]	2008-01-09 21:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS264	STATOIL: MIXED VIEWS ON INVESTMENT CLIMATE [...] No summary [...]	2008-02-28 18:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS267	GOVERNMENT MAY MAKE 400 INELIGIBLE FOR ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary. The Venezuelan Comptroller's Office provided the National Electoral Commission (CNE) February 25 with a list of 400 Venezuelans that it has sanctioned and believes to be ineligible to run for elected office. There is a disagreement within the CNE whether these persons are automa [...]	2008-02-28 19:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
08CARACAS273	CHAVISTAS TAKE OVER CARACAS ARCHBISHOP'S RESIDENCE [...] (C) Summary. Hard-line Chavistas temporarily occupied the Archbishop's Residence in Caracas on February 27. They held a press conference on the premises to denounce Catholic Church leaders and the Papal Nuncio for hindering the revolution as well as to express support for the deceased bomber [...]	2008-02-28 22:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KREL PHUM VE
08CARACAS278	(SBU) REQUEST FOR SPANISH TEST FOR VIRGINIA M. [...] (U) Post requests a FSI Language Proficiency test(test type-DVC). 2. (SBU) Information on employee to be tested: Employee: Virginia M. Gregory SSN: XXX-XX-6451 Agency: State Language: Spanish Date for exam preferred: April 11, 2008. PLO: Stephen Bruce Stewart 3. (U) Method of s [...]	2008-02-29 20:45:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	AFSI APER
08CARACAS283	RAUL REYES DEATH: CONFLICT DOES NOT APPEAR [...] (S/NF) Summary: Notwithstanding President Chavez' order that ten battalions be dispatched to the Colombian border in the wake of the March 1 killing of FARC's second-in command Raul Reyes, DAO reports only a minor increase in activity at two relevant BRV bases in two states west of Caracas and [...]	2008-03-03 19:23:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET//NOFORN	PREL MOPS PGOV PTER MCAP CO VE
08CARACAS284	FOREIGN MINISTRY: CHANGES AND VACANCIES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: THE VENEZUELAN MINISTRY OF PEOPLE'S POWER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA) HAS GONE THROUGH SIGNIFICANT PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES IN RECENT MONTHS WITH FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE VICE-MINISTERS EITHER RESIGNING OR BEING RE-ASSIGNED. PRESIDENT CHAVEZ ANNOUNCED FEBRUARY 19 THAT F [...]	2008-03-03 19:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS286	CHAVEZ PUTS FINISHING TOUCHES ON HIS PSUV PARTY [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez presided over the final session of the founding congress of his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) March 2 in Maracaibo. Over 1600 PSUV party delegates elected Chavez party president the week before. In Maracaibo, Chavez announced the names of 69 PSUV m [...]	2008-03-03 22:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
08CARACAS288	VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION PARTIES UNITE TO CONDEMN [...] (SBU) Summary: Within hours of President Hugo Chavez' March 2 order to mobilize the Venezuelan National Armed Forces against a "Colombian invasion," Venezuelan opposition members were responding to the belligerent rhetoric with equally breathless criticism. Beneath a banner reading "United [...]	2008-03-04 14:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KDEM PGOV PREL VE CO
08CARACAS293	MINIMAL BRV ARMED FORCES RESPONSE TO DEPLOYMENT [...] (S) SUMMARY: Nearly 48 hours after Chavez ordered ten battalions to the Colombian border, there has been only small scale movements of troops or equipment from major combat units. Less than 12 light tanks or armored fighting vehicles have been seen preparing for movement at Carora in the wes [...]	2008-03-04 19:06:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET//NOFORN	MCAP MOPS PGOV PHUM PREL VE CO
08CARACAS301	CHAVEZ INSULATES VENEZUELAN ARMED FORCES FROM [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan Army withdrew from hosting the 28th Conference of the Armies of the Americas (CAA) and declined its turn to serve as president of the organization on February 18, less than four weeks before the scheduled transfer ceremony. This is the fourth military conference i [...]	2008-03-04 22:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MARR PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS302	BADUEL CRITICIZES MOBILIZATION [...] (SBU) In a March 4 press conference Former Minister of Defense Raul Baduel joined the Venezuelan opposition parties (Reftel) in criticizing President Chavez's March 2 order to mobilize Venezuelan National Armed Forces (FAN) to the Colombian border. Baduel qualified Venezuela's actions as disp [...]	2008-03-04 22:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM MOPS VE
08CARACAS304	DEMARCHE ON UN SECURITY COUNCIL'S ADOPTION OF [...] No summary [...]	2008-03-05 19:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS313	INFLATION STARTING TO TAKE ITS TOLL ON VENEZUELA'S [...] (C) Summary: Inflation, including the repressed inflation reflected in rolling shortages of price-controlled goods, is quickly becoming a stone around the neck of the BRV's economic management team. While most independent and opposition-aligned economic analysts agree that the primary cause [...]	2008-03-06 16:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
08CARACAS319	BRV DEPLOYMENT CONTINUES TO CREEP FORWARD [...] (S) SUMMARY: The deployment of Venezuelan troops to the areas near the border of Colombia continues with some movement being reported in local press at Fuerte Paramaracay in Valencia and Fuerte Mara in the border state of Zulia. This included, for the first time, reports of helicopter movement [...]	2008-03-06 22:12:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	MCAP MOPS PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS320	2008 DEMARCHE FOR THE MAJORS LIST REPORT TO THE [...] (C) POLCOUNS met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for North American and Multilateral Affairs, Yaneth Arocha on March 5 to encourage counternarcotics cooperation and to deliver the points in Ref A, among other matters. The Embassy had been trying unsuccessfully to deliver the demarch [...]	2008-03-06 22:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS325	CHAVEZ AND CORREA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Presidents Hugo Chavez and Rafael Correa held a joint press conference to condemn Colombia's incursion into Ecuador and heap scorn on a wide range of people and issues. Chavez challenged Uribe to face the International Criminal Court alongside him and threatened to nationalize C [...]	2008-03-07 18:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL EC VE
08CARACAS326	NO NEW TROOP MOVEMENTS REPORTED [...] (S) No additional troop movements have been reported in the March 7 open press. Considering the distances from major bases such as Fuerte Paramaracay in Valencia and Carora barracks in Lara state, it is reasonable to assume that elements of the 41st Armored Brigade, such as the 413th "Pedro [...]	2008-03-07 21:26:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	MCAP MOPS PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS327	A GLIMPSE INTO FRACTURES WITHIN CHAVISMO? [...] (C) Summary. In February President Chavez removed the Director of the Venezuelan tax and customs service (SENIAT) Jose Gregorio Vielma Mora and replaced him with Infrastructure Minister Jose David Cabello. Vielma Mora was widely regarded within Venezuela as an efficient administrator, who by [...]	2008-03-07 21:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS328	PEACE MARCHES OVERSHADOWED BY PRO-CHAVEZ GROUPS [...] (C) Summary. Both pro-Chavez and civil society groups organized marches March 6 in 12 states in Venezuela to register their opinions on Venezuela-Colombian tensions. The pro-Chavez groups vandalized several Colombian consulates and harassed consulate workers. In contrast, civil society group [...]	2008-03-07 22:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM ASEC VE
08CARACAS329	FOOD EXPORTS AND IMPORTS FURTHER THREATENED BY [...] (C) Summary: Recent BRV actions have complicated the situation for both food exporters and importers. To the great concern of exporters, on February 22 the BRV announced that it would add 77 food products to the list of Venezuelan goods requiring certificates of local sufficiency prior to per [...]	2008-03-07 22:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS33	STUDENT MOVEMENT FOCUSING ON 2008 LOCAL ELECTIONS [...] (C) Summary. Prominent Venezuelan student leader Yon Goicochea told Emboffs January 8 that the opposition student movement plans to focus on state and municipal elections that will be held by November 2008. The student movement intends to press opposition parties to name consensus candidates [...]	2008-01-10 19:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE
08CARACAS332	ITALIAN AMBASSADOR ON MADURO, CHAVEZ MEETINGS WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Italian Ambassador to Venezuela Luigi Maccotta briefed the Ambassador March 6 on the Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema's February 29 visit to Venezuela. The visit comes shortly after a settlement agreement was reached between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) [...]	2008-03-10 17:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV EPET IT VE
08CARACAS334	PSUV BATTALION LEADERS ELECT LOYALISTS TO PARTY [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela's (PSUV) held intra-party elections March 9 to fill the PSUV's 15-member leadership committee. PSUV local ("battalion") leaders elected well-known loyalists to one-year terms on the party's steering committee from the 69 nam [...]	2008-03-10 20:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
08CARACAS335	ARGENTINE PRESIDENT'S MARCH 5-6 VISIT TO VENEZUELA [...] (C) Polcouns and Poloff met with Argentine First Secretary Luis Alberto Hidalgo March 7 to discuss Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's March 5-6 visit to Venezuela, her first to Venezuela since assuming the presidency. Hidalgo said the visit was intended to be low profile, bu [...]	2008-03-10 21:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV AR VE
08CARACAS338	CHAVEZ STRIKES CONCILIATORY TONE, RESTORES [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez abruptly changed roles from Field Marshal to Peacemaker after returning from the Rio Summit in Santo Domingo. During his March 8 International Day of the Woman speech, Chavez struck a conciliatory tone toward Colombia by reopening diplomatic miss [...]	2008-03-11 14:47:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	MOPS PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS341	LABOR DISPUTES INCREASING IN THE BRV [...] (C) SUMMARY: A series of labor disputes involving Japanese-owned Bridgestone Firestone (BF),Mexican-owned FEMSA Coca-Cola, predominantly Argentinean-owned Terrium Sidor, and the Venezuelan state-run electricity sector have broken out since January. Many of these labor conflicts are the resu [...]	2008-03-11 20:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ELAB PGOV EINV ENRG VE
08CARACAS342	BRV REACTS TO U.S. MEDIA REPORT OF POSSIBLE USG [...] (SBU) Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials and sympathizers reacted angrily to a March 10 article in the "Miami Herald" that reported on a supposed White House inquiry into whether Venezuela should be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism. At a book signing event that evening, Mi [...]	2008-03-11 21:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PTER PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS347	(SBU) REQUEST FOR SPANISH TEST FOR ALYCE ABDULLA [...] (U) Post requests a FSI Language Proficiency test (test type-DVC). 2. (SBU) Information on employee to be tested: Employee: Alyce Abdalla SSN: XXX-XX-9525 Agency: State Language: Spanish Date for exam preferred: April 28, 2008. PLO: Stephen Bruce Stewart 3. (U) Method of shipment: [...]	2008-03-12 19:27:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	AFSI APER
08CARACAS349	THE COLOMBIAN PATIENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: On March 11, news services were reporting rumors that FARC directorate member Milton Jesus Toncel was being treated at a medical clinic in the town of Rubio in the Venezuelan border state of Tachira for a wound to the face. Guardia Nacional Operations Chief Juan Carlos Hidalgo lat [...]	2008-03-12 21:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER CO VE
08CARACAS350	BRV BUSTS MAJOR COLOMBIAN NARCO-TRAFFICKER [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan law enforcement personnel arrested Colombian drug trafficker, para-military and gunrunner Hermagoras "Gordo" Gonzalez Polanco on March 8. Minister of Interior and Justice Ramon Rodriguez Chacin confirmed the arrest of Gonzalez during a March 10 press conference. Chacin [...]	2008-03-12 21:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	SNAR PREL PGOV CO VE
08CARACAS359	CHAVISTA NA DEPUTY ON PSUV FORMATION AND COCA-COLA [...] (C) National Assembly Deputy Francisco Torrealba told Poloff March 13 that much work still needs to be done in President Chavez's new United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Torrealba said the party still needed to: -- determine how to select candidates; -- revise party statutes; and, -- [...]	2008-03-13 20:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV SNAR ELAB VE
08CARACAS361	BRV OFFICIALS REACT TO POTUS' MARCH 12 SPEECH AND [...] (C) Summary. The President's March 12 speech received extensive coverage in the Venezuelan media, further fueling speculation and concern about a possible USG designation of Venezuela as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, Minister of Interior and Justice Ramon Rodr [...]	2008-03-13 21:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PTER PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS365	ANZOATEGUI STATE: CHAVISTAS ON THE DEFENSIVE; [...] (C) Summary. Pro-government forces appear to be on the defensive in the oil-rich eastern state of Anzoategui, until recently a Chavista stronghold. Governor Tarek William Saab, a staunch loyalist of President Chavez, is widely perceived as a poor administrator, and the "No" vote carried Anzoat [...]	2008-03-14 17:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS366	NO GAS IN THE KITCHEN [...] (C) Summary: The distribution system for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in cylinders, which is used by the majority of Venezuelan families for cooking, has been stressed to the point that it will cease to function unless price controls are lifted or subsidies are provided by the BRV. Price con [...]	2008-03-14 22:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS367	CHAVEZ SLIPPING IN THE POLLS; OPPOSITION STAGNANT [...] (C) Summary. Recent local polling data shows that President Chavez's approval rating is dropping to similarly low levels of support as he had in 2003. Local analysts cite economic problems and crime as well as the Chavez's effort to radicalize his administration in 2006 as the leading causes [...]	2008-03-14 22:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER CO VE
08CARACAS371	POLAR STILL SKATING ON THIN ICE [...] (C) Summary: According to Polar's Director of Government Relations Jose Machado (strictly protect throughout),Polar has stopped exporting many of their products due to government restrictions. Polar is Venezuela's largest food processor. Imports of vital components for domestic production t [...]	2008-03-17 13:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS376	BRV MOVES TO CONTROL PARALLEL RATE [...] (SBU) Summary: The parallel exchange rate has fallen almost 40 percent since its November 2007 high. The BRV has played a major role in bringing the rate down by selling dollar-denominated debt instruments for bolivars, thus effectively supplying dollars to the parallel market. Given the ma [...]	2008-03-17 16:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS378	PDVSA CHANGES THE RULES YET AGAIN [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA is demanding payment in euros for at least some oil sales. It is not clear what is the extent of the new policy. PDVSA is also considering asking purchasers to pre-pay for purchases. To the surprise of industry insiders, PDVSA will comply with President Chavez' order bann [...]	2008-03-17 20:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS379	BRV YET TO REACT TO ID OF FARC FIGHTERS IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Claims and counter-claims regarding the identities of two presumed FARC fighters (REFTEL) seeking medical care in Venezuela have been reported in the media since March 11. On March 14, the Colombian Defense Minister identified the two men as FARC fighters "Lucas" and "Jaime," ap [...]	2008-03-17 21:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PTER PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS38	THE RESHUFFLE: SUPPLEMENTAL BIOS ON KEY POLITICAL [...] (C) Summary. During his January 6 "Alo, Presidente" television broadcast Chavez formally announced changes to five political cabinet-level positions: the Vice Presidency, the Office of the Presidency, the Ministry of Interior and Justice, Ministry of Communications, and Ministry of Sports and [...]	2008-01-10 21:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PINR VE
08CARACAS386	THE FOOD SHORTAGE SAGA CONTINUES: THE MEAT CHAPTER [...] (SBU) Summary: The president of the National Beef Council blamed meat shortages on BRV land seizures and the BRV's role in falling domestic productivity, labor shortages and price controls. The BRV has failed to provide coherent regulations in the beef sector and a reasonable level of physical [...]	2008-03-19 13:52:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS388	PEACE, MUSIC AND THE OAS [...] (U) SUMMARY: The issue of peace in South America is on the media's mind. Coverage of Sunday's "Peace Without Frontiers" concert in Colombia was wide spread, being broadcast live on television and with front page articles and photo spreads in Monday's newspapers. The weekend also saw articles ab [...]	2008-03-19 16:50:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS389	BRV RENEWS ATTACKS ON UNITED STATES [...] (C) SUMMARY: Minister for Communications, Andres Izarra in a Sunday, March 16 television interview asserted President Bush was frustrated by Venezuela's recent international political successes. As a result the United States was probably planning both a military invasion of Venezuela and the [...]	2008-03-19 16:50:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS395	THE FOOD SHORTAGE SAGA CONTINUES: THE SUPERMARKET [...] (C) Summary: The National Supermarket Association reports that Chavez appears to be losing the public relations battle on the food shortages. This is likely contributing to his drop in the polls (ref C). Chavez' demands that Venezuela become self-sufficient in terms of food production have le [...]	2008-03-19 21:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS409	VENEZUELA TO OPEN EMBASSIES IN AFRICA'S EMERGING [...] (C) Summary. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) announced the assignment of personnel to open new embassies in Gambia, Sudan and Mozambique. These three embassies will bring the total to 17 of 18 planned Venezuelan missions in Africa. The three newest missions all correspond to natio [...]	2008-03-25 15:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ENRG EPET PREL GA MZ SU VE
08CARACAS420	EMBASSY STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN -- [...] (U) This is an action request - see paragraph 12. 2. (C) Summary: Embassy Caracas requests DOD support in the execution of its strategic communications plan. The goal for this program is to influence the information environment within Venezuela. The strategy's goal is to counter the active and de [...]	2008-03-26 20:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS422	RUSSIAN ARMS ARRIVE IN VENEZUELA, AIR DEFENSE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Nineteen shipping containers carrying Russian made ammunition for AK-103 assault rifles were transferred from Puerto Cabello to Maracay under heavy security on March 25 according to local media. General Alejandro Tineo of the 41st Armored Division added that the shipment incl [...]	2008-03-27 15:51:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV MCAP PTER BO RS VE
08CARACAS423	CHINA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION STILL [...] (C) SUMMARY: China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) is slowly moving forward with its three joint ventures in Venezuela but continues to be frustrated by PDVSA and the BRV's administrative problems. The Sinovensa joint venture has more than doubled production. The Petrozumano joint vent [...]	2008-03-27 15:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS432	MINISTRY OF TOURISM OUT OF THE LOOP ON TIP ISSUES [...] (C) Summary. During a March 26 meeting with Ministry of Tourism officials to discuss trafficking in persons (TIP),the Director of the International Relations Office told Poloff that the government has not given the ministry a mandate to combat trafficking. However, she expressed interest in [...]	2008-03-28 15:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV PREL KCRM KWMN UK VE
08CARACAS435	CODEL WYDEN'S MARCH 26-28 VISIT TO VENEZUELA [...] (C) Summary: On his March 26-28 visit to Caracas, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) discussed the political situation in Venezuela with interlocutors from the political, business, media, and NGO communities. He also conducted internal meetings with Embassy personnel, took a driving tour of a poor ne [...]	2008-03-28 19:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL ECON VE
08CARACAS437	PRO-CHAVEZ LEGISLATOR ACCUSES CHAVEZ FAMILY [...] (C) Summary. Chavista National Assembly member Wilmer Azuaje is publicly accusing the father and two brothers of President Chavez (but not the Venezuelan president himself) of abusing their government positions in Barinas State to acquire farms and further their electoral ambitions. Azuaje t [...]	2008-03-28 21:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
08CARACAS453	SIP MEETING BEMOANS MEDIA FREEDOM IN VENEZUELA; [...] (C) Summary. During its mid-year conference held in Caracas, the Inter-American Press Association (SIP) criticized the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) systematic harassment of the independent media and commented on the state of the press in several Latin American countries. The BR [...]	2008-04-02 17:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS457	PARAGUAY SUPPORTS VENEZUELA'S ENTRY INTO MERCOSUR [...] On April 2, local media reported that Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ruben Ramirez expressed Paraguay's support for Venezuela's full membership into the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR),during his recent trip to Caracas. According to ABN, the official BRV news agency, during the signing of [...]	2008-04-03 13:47:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECON ENRG ETRD EINV PA VE
08CARACAS468	CLANDESTINE AIRFIELD DESTROYED [...] (SBU) The Bolivarian News Agency announced on March 28 the start of Operation Boquete I, an Army effort to destroy all clandestine airstrips in Venezuela. By March 30 the Venezuelan Army claimed to have destroyed 67 of an estimated 157 dirt runways in the south-western border state of Apure a [...]	2008-04-03 21:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MOPS PGOV PREL SNAR CO VE
08CARACAS47	CHAVEZ EXPLOITS FARC HOSTAGE RELEASE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez is trying to extract maximum political advantage from the January 10 release of FARC-held hostages Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo. He personally met the freed hostages and their families at his Miraflores presidential palace hours after their relea [...]	2008-01-11 19:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PTER PGOV PHUM VE
08CARACAS473	PDVAL: THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT'S NEWEST FOOD [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The State oil company PDVSA's new subsidiary for Production and Distribution of Venezuelan Food (PDVAL),is trying to increase the quantity of price regulated food distributed in Caracas and Venezuela's interior. PDVAL, launched at the direction of President Chavez in January [...]	2008-04-04 13:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV EAGR EINV VE
08CARACAS475	BRV DEBT: MANAGEABLE LEVELS, PUZZLING STRATEGY [...] (SBU) Summary: At first glance, the BRV's sovereign debt, which totals about 19 percent of GDP when converting between bolivars (Bs) and dollars at the official exchange rate, seems low relative to other middle-income countries. A closer look suggests a slightly less rosy picture, although o [...]	2008-04-04 13:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS481	DEMARCHES ON IRAN TRAVEL-RELATED PROVISIONS [...] No summary [...]	2008-04-04 18:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MNUC KNNP UNSC IR VE
08CARACAS484	CHAVEZ FILLS IN PSUV PARTY STRUCTURE [...] (C) Summary. After months of infighting and organizational difficulties, and more than a year after President Chavez announced its creation, PSUV leaders finally sought official National Electoral Commission (CNE) recognition of the PSUV on April 2. President Chavez, who is also president of [...]	2008-04-04 21:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS487	CONOCOPHILLIPS BRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON COMPENSATION [...] (C) SUMMARY: ConocoPhillips (CP) is guardedly optimistic on the state of negotiations on compensation for its expropriated assets in Venezuela. May will be the key month for negotiations. CP and the BRV have reached agreement on the methodology for determining the fair market value of CP's a [...]	2008-04-04 21:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS488	CHAVEZ'S STREET REVOLUTIONARIES STAGE SMALL REVOLT [...] (C) Summary: On April 3 representatives of thirty political gangs took to the streets of "23 de Enero," one of Caracas' poorest neighborhoods, to protest searches by Venezuela's investigative and intelligence service, DISIP. DISIP has carried out a series of raids and searches in the neighborh [...]	2008-04-07 11:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS491	SCHLUMBERGER: PDVSA IMPROVING [...] (C) SUMMARY: The operating environment for service companies has improved significantly over the past four to six months. PDVSA is apparently serious about increasing production and has shown a new willingness to approach the private sector for help. PDVSA has begun to pay service companies [...]	2008-04-07 21:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS492	MADURO DECRIES IACHR FINDINGS AS PLOT AGAINST BRV [...] (SBU) Local media reported the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights' (IACHR) criticism of Venezuela on April 5, the day after the of the IACHR annual report in Washington. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro subsequently issued a communique on April 5 harshly criticizing the findings of IACHR [...]	2008-04-07 21:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PREL KDEM VE
08CARACAS493	BRV UNVEILS NATIONAL INFLATION INDEX [...] (SBU) Summary: The Central Bank (BCV) and National Statistics Institute (INE) unveiled on April 7 a national consumer price index (CPI-N),which replaces the metropolitan Caracas index (CPI-C) as the BRV's official inflation measure. According to the CPI-N, prices rose 3.1, 2.1, and 1.7 perc [...]	2008-04-08 12:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS494	CHAVEZ TO NATIONALIZE VENEZUELAN CEMENT INDUSTRY [...] (C) Summary: On April 3, President Chavez ordered the nationalization of the cement industry "in the short term," saying the state would pay whatever it costs (an estimated USD 2 billion) to take over the cement companies. In a meeting on April 4 with Cemex, Holcim, and Lafarge, it quickly be [...]	2008-04-08 13:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS498	MORE TWISTS IN CASE OF SLAIN PUBLIC PROSECUTOR [...] (C) Summary: Prosecutor Hernando Contreras accused former Attorney General (AG) Isaias Rodriguez of doctoring witness testimony that could have proved unfavorable to the government in the case of slain public prosecutor Danilo Anderson. AG Luisa Ortega dismissed the allegations against her pr [...]	2008-04-08 17:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM CO VE
08CARACAS502	AIR ACCIDENTS SHAKE UP VENEZUELAN AVIATION [...] (C) Summary: Venezuela's civilian aviation authority, INAC, was recently restructured as a result of 13 aviation "incidents" including multiple plane crashes within a 2 month period. In one of his first acts, the new INAC Director rescinded US charter airlines Falcon Air Express and Sky King [...]	2008-04-09 15:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS514	UPDATE ON MONICA FERNANDEZ; OUTLINES LEOPOLDO [...] (C) Summary. Former judge and director of the judicial NGO Foro Penal Monica Fernandez has resumed her work schedule following an attempt on her life in January. She told Poloff April 7 that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has not shown interest in investigating the attack against h [...]	2008-04-11 19:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS515	SIMONOVIS, VIVAS, FORERO TRIAL WINDING DOWN [...] (C) Summary. The trial against three former Caracas police commissioners and eight other police officers for deaths relating to the April 2002 attempted coup is in its final stages. Pilar Simonovis, the wife and lawyer of ex-commissioner Ivan Simonovis, told Poloff April 8 that closing argume [...]	2008-04-11 19:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM KDEM PGOV VE
08CARACAS516	CHAVEZ'S TACTICAL RETREAT ON EDUCATION - FOR NOW [...] (C) Summary. The Venezuelan government is promoting a highly politicized new school curriculum designed to create "new citizens" and a "new Republic" based on vague Bolivarian values. Teacher training efforts to implement the new pre-K-through-high school curriculum by September sparked teac [...]	2008-04-11 21:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV SOCI PHUM VE
08CARACAS525	DEMARCHE DELIVERED: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE [...] (C) Acting EconCouns and Econoff delivered ref A demarche and associated non-paper to Francisco Canela, head of the Financial Intellegence Unit (UNIF) of the Superintendency of Banks (SUDEBAN),on April 11. Canela repeated past assurances (ref B) that all banks operating in Venezuela were su [...]	2008-04-15 12:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EINV ETRD PARM PREL KNNP MNUC IR VE
08CARACAS528	CHAVEZ SEEKS REVOLUTIONARY LOYALTY [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) sponsored a week of activities to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the failed 2002 coup attempt. In a series of nationally televised speeches Chavez attacked the United States and the "Venezuelan oligarchy" while stressing the them [...]	2008-04-16 14:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV MCAP PHUM PREL VE
08CARACAS532	CHAVEZ TO NATIONALIZE LATIN AMERICA STEEL LEADER [...] (C) Summary: BRV Vice President Ramon Carrizalez announced April 9 that President Chavez had decided to nationalize the steel company, Ternium Siderurgica del Orinoco (Sidor),owned by Luxembourg based Ternium and controlled by Argentine group Techint. The announcement comes after a year of la [...]	2008-04-16 21:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ELAB ENRG PGOV EINV AR VE
08CARACAS535	VENEZUELAN AUTO INDUSTRY STALLS [...] (SBU) Summary: After doubling over the last few years, US auto exports to and production in Venezuela are sharply declining. Venezuelan auto imports, which doubled over the past two years, have consumed a significant portion of Venezuela's dollar holdings. In response, the BRV decided to sha [...]	2008-04-17 18:25:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS536	BRV APPOINTS OLD FACES TO NEW PLACES [...] (C) Summary. The National Assembly (NA) confirmed three veteran loyalists as ambassadors to the United Nations (UN),Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG) on April 10. Vice Foreign Minister for North American Affairs Jorge Valero will reportedly [...]	2008-04-17 19:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PINR VE
08CARACAS550	BRV CALLS DEA "IMPEDIMENT" TO COUNTER-NARCOTICS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan Minister of Justice Ramon Rodriguez Chacin called the Drug Enforcement Administration "an impediment" to counter-narcotics and U.S. anti-drug assistance to Colombia a "facade" for destabilizing the region. Chacin made these remarks at an April 18 press conference publ [...]	2008-04-22 14:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	SNAR PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS551	BRV RELEASES TIP LAW ENFORCEMENT DATA [...] (SBU) The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) provided USG officials on April 8 with an eleventh-hour summary of its trafficking in persons (TIP) law enforcement efforts in 2007, including the number of victims assisted and prosecution figures. The release follows repeated USG requests for [...]	2008-04-22 14:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM KCRM KWMN VE
08CARACAS558	BRV ANNOUNCES 3 BILLION USD BOND ISSUANCE TARGETED [...] (U) The Ministry of Finance (MoF) announced on April 21 a USD 3 billion sovereign debt issuance. The issuance is composed of two "Sovereign International Bonds" (SIBs),dollar-denominated bonds maturing in 2023 (9 percent coupon) and 2028 (9.25 percent coupon),with each representing 50 perc [...]	2008-04-22 20:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS559	THE NEW WINDFALL PROFITS TAX: ANOTHER FINE MESS [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Official Gazette published the new windfall profits tax on April 15. The tax, which is seductively simple on its face, appears to place an unfair burden on private sector joint venture partners by allowing PDVSA to pass the tax to the joint ventures without allowing them a ta [...]	2008-04-22 20:37:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS560	CHAVEZ'S NEW LABOR MINISTER URGES WORKERS TO UNITE [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez named National Assembly First Vice President Roberto Hernandez to replace Jose Ramon Rivero as Labor Minister on April 15. Prior to joining Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) in 2007, Hernandez was one of Venezuela's most prominent Communist Pa [...]	2008-04-22 20:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ELAB ECON EINV PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS562	BRV HAILS PARAGUAYAN ELECTION OF LUGO [...] (C) Summary: President Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) lauded the April 20 election of Fernando Lugo as Paraguay's next president. The BRV has tried to re-package Lugo's victory to assert that "Bolivarianism is on the march." In his congratulatory message to Lugo, [...]	2008-04-23 15:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PA VE
08CARACAS565	PDVSA TO FORM NEW SERVICE JOINT VENTURES (REALLY) [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA officials met with service company representatives and attorneys the week of April 14 to announce the formation of new joint ventures for the petroleum service sector. The new joint ventures will be restricted to individual product lines and will be guaranteed a 30% market [...]	2008-04-25 19:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS566	VENEZUELA'S BANKING SECTOR: ARE THE GOOD TIMES [...] (SBU) Summary: Over the last four years, Venezuela's banking sector has registered rapid growth and record profits. The good times may be ending, however. The economy is slowing down; the BRV has tightened monetary policy to counter inflation; and banks are subject to increasing government [...]	2008-04-25 20:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS579	NGO PROVEA ON "CRIMINALIZATION" OF PROTESTS, [...] (C) SUMMARY. Prominent local human rights NGO Provea convoked the diplomatic corps on April 23 to provide a trimestral update on the human rights issues it considers most worrisome. Provea outlined the BRV's efforts to "criminalize" protests by opening criminal cases against demonstrators. I [...]	2008-04-28 15:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV ELAB VE
08CARACAS581	THREE AMCIT FARC HOSTAGES: RICHARDSON SEEKS [...] (C) Summary. New Mexico Governor Richardson traveled April 25-27 to Caracas as the personal emissary of the families of three Amcit FARC hostages. He met April 26 with President Chavez and other senior Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela officials to enlist the BRV's help in securing the Amcit [...]	2008-04-29 12:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PTER ASEC PGOV VE
08CARACAS582	HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS OF CARACAS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan daily, "El Universal", reported on April 16 that the murder rate had risen 14% in the first trimester of 2008, despite the launch of "Safe Caracas 2008" by the Ministry of Justice in January. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV),which had been reporting plungi [...]	2008-04-29 12:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV ASEC KCRM VE
08CARACAS583	VENEZUELAN AVIATION UPDATE [...] (C) Summary: Sources within the Venezuelan airline industry report that once again, Venezuela's civil aviation authority, INAC, is facing change. Less than two months after INAC's restructuring, American Airlines reports the BRV is creating a new office to supervise INAC. The office will li [...]	2008-04-29 12:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS586	BRV COOKS UP CONSPIRACY THEORY TO LINK USG TO [...] (C) SUMMARY. The local media reported April 23 that former Attorney General (AG) Isaias Rodriguez again accused the FBI and CIA of orchestrating the death of federal prosecutor Danilo Anderson. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has repeatedly tried to connect opposition figures and [...]	2008-04-29 14:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM CO VE
08CARACAS587	BRV SELLS USD 4 BILLION IN SOVEREIGN BONDS [...] (U) The Ministry of Finance (MoF) published on April 28 the results of the Sovereign International Bond (SIB) issuance announced April 21 (reftel). Per these results, the MoF will sell SIBs worth a total amount (face value) of USD 4 billion. The announcement does not specify the amount allo [...]	2008-04-29 14:46:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
08CARACAS596	HITTING A NERVE IN VENEZUELA: BRV BROADSIDE AT NEW [...] (U) Ambassador Duddy's high-profile opening of a new American Corner in the city of Maracay (in Aragua state, about 50 miles outside Caracas) April 23 - and the cocomitant signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the local Pedagogical University - generated an almost immediate response [...]	2008-04-30 14:25:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE
08CARACAS598	BLACK-OUT HITS FIFTY PERCENT OF VENEZUELA [...] (SBU) Summary: On April 29, a black-out caused chaos for several hours in thirteen Venezuelan states. The BRV described it as a failure in the national grid system due to a forest fire near key, high tension lines. The incident drew attention to the lack of investment in Venezuela's largely [...]	2008-04-30 19:43:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS599	CIVIL SOCIETY GROUP 2-D WANTS TO PUT BRAKES ON [...] (SBU) Prominent civil society leaders held a press conference April 29 to launch the 2-D/Democracy and Liberty Movement, a coalition that aims to curb President Chavez's efforts to implement aspects of his failed constitutional reform package. (Note: 2-D refers to the December 2 defeat of the [...]	2008-04-30 21:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE

08CARACAS6	CHAVEZ DECREES PARTIAL AMNESTY LAW FOR EVENTS OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez announced a partial amnesty December 31 for those accused of involvement in the events that temporarily removed him from power in April 2002. The decree also included a "humanitarian" pardon for 36 persons currently imprisoned. The Amnesty Law only applies to in [...]	2008-01-03 22:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV VE
08CARACAS600	US AUTOMAKERS' DIFFICULTIES CONTINUE IN VENEZUELA [...] (SBU) On April 29 labor negoiations between General Motors (GM) and its union reached a breaking point. GM Venezuela's legal counsel confirmed media reports that GM stopped production as a result of the impasse. In response to the halt in production, GM workers rioted, damaged 28 cars, and b [...]	2008-04-30 21:58:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS609	CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES 30 PERCENT HIKE IN MINIMUM WAGE [...] (U) Speaking on the evening of April 30 at a commemoration of International Worker's Day, President Chavez announced a 30 percent increase in the minimum wage and in all public sector employees' salaries. The new monthly minimum wage is 799 bolivars (Bs),or USD 372 at the official exchange [...]	2008-05-02 21:39:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON ELAB PGOV VE
08CARACAS610	HARVEST PUSHES BACK ON THE WINDFALL PROFITS TAX [...] (C) SUMMARY: U.S. oil company Harvest Natural Resources has begun to directly and indirectly lobby the BRV to define the terms of the new windfall profits tax. Harvest would like to see the BRV discount the 33.33% royalty when calculating the new tax. In addition, it also wants the BRV to p [...]	2008-05-05 12:37:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS617	UPDATE ON THE FORMER STRATEGIC ASSOCIATIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Energy Minister and PDVSA President Rafael Ramirez told the local press production at the former strategic associations was currently 600,000 barrels per day. He also crowed that the maintenance shutdown at Petrocedeno revealed that the upgrader was far simpler in design than int [...]	2008-05-05 20:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS62	CHAVEZ HIGHLIGHTS COLOMBIAN HOSTAGE RELEASE, [...] (C) Summary. Chavez used numerous events over the January 11-13 weekend to claim credit for the Colombian hostage release, urge international understanding for the FARC and to blame others, including the USG, for the failure of earlier efforts to secure release of the hostages. He also ackno [...]	2008-01-16 23:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS624	UPDATE ON VENEZUELAN CEMENT NATIONALIZATIONS [...] (C) Summary: Negotiations to nationalize the "Big Three" cement companies in Venezuela are proceeding slowly (reftel.) The BRV is following the model they used to nationalize the oil industry right down to using the same PDVSA negotiating team. The BRV and PDVSA lack in-house expertise in the [...]	2008-05-07 15:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS625	CHAVEZ ACCUSES USG OF SECESSIONIST PLOT - AGAIN [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez accused the USG of plotting with the Venezuelan opposition to promote secessionism in western Venezuela during his May 4 "Alo, Presidente" television program. Chavez explicitly linked the Santa Cruz autonomy referendum in Bolivia to the November state and local [...]	2008-05-07 20:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PBTS VE
08CARACAS626	THE BATTLE FOR CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF VENEZUELA [...] (C) Summary. Chavistas and the opposition are competing for control over the public Central University of Venezuela (UCV)in the May 9 administrative elections. The winners will head the university for the next four years and, given the prominence and prestige of the UCV, will influence high [...]	2008-05-07 21:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV SCUL VE
08CARACAS64	DENGUE CASES DOUBLE IN VENEZUELA [...] (C) Summary: The Ministry of Popular Power for Health (MPPS) ceased publishing dengue and malaria statistics from July 21 to December 22, during the lead up to Chavez' failed December 2 constitutional reform vote. Now we know why: the latest official epidemiology bulletin, released January 8, [...]	2008-01-17 16:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	TBIO SOCI PGOV VE
08CARACAS640	MANUEL ROSALES RUNNING FOR MARACAIBO MAYOR [...] (C) Summary. Zulia Governor Manuel Rosales is planning to run for the Maracaibo mayorship, according to Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) party leaders. Rosales is telling his party that he needs to run in order to boost the UNT's prospects for his young protQgQ to replace him as governor and for the op [...]	2008-05-12 12:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS647	CADIVI AT FIVE YEARS: GETTING WORSE [...] (C) Summary: Complaints about delays and corruption in CADIVI, the BRV's Commission for Administering Foreign Exchange, are increasing among private sector contacts. Although it has authorized more foreign currency liquidation on a daily basis thus far in 2008 than it did in on average 2007, [...]	2008-05-12 21:08:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
08CARACAS648	DUTCH BIT BITES THE DUST [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuela has revoked its bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with the Netherlands effective November 1, 2008. The BIT remains in force for 15 years for investments made before the date of revocation. Both ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are pursuing arbitration under the Dutch BIT. [...]	2008-05-12 21:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON EFIN PREL VE
08CARACAS649	CHAVEZ DEFLECTS FARC AND ELECTION WORRIES WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: During his May 11 "Alo, Presidente" television broadcast, President Chavez tried to deflect concerns about upcoming revelations from the FARC computers and potential state and local election losses with shrill insults and accusations. Chavez said Interpol is putting on "a show" b [...]	2008-05-12 21:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER CO VE
08CARACAS650	EDUCATION MINISTER CHAVEZ REPLACED BY NAVARRO [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez replaced his brother Adan Chavez with Hector Navarro as Minister of Education on April 30. Adan's next mission will be to take charge of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela's (PSUV) reelection campaign in the Chavez family's home state of Barinas. Adan's rem [...]	2008-05-12 21:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS653	THE COLOMBIAN PATIENT - DISCHARGED? [...] (C) SUMMARY: Local news services reported May 7 that FARC fighters Freddy Martinez Mendoza, a member of the 38th Front's General Staff and his companion Jose Ortiz Barrera, wanted in Colombia on charges of rebellion, had been quietly given conditional release on their own recognizance from th [...]	2008-05-13 20:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER CO VE
08CARACAS659	STUDENTS BROADEN THEIR AGENDA, CRACKS IN UNITY [...] (C) Summary. Student leaders tell us that the university student movement is currently focusing on developing a new generation of leaders, strengthening the Student Parliament, and developing a common platform on political issues rather than street demonstrations. They stress they stand ready [...]	2008-05-14 18:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS660	BP EYES EXPANSION DEAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: BP hopes to sign an agreement for a major expansion of the Petromonagas extra heavy oil joint venture in the Faja this summer. Despite its optimism, it expects the BRV to postpone the auction of Faja blocks due to a lack of interest on the part of transnational oil companies. PDV [...]	2008-05-14 20:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ENRG EPET EINV VE
08CARACAS670	PORTUGAL PM SOCRATES WINS PLEDGE OF 30,000 BPD [...] (C) Summary: Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates won pledges of 30,000 barrels of oil per day from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez while on a May 13-15 state visit to the Bolivarian Republic. Portugal will pay for the oil, estimated by Chavez as having an annual value of USD 1 billion, [...]	2008-05-15 21:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL ENGR EINV ECON PO VE
08CARACAS677	CHAVEZ PREPARES TO (S)ELECT STATE/LOCAL CANDIDATES [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez' new United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) will hold internal party elections in early June to help determine the PSUV's candidates for 22 gubernatorial and over 300 mayoral races slated for November. While Chavez and PSUV leaders are heralding these "prima [...]	2008-05-16 16:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
08CARACAS679	RCTV INTERNATIONAL EXECS OPTIMISTIC BUT NETWORK [...] (C) Summary. Executives at Radio Caracas Television International (RCTVI),previously RCTV, claim the company has positioned itself as a viable cable network. However, they also noted difficulties in attracting corporate sponsors, partly due to fear of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) [...]	2008-05-16 20:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS68	VENEZUELA'S ECONOMY IN 2008: A DIFFICULT YEAR AS [...] (C) Summary: 2008 is likely to be a difficult year for Venezuela economically due to continued inflation, shortages, and policy-induced distortions. Nonetheless, the BRV's relatively strong external and fiscal positions, buoyed by record crude prices, should allow it to weather these problem [...]	2008-01-17 20:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EPET EINV PGOV VE
08CARACAS680	BRV LASHES OUT FOLLOWING INTERPOL REPORT [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) didn't waste any time in beginning its efforts to try to discredit Interpol and the contents of the defunct FARC commander's hard drives. On the morning of the May 15 Interpol report, Defense Minister Gustavo Rangel Briceno called the FA [...]	2008-05-19 13:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS683	VENEZUELA: TITLE III OF LIBERTAD ACT [...] (C) In response to Reftel A, Post sees no evidence that the BRV has undertaken policies or actions to advance democracy, human rights, or fundamental freedoms in Cuba over the past year. On the contrary, President Hugo Chavez is Fidel Castro's closest ally, provides substantial resources to [...]	2008-05-19 21:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ETRD ETTC PREL CU VE
08CARACAS684	FM MADURO PROTESTS FIR VIOLATION; CONVOKES [...] (C) Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and Defense Minister Gustavo Rangel Briceno held a May 19 press conference to protest the violation of Venezuelan Air Space by an American military plane in the vicinity of Orchila Island and to denounce what the BRV perceived to be Colombian government "pro [...]	2008-05-19 21:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV SNAR VE
08CARACAS686	BRV ACCUSES COLOMBIAN ARMY OF INCURSION [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) alleges that Colombian soldiers crossed into the southwestern Venezuelan border state of Apure on May 16. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) reportedly filed a formal protest calling for an immediate stop to these "violations of inter [...]	2008-05-19 22:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PTER CO VE
08CARACAS69	BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA: 2008 INVESTMENT CLIMATE [...] Per request in reftel, this cable transmits the 2008 Investment Climate Statement for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Begin text ------------------------------ Openness to Foreign Investment ------------------------------ Given economic and political uncertainties, a recent history o [...]	2008-01-17 20:38:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EINV EFIN ETRD ELAB KTDB PGOV USTR OPIC VE
08CARACAS690	BOLIVARIZING THE FOREIGN MINISTRY [...] (C) Summary: The politicization of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuelan (BRV) Foreign Ministry is nearly complete. Only fifteen of ninety-seven ambassadorships at Venezuelan Embassies are currently filled by career professionals, according to a local media study. Foreign Minister Maduro an [...]	2008-05-20 18:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS695	AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH FM MADURO -- FARC AND [...] (C) Summary. The Ambassador met May 20 with Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro ostensibly to receive a protest note involving an accidental overflight of Venezuela by a U.S. navy aircraft. Instead, most of the meeting focused on U.S. concerns over revelations of Venezuelan ties with the FARC and [...]	2008-05-21 16:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PTER SNAR VE
08CARACAS700	FARC DATA FALLOUT: NERVOUS BRV IS LASHING OUT [...] (S) Summary. Former Chief of Staff to the Vice President Rene Arreaza and Office of Narcotics Affairs (ONA) Director Nestor Reverol met separately with the DCM and DEA Chief on May 20 and 19, before the Ambassador's May 20 meeting with Foreign Minister Maduro. Arreaza and Reverol revealed tha [...]	2008-05-21 22:20:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	PREL PGOV SNAR PTER PHUM VE
08CARACAS702	CHACIN DEFENDS CHAVEZ FROM FARC LINKS [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV) Minister of Justice Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, during a May 20 interview, sought to protect President Hugo Chavez from incriminating computer files linking him with the FARC. Chacin announced Chavez "had no direct relation" with the FARC [...]	2008-05-22 15:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER CO VE
08CARACAS703	BRV SLAPS NAS-FUNDED NGO AFTER AMBASSADOR ATTENDS [...] (C) Summary: The BRV stripped NGO Prevencion Alternativa of the requisite certification to work in the area of demand reduction after the Ambassador attended a May 17 ceremony to honor participants in a series of NAS-funded workshops in the economically depressed neighborhood of Petare. In hi [...]	2008-05-22 17:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	SNAR PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS706	ANTISEMITISM IN VENEZUELA: BRIEF RESPITE, [...] (C) Summary. Leaders of the Confederation of Israelite Associations of Venezuela (CAIV) told Poloffs May 20 that government pressure on the Jewish community has declined so far in 2008. They believe that after the December 2007 raid on the Caracas Hebrew Center by the Venezuelan special pol [...]	2008-05-22 20:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF VE
08CARACAS707	TEXT OF DIPLOMATIC NOTE PROTESTING VIOLATION OF [...] (SBU) The text of the diplmatic note received by Ambassador Duddy at his May 20 meeting with BRV Foreign Minister Maduro (reftel) follows. Begin Text: The Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela raises its strongest protest to the Government [...]	2008-05-23 13:00:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS708	UPDATE ON CONOCOPHILLIPS NEGOTIATIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: ConocoPhillips (CP) continues to be optimistic on the state of negotiations on compensation for its expropriated assets in Venezuela. CP executives presented senior BRV and Citgo officials with CP's valuations of three Citgo refineries. In the event of an asset swap, CP hopes to [...]	2008-05-23 14:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS716	DANCING DEVILS AID CAPRILES DURING ATTACK BY [...] (C) Summary. Chavistas attacked Baruta Mayor Henrique Capriles Radonski May 22 as he attempted to participate in Corpus Christi Day activities in Yare, Miranda state. Capriles was harassed by Glen Rivas, an ardent Chavista and president of the Miranda state assembly, and told to depart Yare. [...]	2008-05-23 21:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
08CARACAS717	BRV POSITIVE ON SOUTH AMERICAN SECURITY COUNCIL [...] (C) In response to Reftel query, post assesses that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) publicly supports any South American multi-lateral organization that excludes the United States and advances Chavez' vision of Latin American integration. President Chavez and other senior BRV offic [...]	2008-05-23 22:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MOPS PGOV PHUM PINR PTER
08CARACAS73	JUDGE DENIES AMNESTY MOTION IN SIMONOVIS CASE, 11 [...] (C) Summary. The judge in the case against former police commissioners Simonovis, Vivas, and Forero and eight other police officers denied January 16 a motion to dismiss charges under President Chavez's December 31 amnesty decree. The ex-commissioners are accused of ordering Caracas police o [...]	2008-01-18 23:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV VE
08CARACAS731	CHAVEZ REITERATES INTENTION TO RUN AGAIN [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez and his close confidant Miranda State Governor Diosdado Cabello publicly and unambiguously declared recently that the Venezuelan president intends to run for a third term in 2012. Chavez will still need to alter the 1999 Constitution's two-term limit, one of the [...]	2008-05-28 20:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
08CARACAS751	INFORMATION MINISTER OFFERS RESIGNATION AFTER [...] (C) Summary. Andres Izarra, BRV Information Minister, offered to resign May 28 following a startling announcement by the ministry that the BRV would begin to impose fees on the retransmission of state-owned Venezolana de Television's (VTV) signal. Izarra claimed responsibility for the ill- [...]	2008-05-30 21:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS752	RCTV CLOSURE - ONE YEAR ON [...] (C) May 28, 2008 marked the one year anniversary of the revocation of Radio Caracas Television's (RCTV) free-to-air broadcast license by the BRV, which sparked student activism throughout Venezuela. RCTV staff and student groups organized a peaceful protest march through Caracas. Five stud [...]	2008-05-30 21:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS758	CHAVEZ LOYALISTS WIN PSUV "PRIMARY" [...] (C) Summary. Chavez loyalists dominated the United Socialist Party of Venezuela's (PSUV's) June 1 intra-party elections for the nominations in the November state and local races. Per the party's rules, the PSUV party leadership will decide who the party's nominees are in races where there was [...]	2008-06-02 22:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
08CARACAS767	CHAVEZ INTELLIGENCE DECREE ENGENDERS STRONG [...] (C) SUMMARY: On May 28, President Hugo Chavez, using powers to independently promulgate statutes, decreed the Law of Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence into effect. The new law would replace the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DIM) and the Directorate for the Services of Intelligence [...]	2008-06-03 22:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PINR VE
08CARACAS769	VENEZUELA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH SLOWS IN FIRST QUARTER [...] (C) Summary: Central Bank figures for the first quarter of 2008 show that Venezuela's economy is continuing to grow, but at a slower rate. First quarter growth was 4.8 percent in 2008, a marked decrease from the 8.8 percent registered in the first quarter of 2007. While the Central Bank lau [...]	2008-06-04 13:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV ETRD VE
08CARACAS771	MFA OFFICIALS 'PLEASED' WITH 2008 TIP DESIGNATION [...] (C) PolCouns and PolOff met with MFA Director for North America and Multilateral Affairs Yaneth Arocha and U.S. Desk Officer Marie Borregales to deliver a courtesy copy of Venezuela's country narrative in the 2008 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report and to inform them of their change in status [...]	2008-06-04 15:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM KCRM SMIG VE
08CARACAS776	SLOWLY SINKING: ARMADA SOCIALISTA I-2008 [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan Navy (Armada) released broad details regarding "Armada Socialista I-2008", a series of military exercises and civic action programs involving the Navy, Territorial Guard (GT),Army and Air Force (FAV) during the month of June. The highlight will be the first firi [...]	2008-06-04 19:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV MCAP VE
08CARACAS781	VENEZUELA'S NON-RESPONSE ON ENDING EXPORT [...] (SBU) Post delivered the points in the referenced cables via diplomatic note to the Ministry of International Relations, the Ministry of Food, the Ministry of Agriculture and Land, and the Ministry of Light Industry and Commerce (refs A, B, C). There has been no response to date and Post does [...]	2008-06-04 21:11:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EAGR ECON PGOV VE
08CARACAS789	PSUV ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES IN CONTESTED [...] (SBU) President Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) announced June 5 its nominees for eight gubernatorial and eight mayoral races that failed to produce clear winners in its primary elections. Per party regulations, the PSUV party leadership selects the party's nominee in cont [...]	2008-06-06 13:50:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
08CARACAS79	REP. DELAHUNT MEETS WITH CHAVEZ AND DEPUTIES [...] (C) SUMMARY: Representative William Delahunt met separately with President Chavez, National Assembly Deputies, and opposition mayor Leopoldo Lopez on January 18. He also met separately with the families of three Colombian FARC hostages. During his private meeting with President Chavez, Delah [...]	2008-01-23 12:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PTER PHUM VE
08CARACAS802	FARC ADOPTS BOLIVARIAN RHETORIC [...] (C) SUMMARY. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) appears to be incorporating "Bolivarian" rhetoric in Venezuela. The Embassy obtained a copy of the 2007 FARC manifesto (also available on the internet) from a contact who said it was being distributed in a government-run school in [...]	2008-06-06 19:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER SNAR CO VE
08CARACAS809	CHAVEZ URGES FARC TO RELEASE HOSTAGES, LAY DOWN [...] (SBU) President Chavez called on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to release all hostages and end its armed struggle against the government of Colombia. Chavez's remarks are a dramatic shift in his public statements towards the FARC given that the Venezuelan president recently [...]	2008-06-09 19:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER SNAR CO VE
08CARACAS810	CHAVEZ BACKTRACKS ON SNITCH LAW [...] (SBU) In response to widespread and growing domestic and international criticism, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced on June 7 that the new Law of Intelligence and Counterintelligence would be revised. In a speech to members of his party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV [...]	2008-06-09 19:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PINR VE
08CARACAS812	OPPOSITION ORGANIZES PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION TO [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. On June 7 the opposition led a peaceful protest to the Comptroller's Office to protest the administrative ruling making 400 public officials ineligible to run for office. The Venezuelan Constitution, however, stipulates that a person can only be barred from running for public o [...]	2008-06-09 22:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS822	VENEZUELA'S NOT SO FRIENDLY SKIES [...] (C) SUMMARY: On June 3, Embassy officials met with Venezuela's civil aviation authority (INAC) for the first time since February 2007 to discuss TSA visits as well several other aviation issues (ref A). The meeting may have been prompted by former INAC President Yoffreda, who is rumored to be [...]	2008-06-11 11:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAIR ECON PGOV MARR VE
08CARACAS838	CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES NEW ECONOMIC MEASURES: MUCH ADO, [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez announced on June 11 a series of economic measures to stimulate domestic production and reduce inflationary pressures. Calling for a national productive alliance, Chavez detailed measures including creation of a USD 1 billion government controlled fund to inves [...]	2008-06-12 23:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
08CARACAS840	PSUV GOVERNOR STRIPPED OF TITLE AND DECLARED [...] (SBU) The Supreme Court (TSJ) opened an investigation into corruption charges against Yaracuy Governor Carlos Gutierrez in late May and subsequently stripped him of his charge. The TSJ also declared the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) governor ineligible to run for re-election in th [...]	2008-06-13 13:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE
08CARACAS844	CORRECTED COPY: CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES NEW ECONOMIC [...] (U) This cable is a corrected copy of CARACAS 838, with a pass line to USDA added. 2. (C) Summary: President Chavez announced on June 11 a series of economic measures to stimulate domestic production and reduce inflationary pressures. Calling for a national productive alliance, Chavez d [...]	2008-06-13 16:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EAGR PGOV VE
08CARACAS85	BADUEL MAKES THE ROUNDS [...] (C) Summary. Former Defense Minister Raul Isaias Baduel continues to make public appearances in the wake of his support for the successful "No" campaign in the December 2007 constitutional referendum. He recently told PolCouns that he believes a change of leadership is needed in Venezuela to [...]	2008-01-23 21:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS856	STUDENTS MARCH IN SUPPORT OF BLACKLISTED BY [...] (C) SUMMARY. Student leaders and opposition-oriented citizen groups led a small demonstration to the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) on June 13 to protest the Comptroller's administrative ruling making 400 persons ineligible to run for office in the November gubernato [...]	2008-06-16 21:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS86	BRV CONSUMED WITH NORMALIZING VENEZUELAN FOOD [...] (C) Summary: During January 21 - 22, a somewhat manic Chavez announced a laundry list of agricultural and food distribution "reforms," including increasing the controlled price of milk, closing the Colombian border to food smugglers, threatening to expropriate land and facilities from milk pro [...]	2008-01-23 22:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV EAGR VE
08CARACAS862	VENEZUELAN INSPECTOR REPORTS CONCERNS WITH [...] (C) Summary: On June 10 an Air Accident Inspector (strictly protect throughout) from the Ministry of Popular Power for Infrastructure (Minfra) told Econ staff that in her opinion Venezuela has no intention of allowing TSA inspections. She noted drug trafficking represents a serious threat to [...]	2008-06-17 19:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAIR ECON PGOV MARR VE ASEC
08CARACAS865	VENEZUELA: INFORMATION ON FORCED LABOR AND CHILD [...] SUMMARY. This cable responds to reftel request for information on forced labor and child labor in the production of goods in Venezuela. Venezuela, a high volume, oil producing nation, is largely dependent on imports, and as a result does not have a tradition of child labor in the production [...]	2008-06-18 18:48:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EIND ELAB ETRD PHUM SOCI VE
08CARACAS870	TERRORISM FINANCE: NOTIFICATION OF U.S. DOMESTIC [...] (C) As requested, Charge d'Affaires (CDA) delivered information in paragraphs four and six of reftel and copies of the Treasury Department Press notice to representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). 2. (C) MFA officials declined to schedule a meeting for June 18. Instead CDA [...]	2008-06-19 19:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	KTFN PTER PINR EFIN PREL VE LE
08CARACAS892	LAW ENFORCEMENT ATTACHES OUTLINE LACK OF [...] (C) SUMMARY. European and international police attaches told Legal Attache (Legat) that efforts to work with their Venezuelan counterparts to combat corruption and stem the flow of drugs through Venezuela have been largely unsuccessful. The law enforcement attaches and liaison officers cited [...]	2008-06-26 16:52:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SNAR VE
08CARACAS912	PDVSA'S MARKETING MESS [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA is not shipping asphalt and other products to the U.S., a violation of a supply contract with Nustar Refining. PDVSA has been having problems placing its Monagas 18 crude due to its composition. PDVSA is still facing a myriad of problems at its refineries and continues to [...]	2008-06-30 21:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS921	HARVEST FINALLY BEGINS TO REAP WHAT IT HAS SOWN [...] (C) SUMMARY: After spending months in legal limbo, U.S. oil company Harvest has received all of its dividends through 2007 from its joint venture company Petrodelta. Harvest's drilling program has been highly successful and it has worked out a system whereby Petrodelta can secure material and [...]	2008-07-02 19:07:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET ENRG EINV ECON VE
08CARACAS930	STRUCTURED NOTES REDUX: NEW RESOLUTION ROILS [...] (C) Summary: A Ministry of Finance (MoF) resolution ordering Venezuelan banks to divest themselves of "structured notes" issued by foreign investment banks has roiled the local banking sector. Local banks hold an estimated USD 5 billion worth of these instruments, which are bolivar-denomina [...]	2008-07-03 22:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EFIN VE
08CARACAS931	GENERAL DISCONTENT AROUND THE HOUSE [...] (SBU) According to local media, following his testimony on the morning of July 1 before the Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) at which he requested the court to prohibit the Chavista slogan "Fatherland, Socialism or Death!" stricken from military drill and ceremony, Brigadier General (BG) Angel [...]	2008-07-03 22:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MARR PGOV VE
08CARACAS94	BRV REACTS ANGRILY TO ONDCP DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS [...] (SBU) The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) launched a multi-pronged response to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director's comments that President Chavez was facilitating narcotics traffickers by neglecting to root out corrupt officials and failing to deny the use of V [...]	2008-01-25 12:16:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	PGOV SNAR PREL VE
08CARACAS942	VENEZUELA'S CODEX COMMITTEE ATTEMPTS A COMEBACK [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) may attempt to revive its currently moribund interministerial Codex committee, and recall its former director. Reviving Venezuela's Codex committee will not be easy, because of the very problems that led to its demise a few years ago. [...]	2008-07-07 20:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV VE
08CARACAS945	CHAVEZ PUBLICLY STATES INTEREST IN DRUG COOPERATION [...] (C) Summary. On the margins of Venezuela's July 5 Independence Day military parade, President Chavez told the Ambassador that he is interested in renewing bilateral counternarcotics cooperation with the USG. Both Chavez and Foreign Minister Maduro also sought out the Ambassador among the di [...]	2008-07-08 16:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	SNAR PREL PGOV CO VE
08CARACAS948	VENEZUELAN PRIESTS OPEN "CHURCH OF CHAVEZ" [...] (C) The Reformist Catholic Church of Venezuela announced its formation on June 26. Comprising former Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican priests, the Reformists are based in the small town of Ciudad Ojeda in Zulia State. The Reformist Church, which numbers around 2,000 parishioners according to [...]	2008-07-08 20:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
08CARACAS949	STUDENTS UNITE AROUND INELIGIBLE CANDIDATES [...] (C) SUMMARY. In recent weeks the student movement has taken up the cause of the ineligible candidates ("inhabilitados") in an effort to garner increased national and international attention to the issue. The move has also helped re-energize the disjointed student movement whose leaders have [...]	2008-07-09 14:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS956	INFLATION CONTINUES RELENTLESS MARCH WITH FOOD [...] (U) According to the national consumer price index (CPI-N) compiled by the Central Bank and the National Statistics Institute, inflation for the month of June was 2.4 percent and reached 15.1 percent for the first half of 2008. Annualized inflation (June 2006 to June 2007) topped 32 percent i [...]	2008-07-09 19:54:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON AMGT ALOW APER AFIN ABUD VE
08CARACAS958	MEDIA SKEPTICS SCOFF AT CHAVEZ' COMMENTS ABOUT [...] C) SUMMARY Major local media outlets gave prominent attention to President Chavez' remarks calling for greater counternarcotics cooperation between the United States and Venezuela. Three major newspapers ran editorial/analysis pieces on July 8th expressing a degree of skepticism with Chavez' [...]	2008-07-10 17:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
08CARACAS968	VENEZUELA'S CODEX COMMITTEE ATTEMPTS A COMEBACK [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) may attempt to revive its currently moribund interministerial Codex committee, and recall its former director. Reviving Venezuela's Codex committee will not be easy, because of the very problems that led to its demise a few years ago. [...]	2008-07-14 11:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV VE
08CARACAS969	SPECIAL ENVOY RICKMAN VISIT TO VENEZUELA [...] (C) Summary: Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Gregg Rickman and special assistant Karen Paikin visited Venezuela June 29 - July 1. Catholic Church leaders, academics, Israeli Ambassador to Venezuela Shlomo Cohen, and a Venezuelan Ministry of the Interior's Office of Religion [...]	2008-07-14 14:37:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF VE
08CARACAS97	OPPOSITION SIGNS UNITY PACT -- FOR NOW [...] (C) Summary. Nine opposition parties publicly pledged January 23 to field "unity" candidates against pro-government candidates in the late 2008 gubernatorial and mayoral elections. Opposition leaders tell us that they are confident that their parties can work together to pool -- and not divi [...]	2008-01-25 15:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
08CARACAS986	CHAVEZ AND URIBE'S UNEASY SUMMIT, A CARACAS READOUT [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Hugo Chavez met Colombian President Alvaro Uribe July 11 in the western Venezuelan city of Punto Fijo and announced that both countries were "ready to relaunch bilateral relations." However, in less than 48 hours Chavez took umbrage over comments by Colombian Defense [...]	2008-07-17 15:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL CO VE
08CARACAS987	RESPONDING TO CHAVEZ' EFFORT TO RENEW COUNTER-DRUG [...] (C) On the margins of the July 5 Venezuelan Independence Day parade, President Chavez told the Ambassador, in front of the diplomatic corps and state media, that he wanted to renew counternarcotics cooperation with the USG (Reftel). Chavez' overture, reiterated in a Ministry of Communications [...]	2008-07-17 18:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
08CARACAS989	SUPREME COURT LEAK QUESTIONS BRV DISQUALIFICATION [...] (C) Summary. A draft ruling by Supreme Court (TSJ) Justice Pedro Rondon Haaz calls the disqualification of close to 300 candidates for Venezuela's gubernatorial and mayoral elections by Comptroller General Clodosbaldo Russian unconstitutional. TSJ President Luisa Estella Morales told the lo [...]	2008-07-17 21:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM VE
08CARACAS991	GENERAL MOTORS HALTING PRODUCTION IN VENEZUELA [...] No summary [...]	2008-07-18 15:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV ETRD EIND PGOV VE
08CARACAS995	STUDENT SHOOTING DEATH SPARKS WEEK-LONG PROTESTS [...] (C) SUMMARY. Students in several cities organized small, week-long demonstrations to protest the shooting death of University of the Andes (ULA) student Douglas Rojas Jimenez on July 9. Witnesses allege that a police officer fatally shot Rojas in the head during a student march in the univer [...]	2008-07-18 18:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL SCUL VE
08CARACAS997	PSUV TAKES UP FIGHT TO EXTEND CHAVEZ' RULE [...] (SBU) Freddy Bernal, United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) national directorate member, announced plans during a July 17 broadcast of BRV news magazine "Al Momento," to work to make Hugo Chavez eligible for re-election in 2012/2013. (President Chavez is constitutionally prohibited from se [...]	2008-07-18 21:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV VE
08CARACAS998	NEW BANKING SUPERINTENDENT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HEALTH [...] (C) Summary: Newly appointed Superintendent of Banks Maria Elena Fumero (strictly protect throughout) told Ecouncouns she believes the financial sector is generally in good shape. The structured notes (reftel) were problematic, she said, but did not represent a systemic threat to the sector [...]	2008-07-18 23:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN KTFN VE
08CARACAS999	BRV BLOWS HOT AND COLD ON A/S SHANNON AND [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Nicholas Maduro responded quickly and indignantly to WHA A/S Shannon's July 17 testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere Subcommittee. Maduro declared the "imperial U.S. system" an "anachronism" and announced that Venezuelan drug seizures [...]	2008-07-18 23:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
09CARACAS1000	WHY CHAVEZ FEELS THREATENED BY THE COUP IN HONDURAS [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez's public statements and actions indicate that he feels threatened by the June 28 military ouster of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya. While initially leading the international response to the coup, Chavez is now side-lined by the mediation process led by Preside [...]	2009-07-31 16:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SNAR VE
09CARACAS1001	VENEZUELA'S ALUMINUM INDUSTRY IN CRISIS [...] (C) SUMMARY: The GBRV has agreed to a number of labor demands after days of protests shut down the industrial city of Puerto Ordaz. After years of GBRV mismanagement, state-owned aluminum companies suffer from deep structural inefficiencies. Low aluminum prices and rising production costs [...]	2009-07-31 16:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECIN ECON EFIN EIND EINV ELAB EMIN ENRG EPET
09CARACAS1005	CHARGE'S JULY 31 MEETING WITH MFA CHIEF OF STAFF [...] (C) Summary: Charge d'Affaires (CDA) met July 31 at his request with Temir Porras, the chief of staff for Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro to discuss the return of Ambassador Duddy. Porras said that the Ambassador had no reason to be concerned about a second expulsion, despite the tensions w [...]	2009-07-31 21:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1011	PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITANTS ATTACK TV STATION GLOBOVISION [...] (SBU) An estimated 35 armed militants attacked the opposition-leaning television station Globovision in the early afternoon of August 3, 2009, led by the well-known pro-Chavez activist Lina Ron. Brandishing weapons, the attackers breached the perimeter wall of the station's headquarters. After thro [...]	2009-08-03 21:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KPAO PREL VE
09CARACAS1013	34 RADIO/TV STATIONS SILENCED, MEDIA CRIME LAW [...] (C) Summary: During the weekend of August 1-2, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) shuttered 32 independent and/or opposition radio stations and two TV stations across the country. One day prior to the closings the GBRV released the names of 35 largely pro-Governme [...]	2009-08-03 22:52:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1014	SAMBIL LA CANDELARIA MALL IN COMPLETE LIMBO [...] (C) According to Bernardo Weininger (strictly protect throughout),lawyer and confidant of the Cohen family which in turn owns the Sambil chain of malls, the Sambil La Candelaria project is in complete limbo. (Note: On December 21, 2008, President Chavez ordered Jorge Rodriguez, mayor of th [...]	2009-08-04 20:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV KIRF VE
09CARACAS1017	VENEZUELA: REPSOL EMPLOYEE COMMENTS ON DRILLING [...] (C) XXXXXXXXXXXXX , Repsol Drill Project Manager for the Rafael Urdaneta offshore natural gas exploratory well told Petroleum Attache on August 2 that Repsol had cancelled plans to drill in Cuba, as it had been unable to secure an offshore drill rig with less than fifteen percent U.S. content. [...]	2009-08-05 18:08:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1018	CHAVEZ CONTINUES SHRILL RHETORIC AGAINST THE U.S. [...] (U) In an August 4 speech in Caracas commemorating the 72nd anniversary of Venezuela's National Guard, President Hugo Chavez again accused the US, "despite its ambiguity," of supporting the Honduras coup. He charged that the "Yankee Empire," through its proposed military agreement with Colomb [...]	2009-08-05 21:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1019	CONATEL THREATENS TO SEIZE RADIO STATION [...] (SBU) On July 31, Minister of Public Works and Housing, Diosdado Cabello, named Puerto La Cruz-based radio station Orbita Radio 107.5 as one of 34 radio and television stations to be closed by the media regulatory agency Conatel. Following weekend shutdowns of numerous stations across Venezu [...]	2009-08-05 21:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1020	CHAVISTA MILITANT ARRESTED FOR GLOBOVISION ATTACK [...] (C) Summary: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) publicly announced August 4 that Chavista militant Lina Ron had been arrested and would begin court proceedings for her role in a highly-publicized tear gas attack against the pro-opposition Globovision media outlet a [...]	2009-08-05 21:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1022	GBRV EXPANDS CONTROL OVER PORTS [...] (C) Summary: In a July 30 decree, the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MPWH) ordered the immediate nationalization of private warehouse operations at four ports, including Puerto Cabello, Venezuela's largest. The decree leaves vague the status of the private companies and their employe [...]	2009-08-06 19:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV ETRD EINV MARR CU VE
09CARACAS1028	CHAVEZ WARNS OF WAR IN SOUTH AMERICA, CALLS OBAMA [...] (C) Summary: In an August 5 press conference at Miraflores, President Chavez's discourse was notable in its more direct personal attacks on President Obama, calling him a "disappointment" and a "frustration" as Chavez warned that the planned joint defense agreement with Colombia could heral [...]	2009-08-07 10:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1029	THERE'S TROUBLE BREWING: VENEZUELAN COFFEE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Government intervention in Cafe Madrid and Fama de America, two of Venezuela's leading coffee processors, began the weekend of August 1-2 for alleged violation of government production and supply regulations. Minister of Agriculture and Lands Elias Jaua stated that non-complian [...]	2009-08-07 10:08:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EAGR ETRD VE PGOV
09CARACAS103	ECONOMIC TIES WITH IRAN GROWING SLOWLY [...] (C) Summary. Emboffs met with a local businessman to discuss his possible involvement in the establishment of a Venezuelan-Iranian Chamber of Commerce. In the private sector, expatriate Iranians cautiously build enterprises within Venezuela, ever wary of the political and economic pitfalls of doing [...]	2009-01-26 21:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE

09CARACAS1034	VENEZUELA'S LEADING UNIVERSITY FACES GBRV PRESSURE [...] (C) Summary: Rector of Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) Dr. Cecilia Garcia Arocha and senior university administrators met the PAO on August 5 and discussed the proposed Education Law in the National Assembly and the serious political pressure faced by the country's most renowned, and s [...]	2009-08-07 22:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM KPAO VE
09CARACAS1038	THE AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH CARABOBO GOVERNOR [...] (C) Summary: The opposition Governor of Carabobo State, Henrique "El Pollo" Salas Feo, and his father and former governor and presidential candidate Henrique Salas Romer requested a meeting with the DCM and Ambassador August 6. They voiced their concerns about the national impact that the c [...]	2009-08-10 15:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS104	VENEZUELAN OIL SHIFTING TO ASIA [...] (C) A senior BP executive told EconCon and Petroleum Attache that PDVSA is shipping 100,000 b/d to China non-competitively (PDVSA continues to pay transportation costs). A senior Chevron executive noted that it has been common knowledge that this is PDVSA's strategic direction. At a separate [...]	2009-01-28 13:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV CH JA VE
09CARACAS1043	VENEZUELA: CHAVEZ STEPS UP CRITICISM OF U.S. AND [...] (SBU) During his address to the UNASUR summit on August 10, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that "the winds of war were beginning to blow" in Latin America, and charged that the proposed US-Colombia defense agreement could cause a war in the region. In an interview earlier in the day wit [...]	2009-08-10 20:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV KDEM VE CO
09CARACAS1051	VENEZUELA: UN MEETING PRESENTS COUNTERNARCOTICS [...] (U) This is an Action Request. See Paragraph 4. 2. (SBU) From September 28-October 2, 2009, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) will host the 19th meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Latin America and the Caribbean (HONLEA),for the United [...]	2009-08-12 20:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL SNAR VE
09CARACAS1055	VENEZUELA: OIL PRODUCTION IN WESTERN VENEZUELA [...] (C) SUMMARY. Energy field consultations in June highlighted Venezuela's continued crude oil production challenges and the disparity between field production estimates and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (GBRV) official production figures. END SUMMARY. 2. (C) From June 2 through 15, [...]	2009-08-13 14:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1056	VENEZUELA: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CRUDE OIL [...] (C) SUMMARY. Many factors likely affect Venezuela crude oil production levels and production capacity, including recent oil service sector expropriations, challenges in securing foreign exchange authorizations, increased crude inventory levels, implementation of the joint venture (JV) model, [...]	2009-08-13 14:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1057	VENEZUELA: BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND WAYS TO [...] (C) SUMMARY. It is easy to focus on the negative stories coming out of Venezuela's oil sector, but there are opportunities for companies to prosper and for Venezuela to increase production. Energy field consultations in June highlighted the multitude of opportunities that oil service compani [...]	2009-08-13 14:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1059	VENEZUELA'S AGENDA FOR THE AFRICA - SOUTH AMERICA SUMMIT [...] (C) Summary: Venezuela is hosting an Africa - South America heads of state summit on Margarita Island in September 2009. A chaotic July 20-23 coordination meeting in Caracas for South American and African representatives suggests Venezuela is planning to use its position as host to ram through a co [...]	2009-08-13 15:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
09CARACAS106	VENEZUELA: OPEC CUTS TARGETED AT U.S. [...] (C) SUMMARY: Senior BP and Chevron officials confirmed that PDVSA is aggressively enforcing OPEC-mandated quota cuts in the hope that the cuts will turn around the slump in oil prices. So far, the cuts have been levied on joint ventures based on the price per barrel received for the crude sales. Th [...]	2009-01-28 13:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV VE
09CARACAS1062	GBRV SHIFTS AXIS OF TRADE, TELLS OBAMA TO BUY [...] (C) SUMMARY: Recent decisions by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) to halt imports of Colombian beef and suspend sales of reduced-price gasoline to Colombia suggest that the GBRV is determined to reduce bilateral trade. On August 11, President Chavez and Argentine [...]	2009-08-13 16:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON EFIN EIND EINV ELAB EMIN ENRG EPET
09CARACAS1065	VISAS VIPER JULY 2009 ACTIVITY REPORT [...] The DCM chaired the Caracas Visas Viper Committee meeting on July 28, 2009. Post law enforcement agencies had no new Visas Viper names to submit to the Consular Section for July 2009. 2. Conoff requested that participants continue submitting names of suspected terrorists for the CLASS dat [...]	2009-08-13 21:38:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	CVIS KVPR PTER ASEC PINR CMGT VE
09CARACAS107	OPPOSITION LACKLUSTER WHILE STUDENTS MARCH FORWARD [...] (C) Summary: The opposition has been slow to counter President Chavez's proposed constitutional referendum to remove term limits, relying largely on highly-publicized, sporadic student protests to rally support to vote "No." Opposition parties lack resources in the wake of the November 2008 [...]	2009-01-28 14:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1070	PETTY POLITICS SURFACE DURING HEAVY RAINS [...] (U) A torrential downpour in Caracas on August 12, flooded roads, closed highways and muddied Chavista credibility. While Globovision, the last remaining opposition television broadcaster showed cars in water up to their windows, Jacqueline Farias, Chavez's appointed Chief of Government for [...]	2009-08-14 16:47:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM VE
09CARACAS1073	GBRV RESPONDS TO CRITICAL GAO REPORT ON NARCOTICS [...] (C) Summary: Venezuelan Minister of Interior and Justice (MIJ) Tarek El-Aissami and Director of the National Anti-Drug Office (ONA),Colonel Nestor Reverol, addressed the Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) on July 21 following the release of the GAO report on declining U.S. - Venezuelan counte [...]	2009-08-14 17:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PINR PREL SNAR VE
09CARACAS1079	PRO-GOVERNMENT GROUPS ATTACK EDUCATION LAW [...] (SBU) Demonstrations for and against the controversial Education Law turned violent August 13. Several hundred educators, university students, and parents marched toward the National Assembly (AN) on August 13 to call for a delay in the vote on the law. About 2000 pro-government demonstrato [...]	2009-08-14 22:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM KPAO VE
09CARACAS1080	NATIONAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES EDUCATION LAW, [...] (C) Summary: The National Assembly approved the Education Law late August 13, amidst well-founded accusations of procedural irregularities, just eight days after the proposed text was made public on August 5. Opposition leaders, educators, and parents have declared that the text of the law i [...]	2009-08-15 15:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO VE
09CARACAS1085	COLOMBIAN BEEF IS NOT WHAT IS FOR DINNER [...] (C) SUMMARY: As a result of chilly Venezuela-Colombia bilateral relations, food processors are pessimistic about Venezuela's future beef imports from Colombia. By presidential order, trade is effectively paralyzed, and some processors can only access raw materials from a domestic cattle her [...]	2009-08-17 19:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EAGR ETRD VE PGOV
09CARACAS1086	EDUCATION LAW PROMULGATED, OPPOSITION CALLS FOR A [...] (C) Summary: The Education Law was passed by the National Assembly late August 13, promulgated by President Chavez at a televised rally on August 15, and published in an extraordinary issue of the Official Gazette on August 15. Opposition politicians, leading educators, and the Catholic Churc [...]	2009-08-17 21:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1090	CANADIAN-VENEZUELAN RELATIONS AT A LOW POINT [...] (C) Summary: In a meeting with Ambassador Duddy August 18, Canadian Ambassador to Venezuela Perry Calderwood said that Canada's bilateral relations with Venezuela were as bad as they had ever been. In addition to disrupting Canada's Diplomatic pouches, not issuing license plates, and making i [...]	2009-08-19 18:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1091	ZULIA'S ECONOMY STRUGGLES WITH ECONOMIC DOWNTURN [...] (C) Summary: The economy of Zulia, a major oil-producing area and Venezuela's most populous state, is suffering from long-standing Venezuelan government (GBRV) economic policies, the current economic downturn, and GBRV actions that appear to target Zulia specifically, such as the recent expr [...]	2009-08-19 21:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
09CARACAS1104	VENEZUELA'S ECONOMY CONTRACTS IN THE SECOND QUARTER [...] (SBU) Citing a statement e-mailed by the Venezuelan Central Bank (BCV),news organizations reported August 20 that BCV figures indicated Venezuela's economy contracted 2.4 percent in the second quarter of 2009. (Note: As of the afternoon of August 20, the BCV had not posted the figures on i [...]	2009-08-21 12:33:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON VE
09CARACAS1110	VENEZUELA: VENAMCHAM SAYS SITUATION WORSENING [...] (C) SUMMARY. On August 17, the Ambassador attended the monthly meeting of the governing Executive Committee of the Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce (VenAmCham). Following their normal business, the Executive Committee members, all Presidents of leading corporations, briefed the Ambassa [...]	2009-08-21 18:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV VE
09CARACAS1111	ELECTORAL LAW PROMULGATED WITH LITTLE PUBLIC [...] (C) Summary: The new Organic Law of Electoral Processes (LOPE) entered into law August 12 with minimal response from the public, whose attention has been distracted by President Chavez's vigorous public campaign in support of the passage of the Education Law (Reftel A). LOPE's text has been [...]	2009-08-21 19:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1114	DOLLARIZATION OF LE STAFF SALARIES [...] (C) SUMMARY. Post requests Department permission to pay LE Staff in US dollars. Venezuela's rising inflation and fixed official exchange rate have eroded the purchasing power of LE staff. The continued decline in the standard of living of LE Staff has hurt morale, increased attrition, and c [...]	2009-08-21 21:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	AFIN
09CARACAS1115	RAMPANT CRIME IN VENEZUELA - CHAVEZ'S ACHILLES [...] (C) SUMMARY. With a murder rate of 130 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, Caracas is generally considered the most dangerous city in Latin America, if not the world. Over 90 percent of homicides in Venezuela go unpunished, and recent polling suggests more Venezuelans may be starting to lay t [...]	2009-08-24 14:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV SOCI ECON VE
09CARACAS1116	VENEZUELA: ENSCO DRILLING RIG UPDATE [...] (C) Bill Chaddick ENSCO Chief Operating Officer, updated Petroleum AttachQ on ENSCO's situation in Venezuela on August 20. Chaddick (strictly protect throughout) stated that the U.S. drilling rig company received an unexpected mixed USD and Bolivar payment on July 23 ($11.2 million and 631,00 [...]	2009-08-24 15:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1119	GBRV ISSUES ARREST WARRANT FOR FORMER ARAGUA [...] (C) Summary: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) issued an arrest warrant and asked Interpol for a capture order August 24 for the former Governor of Aragua State, Didalco Bolivar, on corruption charges. Bolivar, who is the Deputy Secretary General of the oppositi [...]	2009-08-24 22:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1120	OPPOSITION MOUNTS IMPRESSIVE PROTEST AGAINST [...] (C) Summary: The August 22 march against the National Assembly's passage the week prior of the controversial Education Law (reftel) appeared larger than any opposition protest in at least a year, a surprising accomplishment given that many Venezuelans -- particularly students -- are on thei [...]	2009-08-24 22:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1129	VENEZUELA: PDVSA PAYMENTS PROVIDE TEMPORARY RESPITE [...] (C) SUMMARY. Drawing on funds raised though its July bond issuance, PDVSA has made significant payments on its outstanding arrears. PDVSA appears to have paid domestic companies owed less than ten million dollars in full and to have made significant payments on larger debts. END SUMMARY. [...]	2009-08-27 13:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1130	VENEZUELA: DECREASED PETROLEUM SECTOR ACTIVITY [...] (C) SUMMARY. With the exception of Weatherford (which is aggressively seeking to expand its market share),international oil service companies continue to reduce their exposure, to decrease staffing levels, and to move idle equipment out of Venezuela. The Venezuelan rig count provides a clea [...]	2009-08-27 13:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1131	VENEZUELA: NEW PETROCHEMICALS LAW [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuela passed a limited-scope Petrochemicals Law in July that covers basic and intermediate sector activities. It permits the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) to enter into mixed companies with the private sector and attempts to preclude private company recourse to inte [...]	2009-08-27 13:48:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1132	GBRV POLICE TARGET USAID/OTI-FUNDED DEMOCRACY [...] (S) Summary: Action request in para 7 below. On August 26, police officers from the Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations Corps (CICPC) presented citations requiring XXXXXXXXXXXX to appear on September 1 before the police. XXXXXXXXXXXX is a contractor for USAID/OTI in Caracas. XXXXXXXXXXXX [...]	2009-08-27 23:10:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	PGOV PHUM PREL CASC VE
09CARACAS1133	CHAVEZ'S INTIMIDATION TACTICS: POLICE ARREST [...] (C) Summary: The Prefect of the Caracas metropolitan district, Richard Blanco, was arrested by state security officers on August 26 for his alleged involvement in "injurious and law-breaking behavior." Blanco is the president of Metropolitan Mayor Antonio Ledezma's Brave People's Alliance [...]	2009-08-27 23:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1134	CNE RECTOR WARNS ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS COULD COME AS [...] (C) Summary: Vicente Diaz, one of the five rectors of the National Electoral Council (CNE),met with Poloffs August 20 and speculated that President Chavez may call for National Assembly (AN) elections as early as March 2010. Diaz, who is the only rector not beholden to Chavez, suggested that this [...]	2009-08-27 23:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1137	CHAVEZ SENDS TOUGH MESSAGE ON COLOMBIA PRIOR TO [...] (C) Summary. During an August 25 televised address, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro to start preparations for a rupture with Colombia. This latest episode of brinkmanship appears targeted at multiple audiences -- his domestic constituency, Colombia, [...]	2009-08-28 17:10:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER CO VE
09CARACAS1144	CHAVEZ CLAIMS VICTORY AND SPINS UNASUR AGAINST [...] (C) Summary. President Hugo Chavez stressed three themes in his August 30 "Alo Presidente" broadcast, which were reinforced on the government television station (VTV) throughout the weekend. First, although the Summit did not censure Colombia for its Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with [...]	2009-09-01 22:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV PREL VE
09CARACAS1145	LOPEZ'S SPLIT FROM UNT HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUING OPPOSITION DISUNITY [...] (C) Summary: Representatives from the opposition Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) party rejected rumors, published by the local media August 26, that popular former Mayor of Chacao municipality Leopoldo Lopez has been expelled from the party reportedly for insubordinate behavior. Lopez announced September 1, [...]	2009-09-02 15:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1146	VENEZUELA: BANKERS SEE SUFFICIENT OIL REVENUES TO [...] (C) SUMMARY. In an August 31 briefing, leading banker Gustavo Marturet and members of his economic research team updated the Ambassador on their perceptions of Venezuela's political and economic situation. Despite the recent downturn in the Venezuelan economy, the bank believes Venezuela will [...]	2009-09-02 18:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINV VE
09CARACAS1147	CHAVEZ GIVES OBAMA AFRICAN PRIDE ADVICE [...] (C) Summary: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, on a September 1 state visit to Libya to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Qadhafi's revolution, urged President Obama to "rise to the height of his African blood," adding that although he may have good ideas, his hands are tied by the "North A [...]	2009-09-02 20:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PGOV PREL VE
09CARACAS1154	GBRV MINISTER LIKENS PFIZER TO THE DEVIL, BUT [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 27, Pfizer representatives told EconOffs that negotiations with the Ministry of Health for the sale of a pharmaceutical plant in Valencia have stalled following the July 31 appointment of Carlos Rotondaro as Health Minister. Pfizer has been unable to meet with Ministr [...]	2009-09-03 17:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECIN ECON EFIN EIND EINV ELAB EMIN ENRG EPET
09CARACAS1167	VISAS VIPER AUGUST 2009 MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORT [...] The DCM chaired the Caracas Visas Viper Committee meeting on August 25, 2009. Committee members submitted one name for the Visas Viper program. 2. Committee members agree that Qureshi, Muhammad Zubair Ali meets the Visas Viper criteria. His information is as follows: Name: Qureshi, Muh [...]	2009-09-04 19:18:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	CVIS KVPR PTER ASEC PINR CMGT VE
09CARACAS1168	CHAVEZ UPS THE ANTE: THE CRIMINALIZATION OF [...] (C) Summary: With the number of protests on the rise across Venezuela, the Venezuelan government (GBRV) is increasingly using the threat of investigation, arrest and incarceration as a political strategy to discourage demonstrators and intimidate the political opposition. Intimidation and h [...]	2009-09-04 21:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS117	CHAVEZ MAINTAINS MANEUVERING ROOM REGARDING OBAMA [...] (SBU) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has softened his comments towards President Obama in recent days. Backing away from his previous attacks, Chavez declared on January 24 that he was "pleased" with Obama's decree to close the Guantanamo detention center and that the new American presiden [...]	2009-01-29 15:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
09CARACAS1180	THOUSANDS MARCH IN CARACAS FOR "NO MORE CHAVEZ" [...] (C) Summary: As many as ten thousand marchers took to the streets September 5 to protest against President Chavez, exceeding public expectations of the anticipated turnout. The protest came two weeks after the large opposition march against the recently passed Education Law (ref A) and a day [...]	2009-09-08 22:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1181	THE CUBANS IN VENEZUELA'S PORTS [...] (C) SUMMARY. Post has comfirmed that a wholly Venezuelan government-owned company, Bolipuertos, is now charged with the management of Venezuela's ports. Cuba's ASPORT has a 49 percent share in Puertos del Alba, a separate company, which will reportedly be focused on business development. Contac [...]	2009-09-09 12:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV ETRD EINV MARR CU VE
09CARACAS1186	HIGH PROFILE MURDER HIGHLIGHTS ANOTHER BLOODY [...] (C) Summary: The kidnapping and murder of a Guardia Nacional (GN) colonel combined with a spike in the overnight murder rates in Caracas and Valencia on September 5 surprised Venezuelan media. However, overall homicide statistics for the weekend remained steady at about one murder per hour. [...]	2009-09-10 14:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM SNAR VE
09CARACAS1187	29 MORE RADIO STATIONS THREATENED; THE [...] (SBU) Summary. The Venezuelan government announced on September 7 its intention to close another 29 radio stations for alleged administrative and tax irregularities, bringing to 61 the number of radio stations targeted and/or closed since July 31. The timing of the closures and the names of [...]	2009-09-10 16:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1188	NEW LEGISLATION DECIMATES THE CARACAS METROPOLITAN [...] (C) Summary: Along with a flurry of other legislation, the National Assembly (AN) passed on August 26 a new "Law of Municipal Regimen at Two Levels of the Metropolitan Area" that removes most of the authorities and budget of the metropolitan government. The new law grants opposition Mayor [...]	2009-09-10 18:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS119	ELECTORAL COUNCIL RECTOR ON 2010 ELECTIONS, TE [...] No summary [...]	2009-11-05 20:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1194	OPPOSITION PARTY "PODEMOS" ASKS FOR U.S. [...] (C) Summary: At the Podemos party's request, the Ambassador met September 9 with National Assembly (AN) Deputies Ricardo Gutierrez, Juan Jose Molina, and Ismael Garcia. They argued that the 2010 AN elections were the "last chance for democracy" in Venezuela in light of President Chavez's dismantlin [...]	2009-09-14 11:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1195	OPPOSITION PARTY "PODEMOS" ASKS FOR U.S. [...] (C) Summary: At the Podemos party's request, the Ambassador met September 9 with National Assembly (AN) Deputies Ricardo Gutierrez, Juan Jose Molina, and Ismael Garcia. They argued that the 2010 AN elections were the "last chance for democracy" in Venezuela in light of President Chavez's d [...]	2009-09-14 11:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1198	EARTHQUAKE STRIKES VENEZUELA, BUT CHAVEZ DOESN'T [...] (U) On September 12, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the coast of Venezuela at approximately 3:36 PM local time, according to the Venezuelan Seismological Foundation (FUNVISI). FUNVISI reported that the earthquake's epicenter was 100 kilometers west of Caracas, off the coast of Carabobo st [...]	2009-09-14 20:55:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EIND EINV EMIN ENRG EPET VE
09CARACAS1201	GLOBOVISION TV PLAYS WITH FIRE; BURNED A 6TH TIME [...] (C) Summary: On September 7, CONATEL, the Venezuelan government's telecommunications regulatory commission, opened a sixth administrative proceeding against Globovision Television, this time for its September 3 broadcast of text messages from viewers warning of a coup and calling for people to resi [...]	2009-09-15 17:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1207	CHAVEZ DEMANDS OBAMA EXPLAIN DCA TO UNASUR [...] (SBU) Speaking in Madrid on September 11, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez repeated the suggestion, first raised by Brazilian President Da Silva at the August 28 UNASUR summit in Argentina, that President Obama publicly explain the purpose of the Defense Cooperation Agreement with Colombia. [...]	2009-09-15 21:13:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PTER PREL VE CO
09CARACAS1208	VENEZUELA: CHAVEZ'S EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT OF REPSOL'S [...] (C) SUMMARY: On Friday, September 11, President Chavez trumpeted that Spanish oil company Repsol had made a significant natural gas discovery in the Gulf of Venezuela. Repsol issued a press release reiterating President Chavez's statement. This discovery was made in one of seven off-shore blo [...]	2009-09-16 14:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1209	NO SHORT TERM DELIVERIES FROM CHAVEZ'S RUSSIAN [...] (C) Summary: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced September 13 that he had agreed to purchase USD 2.2 billion worth of weapons from Russia. Russia reportedly is providing financing for this purchase. The weapons would include main battle tanks (MBTs),components of an integrated air d [...]	2009-09-16 15:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MCAP PREL VE CO RU
09CARACAS1218	EARTHQUAKE STRIKS VENEZUELA, BUT CHAVEZ DOESN'T [...] (U) This information was previously reported in a classified cable on September 14. This information is unclassified. 2. (U) On September 12, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the coast of Venezuela at approximately 3:36 PM local time, according to the Venezuelan Seismological Foundati [...]	2009-09-17 15:31:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	ECIN ECON EFIN EIND EINV ELAB EMIN ENRG EPET
09CARACAS1224	ANOTHER OPPOSITION POLITICIAN SEEKS ASYLUM IN PERU [...] (C) Summary: Local papers report that Oscar Perez, a close ally of opposition Mayor of Greater Caracas Antonio Ledezma, presented his petition to the Peruvian Government September 17 for political asylum. Perez has been in hiding for nearly three weeks after an arrest warrant was issued for [...]	2009-09-18 19:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PREL PREF PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1225	OPPOSITON MAYOR GUNNED DOWN BY UNKNOWN KILLERS [...] (SBU) On September 12, opposition Mayor Lluvane Alvarez was shot dead in front of his house in Coloncito, a ranching town in northern Tachira state. Mayor Alvarez was a member of COPEI, Venezuela's Christian Democratic party and a strong supporter of Tachira's COPEI Governor Cesar Perez Vivas [...]	2009-09-18 19:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER VE CO
09CARACAS1226	VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT USES DCA TO JUSTIFY ARMS [...] (SBU) Following the fractious September 15 UNASUR Summit in Quito, President Chavez declared victory, claiming on a September 17 television broadcast that Colombia had been "completely isolated." He said it was "embarrassing" that the Colombians could not even show the Defense Cooperation A [...]	2009-09-18 19:47:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV PREL PTER VE CO
09CARACAS1228	PARALLEL RATE DROPS ON APPARENT GBRV SALE OF [...] (U) The parallel rate has dropped approximately 17 percent over the last seven weeks, from 7 bolivars (Bs)/USD in early August to its current rate of 5.8 Bs/ USD (as measured by the cost of buying one dollar),with the sharpest drop occurring over the past 10 days. Most analysts attribute th [...]	2009-09-18 19:57:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS1230	STILL NO AGREEMENT ON DRAFT DECLARATION FOR [...] (C) Summary: South African Ambassador Bhekizzizwe Gila told Ambassador Duddy on September 18 that South African President Zuma would attend the September 26-27 UNASUR -African Union Summit taking place on Venezuela's Margarita Island. Gila said the heads of state of Brazil, Libya, Algeria, and poss [...]	2009-09-18 20:36:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
09CARACAS1231	CARABOBO GOVERNOR CALLS VENEZUELA A DICTATORSHIP [...] (C) SUMMARY: In his meeting with the Ambassador on September 16, opposition Governor of Carabobo State, Henrique Salas Feo, highlighted the deterioration of Carabobo's economy and problems following the nationalization of Venezuela's main port, Puerto Cabello. He observed that disagreement [...]	2009-09-18 20:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV ECON ELAB PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1232	CHAVEZ ANNOUNCES GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURING [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez unveiled September 17 two new structures within his central government, pledging to fully explain the changes and 40 pending economic decisions in the coming days. He designated six of his Cabinet ministers as Vice Presidents with different areas of responsibi [...]	2009-09-18 21:04:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1233	RESPONSE TO MAJORS DESIGNATION NEGATIVE [...] (SBU) During a September 17 press conference, Venezuelan Minister of Interior and Justice Tarek El Aissami gave the Venezuelan government (GBRV) response to the Presidential Determination for Major Drug-Transit and Major Illicit Drug-Producing Countries (the Majors). El Aissami described the [...]	2009-09-18 21:10:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV PREL PTER VE CO
09CARACAS1236	VENEZUELA: INSIGHT INTO LUKOIL AND THE RUSSIAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Russian oil companies in Venezuela understand that government-to-government negotiations are the most expedient way to advance commercial relations in Venezuela. In addition to working through a consortium to sign new oil deals, the individual companies are preparing to transfer [...]	2009-09-21 11:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS1240	VENEZUELA: PRODUCTION UPDATE FROM PDVSA AND [...] (C) A petroleum engineer working on crude oil production at Shell and PDVSA's joint venture on Lake Maracaibo provided some insights into the challenges of oil production in Venezuela's oldest production area. According to the engineer, the production of Petroregional del Lago (PERLA) had dro [...]	2009-09-22 15:52:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CU VE
09CARACAS1246	VENEZUELA: INSIGHTS FROM PDVSA'S SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR [...] (C) SUMMARY: XXXXXXXXXXXX provided insight into PDVSA's finances and strategy, saying that PDVSA plans to issue additional bonds in the coming months and to use the revenues to pay pending arrears to oil services companies. PDVSA has also negotiated payment in crude oil shipments for outstanding di [...]	2009-09-23 14:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS126	VENEZUELA: SEEKING IMPROVED TIES WITH COLUMBIA [...] (C) Summary. In response to the worldwide economic crisis, on January 24, Presidents Uribe and Chavez agreed to create an economic commission focused on binational issues, including a binational fund for microfinance projects. Documented trade between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (B [...]	2009-01-29 21:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PREL EINV PGOV VE
09CARACAS1261	SURVEY INDICATES PRIVATE SECTOR NOT INVESTING LONG [...] (U) Venezuelan businesspeople are pessimistic about the current state of the economy, according to a recent survey conducted by the Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce of 156 businesses. Of those surveyed, thirty-seven percent do not plan to invest in Venezuela (in the short, medium or lon [...]	2009-09-29 15:19:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON VE
09CARACAS1262	HR DEFENDERS WARN OF AUTHORITARIANISM, ARBITRARY [...] (C) Summary: During a September 24 breakfast hosted by Embassy Caracas' human rights officer, Venezuelan human rights defenders expressed profound concern to 22 Caracas based diplomats about the increasingly limited democratic space within the country. They expressed concern about the disc [...]	2009-09-29 15:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL VE
09CARACAS1265	VENEZUELA: GBRV ERECTING OBSTACLES TO NEW LABOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The collective bargaining agreement for the Oil, Chemical, and Gas Workers Federation of Venezuela (FUTEV) expired on January 21, 2009. Our contacts report the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) and PDVSA do not want to negotiate a costly new collective bargaining agreemen [...]	2009-09-30 13:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ELAB ECON ENRG VE
09CARACAS1266	BANESCO PRESIDENT CONCERNED OVER ALLEGATIONS OF [...] (C) In a September 28 meeting with the Ambassador, Banesco president Juan Carlos Escotet expressed concern that allegations in the blogosphere of Banesco's involvement with Iranian banks, although they were false, could damage Banesco's reputation. (Note: Banesco is privately held and by some measu [...]	2009-09-30 19:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE IR
09CARACAS1269	STUDENT-LED HUNGER STRIKE BROADENS APPEAL; FOCUSES [...] (C) Summary: As of September 29, a student-led hunger strike entered its 7th day, expanding from an initial group of 33 protesters in front of the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Caracas to upwards of 160 students, unionists, journalists, and prisoners in severa [...]	2009-09-30 21:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1270	VENEZUELA'S DEBT: MANAGEABLE FOR NOW [...] (SBU) Summary: As of June 30, Venezuela's sovereign external debt officially stood at USD 30 billion and its internal debt at 44 billion bolivars (USD 20 billion at the official exchange rate). These levels appear quite manageable given the size of Venezuela's economy. However several fact [...]	2009-10-01 13:42:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS1271	SCHOOLS ON ALERT, NO IMPLEMENTATION YET OF [...] (C) Summary: Venezuelan schools and universities reopened on September 15 with little fanfare, despite earlier concerns about potential unrest as a result of the controversial new Education Law that was passed during the summer school recess (ref A). The Venezuelan government (GBRV) has not y [...]	2009-10-01 14:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1275	COLOMBIAN BEEF IS NOT WHAT IS FOR DINNER [...] (C) SUMMARY: As a result of chilly Venezuela-Colombia bilateral relations, food processors are pessimistic about Venezuela's future beef imports from Colombia. By presidential order, trade is effectively paralyzed, and some processors can only access raw materials from a domestic cattle her [...]	2009-10-02 13:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EAGR ETRD VE PGOV
09CARACAS1279	STUDENTS END HUNGER STRIKE [...] (SBU) Summary: The 7 day student-led hunger strike, initially launched on September 24 as a protest against the arrest of student activist Julio Rivas, ended late the evening of September 30. The students called off the protest and claimed victory, stating that their demands had been fully [...]	2009-10-02 17:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS128	TENSIONS MOUNTING WITH TWO WEEKS TO GO TO [...] (C) Summary: With just over two weeks to go before President Chavez's February 15 referendum to remove term limits, tensions are high with near daily confrontations between student protesters and the police. Chavez continues to foment political polarization and is warning that if the amend [...]	2009-01-30 18:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM CASC ASEC VE
09CARACAS1280	RESPONSE: MARINE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AUTHORIZATIONS [...] The Embassy Caracas officer in charge of marine scientific research authorizations is Veronica Millares (Sept 2009 - Mar 2010). Ms. Millares, back up is Economic Counselor Darnall Steuart. 2. To request an authorization, OPA must submit relevant documents to Embassy Caracas for submissi [...]	2009-10-02 17:45:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	EWWT KRVC TPHY VE
09CARACAS1281	GBRV USES ANTI-TRADE MEASURES TO PUNISH COLOMBIA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Following President Chavez's July 28 announcement to freeze relations with Colombia, trade experts and business leaders in both countries downplayed the threat to bilateral trade and predicted that Chavez would not damage a mutually beneficial commercial relationship. But recent [...]	2009-10-02 18:57:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECIN ECON EFIN EIND EINV ELAB EMIN ENRG EPET
09CARACAS1283	ANOTHER BOND ISSUANCE TARGETS THE PARALLEL MARKET [...] (U) The Venezuelan government (GBRV) announced on September 28 and 29 the terms for the planned issuance of USD 3 billion in dollar-denominated bonds (Bonos Soberanos Internacionales). Half the bonds will mature in 2019 and half in 2024, and all will be Eurobonds registered in Luxembourg. A [...]	2009-10-02 19:17:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS1284	AFRICA-SOUTH AMERICA SUMMIT SHORT ON SUBSTANCE, LONG ON HEADACHES [...] No summary [...]	2009-10-05 20:00:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE UNCHC EAID
09CARACAS1286	SUGAR PROCESSORS ARE BRV FAVORITES [...] (C) SUMMARY: Despite the BRV's overall negative attitude toward big business, Venezuela's large sugar processors have found official foreign exchange and import permits easier to obtain. A prime example is Centro Azucarero Portuguesa (CAPSA),the country's largest processor. However, facilitated ac [...]	2009-10-05 20:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE ETRD
09CARACAS1287	GOVERNMENT FURTHER REDUCES SPACE FOR INDEPENDENT [...] (C) Summary: The Venezuelan government has announced that radio stations will be required to broadcast 3.5 hours/day of government-selected programs and another 2 hours/day of nationally-produced programming. The new rules would also essentially end syndicated radio programming. The gover [...]	2009-10-05 20:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1292	STUDENT HUNGER STRIKES ENDED, BUT APPEALS FOR OAS [...] (SBU) Summary: Student protests calling for a visit by the Commission on Human Rights (CIDH) of the Organization of American States (OAS) continue. However, an October 3 march was poorly attended and ended with students "mooning" National Guard troops. On October 5, 15 students in the bor [...]	2009-10-06 21:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1295	URBAN LANDS LAW THREATENS PROPERTY RIGHTS [...] SUMMARY: On August 14, the National Assembly unanimously approved a new law that grants the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) wide authority to seize underutilized urban lands to develop socialist housing projects. While the law is yet unpublished in the Official Gaz [...]	2009-10-07 19:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECIN ECON EFIN EIND EINV ELAB EMIN ENRG EPET
09CARACAS1296	VENEZUELA: THE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING URANIUM RESERVES [...] No summary [...]	2009-10-07 19:33:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ENRG IR KNNP VE
09CARACAS1311	VENEZUELA: CONCRETE ECONOMIC MEASURES STILL [...] (C) Summary: Despite weeks of anticipation, a press conference by the Venezuelan government's (GBRV's) three top economic officials yielded little in the way of concrete new economic measures. The officials outlined general economic goals but offered no significant new proposals that would c [...]	2009-10-09 21:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS1312	VISAS VIPER SEP 2009 ACTIVITY REPORT [...] The DCM chaired the Caracas Visas Viper Committee meeting on September 29, 2009. Post law enforcement agencies had no new Visas Viper names to submit to the Consular Section for September 2009. 2. Conoff requested that participants continue submitting names of suspected terrorists for the [...]	2009-10-13 13:28:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	CVIS KVPR PTER ASEC PINR CMGT VE
09CARACAS1318	VENEZUELA: LOOMING POWER BLACKOUTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) has not adequately invested in the electrical sector nor addressed its deteriorating infrastructure resulting in hundreds of isolated local power outages and regular nation-wide outages. Domestic electricity consumption has increased ov [...]	2009-10-14 15:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS1321	GBRV "SURPRISED" ABOUT THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE [...] (SBU) The Venezuelan government (GBRV) reacted immediately and strongly to the October 9 news that President Obama had won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Venezuela's Public Defender Gabriela Ramirez said early that morning on the government-owned VTV the award "made a mockery of human rights," [...]	2009-10-14 20:42:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1325	GBRV INCREASINGLY ISOLATING ITSELF ON AVIATION [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The International Air Transport Association (IATA),reports that all international airlines continue to experience prolonged delays in receiving dollars from the Venezuelan Commission for Foreign Exchange Administration (CADIVI). According to IATA statistics in early October [...]	2009-10-15 15:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	CASC CVIS EAIR ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PTER SNAR
09CARACAS1326	VENEZUELA: JOINT VENTURE WITH PETROVIETNAM NEARING [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to senior PDVSA officials, the process to launch a joint venture between PDVSA and PetroVietnam is pending a decree from President Chavez. Plans for PDVSA to build a refinery in Vietnam have fallen through, however. Nevertheless, PDVSA continues to plan to sign a long-t [...]	2009-10-15 15:52:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS1330	POLLSTER: VENEZUELANS LOVE CHAVEZ, BUT THEY DON'T [...] (C) Summary: Poloffs met October 9 with Luis Vicente Leon, the director of the prominent Datanalisis polling firm, who shared his analysis of the results of his September poll. He distinguished between President Chavez's enduring personal popularity, hovering around 53 percent, and the dec [...]	2009-10-15 19:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1333	VENEZUELA: AMBASSADOR VIEWS ECONOMIC SITUATION IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Ambassador traveled to the State of Zulia October 4-7 and met with a range of political, private sector, and business leaders. This cable highlights the economic messages delivered to him by the business community. It reinforces reftels that point to decreased private sector inves [...]	2009-10-15 21:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS1334	GBRV EXPROPRIATES ONE OF CHAVEZ'S FAVORITE HOTELS [...] (C) SUMMARY: On October 14, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) assumed formal control of the Margarita Hilton Hotel and Suites Hotel complex after President Chavez complained that the owners were enriching themselves at the expense of the local tourism industry. The Marga [...]	2009-10-16 10:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EINV KPOL VE
09CARACAS1335	C-AL9-02049: CHAVEZ PLEASED THAT ZELAYA IS BACK [...] (C) Summary: In answer to questions posed in ref A, President Chavez appeared delighted with President Zelaya's physical return to Honduras on September 21. He continues to accuse the U.S. of instigating and definitely supporting the ouster of Zelaya in June, and includes the events in Hondu [...]	2009-10-16 15:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM PINR PINS HO VE
09CARACAS1338	VENEZUELA: ENSCO BRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON STATUS OF [...] (C) SUMMARY. Ensco executives remain optimistic that the U.S. drilling company will recover the offshore platform seized by PDVSA in January 2009 and hopes amicably to resolve the situation leaving open the possibility of future cooperation. The company does not want the USG to raise its spe [...]	2009-10-16 18:58:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE

09CARACAS1339	COFFEE INDUSTRY EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DECLINE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Leading private sector representatives state that Venezuela's policy of fixed output prices, ineffective support for farmers, and probable takeover of two leading coffee processors, will reinforce a downward trend in output and result in additional raw coffee imports. As even d [...]	2009-10-16 19:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV VE
09CARACAS1340	PDVSA ANNOUNCES USD 3 BILLION BOND ISSUANCE [...] (U) Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) announced on October 16 terms for a USD 3 billion bond issuance. The issuance, which had been widely expected, is a combination of three "Petrobonos" maturing in 2014, 2015, and 2016 with coupons ranging from 4.9 to 5.125 percent. The terms of the issuance [...]	2009-10-16 20:14:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN EPET VE
09CARACAS1344	RUSSIA HAS NO PLANS TO BUILD NUCLEAR REACTORS IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: During an October 15 initial courtesy call with Ambassador Duddy, Russian Ambassador Zaemsky denied reports that Russia would help Venezuela build nuclear reactors, saying that its nuclear cooperation with Venezuela was limited to the medical field and food controls. With respect [...]	2009-10-19 12:14:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ENRG EPET KNNP PREL RU VE
09CARACAS135	CARACAS SYNAGOGUE ATTACKED, CHAVEZ BLAMES [...] (C) Summary. A group of unidentified armed gunmen vandalized a prominent Caracas synagogue during the late night-early morning hours of January 30-31. The intruders appeared to have planned the attack well, defeating the synagogue's security system and subduing two contract guards. They not [...]	2009-02-02 21:35:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM KIRF PGOV PREL ASEC VE IS
09CARACAS1351	VIEW FROM THE BARRIOS: CARITAS EXPLAINS CHAVEZ [...] (C) Summary: Yaneth Marquez (protect),the Andean regional director of the Catholic charity Caritas, described to PolCouns on October 15 the political perspective of people in Venezuela's poorest areas where Caritas works. Marquez said the standard of living of Venezuela's poor had increased [...]	2009-10-20 16:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1352	VENEZUELA: IRAN'S PETROPARS FRUSTRATED IN CARACAS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Iran's PetroPars is reportedly frustrated by its inability to move petroleum projects forward in Venezuela, especially the development of Ayacucho block 7 in the Faja heavy oil belt. END SUMMARY. 2. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX told Petroleum Attache (PetAtt) on October 15 that PetroPars is frus [...]	2009-10-20 17:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE IR
09CARACAS1353	POLITICAL NOTES ON AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO WESTERN [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador traveled to Venezuela's western states of Zulia and Falcon October 4-8 and met with a range of political leaders. Complaints of Colombian guerrillas operating openly in Zulia and reduced budgets were widespread. Pablo Perez, the opposition governor of Zulia, sai [...]	2009-10-20 19:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PTER SNAR VE CO
09CARACAS1355	AA ASKED TO HEAD NEW US-VENEZUELA BUSINESS GROUP [...] (C) SUMMARY: American Airlines Senior Vice President for Latin American Peter Dolara informed the Ambassador that he had been approached by the Venezuelan Ambassador to the U.S. concerning a proposal to help form a new bilateral business organization to promote a positive image of Venezuela. [...]	2009-10-21 19:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	CASC CVIS EAIR ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PTER SNAR
09CARACAS136	VENEZUELA: SERVICE COMPANIES FEEL THE PINCH [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA,s cash shortage is exacting an increasingly heavy burden on oil services companies. As reported in the press, Ensco and Helmerich& Payne have already chosen to cease certain drilling operations. Ensco has allowed PDVSA to operate its rig while negotiating quietly for outstanding [...]	2009-02-03 12:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV VE
09CARACAS1361	VENEZUELA: REPSOL CONFIRMS SIGNIFICANT NATURAL GAS [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Chavez's recent claims that Repsol and ENI's natural gas discovery in the Gulf of Venezuela will catapult Venezuela into place as the country with the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world appear to be true. Furthermore, Repsol and ENI expect to produce suffici [...]	2009-10-22 16:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS1362	GBRV AND PDVSA CHANGE TERMS OF PDVSA BOND ISSUANCE [...] (U) PDVSA announced on its website October 22 three changes related to its USD 3 billion bond issuance originally announced October 16 (ref A). First, the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) will exempt from taxation interest paid on the bonds. Second, the Central Bank (BCV) will not requi [...]	2009-10-22 21:00:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN EPET VE
09CARACAS1367	VENEZUELA: GBRV IMPOSES WATER AND ELECTRICITY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Faced with water and electrical shortages, Venezuelans are facing outages and rationing of both. In response to the growing electrical crisis affecting the entire country, President Chavez has announced an emergency plan that includes the creation of a new electricity ministry [...]	2009-10-23 21:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS137	PARALLEL MARKET GROWING; PDVSA CONTINUING TO [...] (C) Financial executive Miguel Octavio (strictly protect throughout) told EconOffs January 28 that the amounts transacted on the parallel foreign exchange market have grown significantly in recent months. One year ago, Octavio's company averaged USD 3 million in transactions per business day [...]	2009-02-03 13:01:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS1372	BANKER CONCERNED ABOUT FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE AND [...] (C) Summary: Bank president Oscar Garcia Mendoza (strictly protect throughout) told the Ambassador he was worried Venezuela would "collapse" eventually as a consequence of failing infrastructure and services. He also described his bank's efforts to finance a campaign in support of private pr [...]	2009-10-26 15:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV VE
09CARACAS1373	CHAVEZ EXPROPRIATES TWO SUGAR MILLS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On October 21, in a state television broadcast, Agriculture and Lands Minister Elias Jaua announced the 90 day occupation and planned expropriation of two sugar mills in western Venezuela. Jaua accused Central Azucarero Venezuela of illegally halting production and Central Azu [...]	2009-10-26 15:41:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECIN ECON EINV ENRG ETRD VE
09CARACAS1374	BARRIO ADENTRO IN CRISIS: CHAVEZ TO STRENGTHEN [...] (C) SUMMARY: In response to growing public criticism of Venezuela's health care system, including a well-publicized letter of protest from five former health ministers, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) has intensified efforts to revitalize Barrio Adentro, its fla [...]	2009-10-26 15:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV ECON EAID EFIN ELAB KTIP VE
09CARACAS1375	ECONOMIC MEASURES LACKING, SPENDING INCREASE [...] (C) Summary: It appears the Venezuelan government (GBRV) does not plan to announce any significant new economic policy measures. A much anticipated press conference by leading economic officials produced few significant announcements, and subsequent announcements by other ministers were sim [...]	2009-10-26 15:53:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
09CARACAS1376	GBRV BLAMES PARAMILITARIES FOR DEATHS OF 10 KIDNAP [...] (C) Summary: Venezuelan media reported that the bodies of 10 kidnap victims were discovered on October 24 in Tachira state along the border with Colombia. The deceased included a Venezuelan, a Peruvian, and eight Colombians who were kidnapped in Venezuela on October 11. The opposition-led [...]	2009-10-27 18:40:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER VE CO
09CARACAS1378	PDVSA SELLS USD 3.2 BILLION WORTH OF BONDS [...] (U) PDVSA announced on October 26 that it will sell USD 3.2 billion (face value) of a Petrobono combination (see ref A for details). It said it accepted all offers received but did not give further details about who the buyers were. As the bonds are dollar-denominated but bought from PDVSA i [...]	2009-10-28 13:41:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS138	VENEZUELAN REACTION ON PORTS MUTED, NO CLOSER TO A [...] No summary [...]	2009-02-03 13:36:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	ECON PGOV PREL ETRD EWWT EPET VE
09CARACAS1383	VENEZUELA: WORLD HEAVY OIL CONFERENCE MOVED AT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) announced on October 27, 2009, that the November 2-5 third World Heavy Oil Conference had been moved from Puerto La Cruz to the Island of Margarita. Citing electricity problems in Puerto La Cruz, the GBRV announced the conference (repo [...]	2009-10-29 12:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS1386	US AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH GOVERNMENT ORCHESTRATED [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador was greeted with government orchestrated resistance and/or protests during trips to the western states of Zulia, Falcon, Merida and Trujillo. During October 4-8 visits to Zulia, a pro-Government media blog criticized the Ambassador's trip to the opposition control [...]	2009-10-29 21:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL CO VE
09CARACAS139	GIVE US YOUR TIRED, WEARY, DISEASED,LIVESTOCK [...] (C) SUMMARY. According to knowledgeable industry representatives, Venezuela continues to import cattle without appropriate controls against animal disease. The most recent example brought to our attention is cows purchased from Cuba that suffer from leucosis, for which there are tests. Appa [...]	2009-02-03 13:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON ETRD PGOV VE
09CARACAS1390	CENTRAL BANK LAW MODIFIED: OPEN THE FLOODGATES? [...] (C) Summary: The National Assembly has approved significant modifications to the law governing Venezuela's Central Bank (BCV). The BCV will have vastly expanded powers to act as a development bank and finance a wide array of government projects. It will also be able to buy PDVSA bonds dire [...]	2009-10-30 19:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS1391	VENEZUELAN REACTION TO THE 2009 IRF REPORT [...] (C) Summary: Reaction to the 2009 International Religious Freedom (IRF) report has been muted in Venezuela, despite initial press headlines implying that the report grouped Venezuela and Cuba together. A short October 28 article in the government paper Diario Vea said "all religions enjoy t [...]	2009-10-30 20:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PHUM PREL KDEM PGOV KIRF VE
09CARACAS1392	EMBASSY CARACAS: QUADRENNIAL DIPLOMACY AND [...] Name and contact information for point of contact for the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) at Embassy Caracas: Maxwell J. Hamilton Economic Officer 58-212-907-8527 hamiltonmj@state.gov DUDDY [...]	2009-10-30 20:58:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	AMGT VE
09CARACAS1393	URBAN LANDS LAW PUBLISHED, GBRV RECLASSIFIES [...] (C) SUMMARY: On October 21, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) published a controversial Urban Lands Law in the Official Gazette. This empowers the state to seize underutilized urban lands in order to develop socialist housing projects. Critics say that the law t [...]	2009-11-02 11:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN EINV KCOR VE
09CARACAS1401	VENEZUELA'S JEWISH COMMUNITY SEES "DARK HORIZON" [...] (C) Summary: In an October 28 breakfast meeting with the Confederacion de Asociaciones Israelitas Venezolanas (CAIV) Board of Directors, XXXXXXXXXXXX, said he privately encouraged Brazilian senators to allow Venezuela to join MERCOSUR. At the same time, Jewish community leaders told PolCouns th [...]	2009-11-02 21:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1402	CHAVEZ'S "UNITED SOCIALIST PARTY" TO ELECT PARTY [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez has restarted his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) electoral machine by calling for internal party elections on November 15. The party officials elected will be responsible for selecting candidates for the 2010 National Assembly (AN) and town council [...]	2009-11-02 22:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1406	POLITICAL NOTES ON AMBASSADOR'S TRIP TO ANDEAN [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador traveled to two cities in Western Venezuela, Merida and Valera, from October 24-28, making additional stops in Carabobo, Portuguesa and the Andean highlands of the country. Among the highlights of the trip were the inauguration of the new round of the 2009/10 v [...]	2009-11-03 16:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL VE
09CARACAS1408	WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE OPPOSITION? [...] (C) Summary: Both President Chavez and the opposition are gearing up for the National Assembly (AN) and community council elections anticipated in the last half of 2010, although the Chavista-packed National Electoral Council (CNE) has not formally announced the dates. The opposition claims [...]	2009-11-03 18:43:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS141	REVOLUTIONARY SPUDS: IN VENEZUELA, POLITICS TRUMP [...] (C) SUMMARY: Despite strong interest by Venezuela's private sector to move forward on food trade protocols with the United States, and a recent warming to the topic by SASA, Venezuela's plant and animal health authority, meaningful and timely progress will be difficult. We understand that SA [...]	2009-02-03 20:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAGR ECON PGOV VE ETRD
09CARACAS1413	VISAS VIPER OCT 2009 ACTIVITY REPORT [...] The CG chaired the Caracas Visas Viper Committee meeting on October 27, 2009. Post law enforcement agencies had no new Visas Viper names to submit to the Consular Section for October 2009. 2. Conoff requested that participants continue submitting names of suspected terrorists for the CLAS [...]	2009-11-04 19:04:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	CVIS KVPR PTER ASEC PINR CMGT VE
09CARACAS1417	CHARGING OPPOSITION LEADERS AS SPIES, [...] (C) Summary: Over the past week, President Chavez and his supporters have stepped up attacks against two opposition governors, Cesar Perez Vivas (Tachira) and Henrique Capriles Radonski (Miranda). Chavez is blaming Perez Vivas for several highly-publicized violent incidents along the Colombian bord [...]	2009-11-05 19:24:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1419	ELECTORAL COUNCIL RECTOR ON 2010 ELECTIONS, THE [...] (C) Summary: The sole non-Chavista rector of the National Electoral Council (CNE),Vicente Diaz, told Poloffs on October 22 that the CNE would announce the election timetables, implementing electoral regulations, and any changes to the voting districts by December. Diaz dismissed opposition allegat [...]	2009-11-05 20:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1423	POLLSTER: OPPOSITION NEEDS AN "EVERYDAY AGENDA" [...] (C) Summary: Pollster Alfredo Keller predicted to Polcouns on October 23 that the opposition would achieve a tactical alliance in advance of the 2010 legislative elections, but warned about its continued lack of an effective message. Keller suggested that Chavista abstentionism at the poll [...]	2009-11-06 14:47:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1426	GBRV LAYS BLAME FOR BORDER VIOLENCE [...] (C) Summary: During the weeks of October 24-November 6, Venezuelan-Colombian border tensions rose sharply as a result of the killing of 10 kidnap victims (reftel) and two Venezuelan National Guardsmen, the arrest of three alleged Colombian DAS (Administrative Department of Security) agents b [...]	2009-11-06 17:44:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PTER VE CO
09CARACAS1430	FM MADURO: DCA IS MOST SHAMEFUL ACCORD IN HISTORY [...] (SBU) Summary: One week after the U.S. - Colombian Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) signing on October 30, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro announced increased military intelligence and other activities so the country "would never be touched by even one single U.S. soldier." Usi [...]	2009-11-06 20:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM SNAR VE
09CARACAS1432	NEW CENTRAL BANK LAW IN EFFECT [...] (U) The modified Central Bak (BCV) law we reported on previously (reftel) was published in the Official Gazette dated Novembe 5 and is now in effect. There are several diffrences between the actual law and what we reported which was based on the draft approved by the Naional Assembly in firs [...]	2009-11-09 19:22:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS1434	GBRV REDUCES REVENUE FLOWING TO THREE [...] (C) Summary: The Venezuelan government (GBRV) continues to find ways to reduce the funding provided by the central government to state and city governments, especially those run by opposition leaders. City officials in Maracaibo project their 2009 revenues will be 25 percent below what they [...]	2009-11-09 19:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN PGOV VE
09CARACAS144	ELECTORAL PLAYING FIELD FAVORS CHAVEZ'S "YES" [...] (C) Summary: In the run-up to the February 15 constitutional amendment referendum to remove official term limits, President Chavez is tilting the electoral playing field strongly in favor of the "Yes" campaign. Despite flagrant abuse of electoral regulations and the illegal use of state re [...]	2009-02-03 22:21:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1443	CHAVEZ LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR CONFRONTATION [...] (SE) Summary: On November 8, President Chavez called on Venezuelans to "prepare for war" due to the threat posed by Colombia and the United States. Chavez again hammered the Colombian government for "shamelessly delivering its sovereignty to the U.S." through the recently signed U.S.-Colombia [...]	2009-11-10 11:11:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	PREL PINS MARR MCAP MOPS VZ
09CARACAS1444	GBRV STRATEGY ON COLOMBIA-DCA DISPUTE BECOMING [...] (SE) Summary: Following President Chavez's November 8 urging that the Venezuelan public "prepare for war" to defend the country against anticipated Colombian-U.S. cross-border aggression (Ref A),the Venezuelan government (GBRV) and its local allies issued a series of supportive and similarly [...]	2009-11-10 20:46:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET	PREL PINS MARR MCAP MOPS VE
09CARACAS1447	VENEZUELA'S STANDARDS REGIME IN DISARRAY [...] (C) SUMMARY: The status of Venezuela's standards regime is uncertain after a June 2009 resolution abolished the relationship between the principal, non-profit industry standards setting entity, the Fund for Standardization and Quality (FONDONORMA),and the Government of the Bolivarian Republ [...]	2009-11-12 10:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ECIN EIND EINT EINV ETRD VE
09CARACAS145	VISAS VIPER JANUARY 2009 ACTIVITY REPORT [...] The Acting DCM chaired the Caracas VISA VIPER Committee meeting on January 26, 2009. Post law enforcement agencies had no new VISAS VIPER names to submit to the Consular Section for January 2009. 2. Conoff reminded participants to continue submitting names of suspected terrorists for the C [...]	2009-02-04 12:46:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	CVIS KVPR PTER ASEC PINR CMGT VE
09CARACAS1459	ANTI-OBAMA MURAL ON DISPLAY IN CARACAS [...] (U) Users with access to SMART Cable system, please open attachment to see three photos of anti-Obama mural. 2. (U) A prominently displayed, high-quality painted mural denigrating President Obama is currently on public display in central Caracas. The mural, which is painted on a co [...]	2009-11-17 13:46:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
09CARACAS1461	VENEZUELAN AIRLINE NO LONGER AUTHORIZED TO MAKE UNSCHEDULED [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to a senior executive of Venezuelan cargo carrier Vensecar, the Government of Colombia (GOC) has retaliated against a September 10 decision by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV) that it would no longer authorize unscheduled flights by Colombia [...]	2009-11-17 14:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EAIR ECON ETRD PREL SNAR VE CO BEXP EINT ETTC
09CARACAS1463	VENEZUELA: CADIVI RULES CHANGE FOR TRAVELERS [...] (SBU) Summary: Venezuela's foreign currency board, known by its Spanish acronym CADIVI, is changing the rules by which travelers can access foreign exchange at the official rate when using local credit cards abroad. The new regulation has not yet been published, but CADIVI's president has sa [...]	2009-11-17 15:23:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	ECON EFIN VE CVIS
09CARACAS1465	VENEZUELA: PDVSA'S REFINERIES AND NEW PROJECT PLANS [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA's concept for the future development of the Faja heavy oil fields -- and particularly how to link the different joint venture projects together into a common infrastructure -- is still in its infancy. A senior PDVSA official described the company's numerous international ref [...]	2009-11-17 21:12:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS1467	BILATERAL TRADE FALLS OVER 50 PERCENT [...] (SBU) On November 17, the local press widely published an announcement from the Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VENAMCHAM) that bilateral trade between Venezuela and the US had declined by over 50 percent in the first nine months of 2009, compared to the same period [...]	2009-11-17 22:42:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON VE
09CARACAS1469	IT'S OFFICIAL: VENEZUELA'S ECONOMY IN RECESSION [...] (C) Summary: According to Central Bank statistics, Venezuela's economy contracted for the second straight quarter, which is the accepted definition of a recession. The contraction itself was no surprise, but its size - 4.5 percent in real terms - was greater than expected. While even the M [...]	2009-11-18 21:16:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON VE PGOV
09CARACAS1473	RE: MUNICIPALITY CONTINUES TO RESIST CENTRAL GOVERNMENT [...] (SBU) Summary: Government of Venezuela (GBRV) authorities continue to block efforts by Caracas' opposition led municipality of Chacao to build a new civic center on the former site of a popular weekend market. Opposition Chacao Mayor Emilio Grateron ordered construction to begin on Nove [...]	2009-11-19 20:50:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1475	Venezuela: Deciphering the Current Electricity Crisis [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuela's current electrical crisis is serious and complex, with problems that may yet present a "perfect storm" for policymakers. While acknowledging problems in maintenance delays and planning shortfalls in augmenting electricity infrastructure, President Chavez cites increase [...]	2009-11-20 15:38:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON VE
09CARACAS1477	PSUV HOLDS "TRANSPARENT" INTERNAL ELECTIONS, BUT REFUSES TO [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) held nationwide elections on a rainy November 15 for its party congress (reftel). Despite repeatedly trumpeting the balloting as a display of transparency and democracy that the opposition lacks, the PSUV abruptly ch [...]	2009-11-20 16:26:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1479	FEDERAL COUNCIL LAW TO CENTRALIZE POWER AWAY FROM LOCAL [...] (C) Summary: The Chavista-dominated National Assembly (AN) passed the draft Organic Law of the Federal Government Council in a first vote, which appears engineered to create a parallel structure that could greatly diminish the funding and responsibilities currently granted to governors and m [...]	2009-11-20 16:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1483	VENEZUELA DESTROY BORDER BRIDGES; ACCUSES COLOMBIA OF [...] (C) Summary: Venezuelan Army troops on November 19 demolished two locally constructed foot bridges joining villages in Colombia and Venezuela. General Aguero of the 2ND Infantry Division, at a press conference later that day, claimed the structures were "pedestrian crossings used by dr [...]	2009-11-20 19:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MOPS PREL SNAR CO VE OAS
09CARACAS1485	Colombian Guerrillas Reportedly Met with GRBV Officials in [...] (S) Investigative journalist Nelson Bocaranda (strictly protect) told the Ambassador on November 16 that a reliable source had told him that Colombian guerrilla leaders had been in Caracas the previous week to meet with senior Venezuelan government officials to plan a possible provocati [...]	2009-11-20 20:43:00	Embassy Caracas	SECRET//NOFORN	PREL PTER VE CO
09CARACAS1487	VENEZUELA: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF THE LIBERTAD ACT [...] No summary [...]	2009-11-20 20:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	CU ECON EINV EPET ETRD ETTC HURI PREL VE
09CARACAS1489	Students Occupy Embassies; Plan Second Hunger Strike [...] (C) On November 19 student activist Julio Rivas told Polcouns and Human Rights Officer that students would convene a demonstration in Caracas on November 21 in which they would announce their initiation of a second round of political actions, to include a hunger strike by about 50 student [...]	2009-11-20 20:59:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PHUM VE
09CARACAS149	RUMORS OF A RUSSIAN FAVORED BID IN CARABOBO AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: A well-connected industry source asserts that PDVSA has offered to form a mixed company with a newly formed Russian consortium for direct award of one of the Carabobo bid round blocks. The consortium was reportedly not required to pay for the data pack (for $2 million) despite p [...]	2009-02-04 19:15:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV VE
09CARACAS1491	VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TAKES CONTROL OF FOUR PRIVATE BANKS [...] (SBU) Summary: The Venezuelan government (GBRV) announced November 20 that it was taking control of four private banks recently bought (or in the process of being bought) by Ricardo Fernandez, a businessman with close ties to the GBRV. The intervention is taking place with "open doors," i.e [...]	2009-11-20 21:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS1493	FM Maduro Rails Against U.S. and DCA in Meeting of [...] (SBU) Summary: Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro inaugurated the first "International Meeting of Leftist Parties" in Caracas on November 19 with a televised diatribe against the United States. Calling the coup in Honduras a "coup against ALBA," and the Defense Cooperation Agreem [...]	2009-11-20 22:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL VE CO
09CARACAS1495	Foreign Ministry Communique on U.S. "Offer to Mediate" [...] On November 17, 2009, the Foreign Ministry released the communiquC) contained in para 3 below. An informal English version is contained in para 2 below. This communiquC) was apparently in response to the remarks of the Department Spokesman on November 13, in which he said in answering a ques [...]	2009-11-20 23:05:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PREL CO VE
09CARACAS1499	FM MADURO TO PROVIDE UNASUR PROOF OF COLOMBIAN PLANS TO [...] (U) In a November 24 press release, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro announced that Venezuela would provide proof of Colombian "paramilitary incursions and intent to destabilize" Venezuela at the November 27 UNASUR meeting in Quito, Ecuador. He said the November 19 capture of Magaly Ju [...]	2009-11-25 20:47:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PGOV PREL KDEM SNAR VE
09CARACAS1501	Chavez Focuses Meeting of International Leftist Parties on [...] (C) Summary: At the November 19-20 Meeting of International Leftist Parties, President Chavez called on the parties to unite against the United States and said the Defense Cooperation Agreement between the U.S. and Colombia (DCA) threatened the entire hemisphere. He also called convicte [...]	2009-11-25 21:08:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM VE
09CARACAS1503	BRV's Aggressive Land Interventions Benefit Selected [...] (C) SUMMARY: Continuing their aggressive policy to "rescue idle land," Minster of Agriculture Elias Jaua and representatives of the National Land Institute (INTI) intervened in 31 farms totaling about 19,750 hectares on November 23. As before, the government underscored their determinat [...]	2009-11-25 22:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON VE EAGR PGOV
09CARACAS1507	CHAVEZ GIVES IRANIAN LEADER WARM WELCOME; SIGNS MORE [...] (SBU) Summary: President Hugo Chavez provided a warm welcome to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his November 24-26 visit to Venezuela, declaring he and his Iranian counterpart were , "together to the end." The Iranian's visit attracted small protests from student, Venezu [...]	2009-11-27 21:36:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED	PHUM PREL IR VE KISL
09CARACAS1509	VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT SHUTS 4 BANKS AMID RUMORS OF CHAVISTA [...] (C) Summary: The Venezuelan government (GBRV) announced on November 30 it will liquidate two of the four banks it took control of November 20 and temporarily close the other two as it tries to "rehabilitate" them. The intervening period of November 20-30, during which transactions proceeded [...]	2009-12-01 15:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE PGOV
09CARACAS151	CHAVEZ DECLARES SUDDEN HOLIDAY TO HONOR HIMSELF [...] (C) Summary. President Chavez declared on February 1 that February 2 would be a holiday to celebrate his ten years in power. The Venezuelan president's surprise was late, and the vague announcement of this last minute holiday created considerable confusion at businesses, schools, and other i [...]	2009-02-04 21:45:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL PHUM ECON ELAB VE
09CARACAS1511	VENEZUELA - Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessment 2009 [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: There is little to no progress to report for the interim period. The Government of Venezuela (GBRV) refused to meet with Post regarding TIP and remains reluctant to share trafficking information, however it did provide some responses to Post's recent inquiries. While of [...]	2009-12-01 20:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PHUM SMIG KWMN KTIP KCRM VE
09CARACAS1515	CARACAS STRUGGLES TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH [...] (C) SUMMARY: On November 26, Caracas residents blocked a major highway with burning tires to protest the growing piles of trash that had accumulated along the streets of the Libertador municipality. Despite an earlier promise by Libertador Mayor Jorge Rodriguez to resolve the crisis by Novemb [...]	2009-12-01 20:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV ELAB SENV KCOR VE
09CARACAS1517	Ambassadors Discuss Expulsion of Colombian Miners/Colombian [...] (C) Summary: On December 1, Ambassador met with Colombian Ambassador to Venezuela Maria Luisa Chiappe at the residence of Mexican Embassy Political Counselor Maria Elena Alcaraz, at the former's request. Ambassador Chiappe confirmed reports that late last week approximately 500 miners - m [...]	2009-12-02 18:09:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV PREF CO VE
09CARACAS1519	Opposition Officials Attacked During Protest Of Budget Cuts [...] (C) Summary: Leading opposition officials held a march in downtown Caracas on December 1 in protest of proposed cuts of the 2010 allocation of funds from the central government to the states. In an unusually strong show of opposition unity, Miranda Governor Henrique Capriles Rodonski was jo [...]	2009-12-02 18:29:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM EFIN VE
09CARACAS1521	VENEZUELA EXPECTED TO TAKE HARD LINE IN COPENHAGEN [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (GBRV)'s steadfast view that developed countries have caused climate change is expected to dominate its official position at the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference. Though the GBRV has not publicized an official s [...]	2009-12-03 14:06:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	SENV EAID ECON ENRG PGOV PREL UN VE KGHG
09CARACAS1523	RE: Second Student Led Hunger Strike at Risk of Fizzling Out [...] (C) Summary: Two weeks after the November 21 announcement by student activist Julio Rivas of a second student-led hunger strike to demand a visit by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH),the number of students participating in the hunger strike has dropped from its pea [...]	2009-12-03 22:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PHUM VE
09CARACAS1525	VENEZUELA: IRAN SANCTIONS ACT [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a public speech on November 25, President Chavez touted the implementation of 129 joint projects with Iranian cooperation and called the Government of Iran (GOI) a "strategic ally." The same day, the Venezuelan Government (GBRV) signed an additional 45 agreements with Iran to [...]	2009-12-04 13:39:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PREL EPET VE
09CARACAS1529	COLOMBIANS IN VENEZUELA [...] (SBU) Summary: Forty years of civil war in Colombia have created a unique situation where four generations of refugees, totaling an estimated 6 million people, call Venezuela home. Colombian expatriates are integrated at every level of Venezuelan society, from casual day laborers to pro [...]	2009-12-04 22:11:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PREF PGOV PTER CO VE IOM
09CARACAS1535	DEFAMATION OF RELIGIONS DEMARCHE [...] (C) As requested in Reftel, PolCouns demarched Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials on December 4 on the "combating defamation of religions" resolution before the UN General Assembly. Using the non-paper, PolCouns urged the Venezuelan government against supporting the resolution. The officia [...]	2009-12-07 21:03:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	UNGA PHUM VE
09CARACAS1537	Venezuelan government takes over three additional banks; key [...] (C) Summary: The Venezuelan government (GBRV) announced December 4 that it was taking control of three more banks, in addition to the four it took over November 20. While these three banks are small, the growing scale of the GBRV's intervention has had a number of repercussions in the financial sec [...]	2009-12-07 22:54:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE
09CARACAS1539	Venezuela's Rice Availability Diminishing [...] (C) Summary: According to local rice producers and traders, Venezuela's rice supplies are contracting due to diminished domestic output and a slow import program. Although there have been high profile purchases in the last few months from Ecuador, Argentina, and Guyana to cover the expe [...]	2009-12-08 13:19:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EAGR VE PGOV ETRD
09CARACAS1541	VENEZUELA'S MEDICAL SYSTEM IN DISARRAY AS GBRV SHIFTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan doctors have accused the Venezuelan Government (GBRV) of politicizing health care at the expense of the health of Venezuelans. In recent months, protests have paralyzed hospitals across Venezuela as doctors and patients have complained of shortages of medical supplies, [...]	2009-12-08 16:34:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV ELAB HURI VE
09CARACAS1543	Sucre Municipality Opposition Mayor Focuses On Barrios [...] (C) Summary: Carlos Ocariz, the opposition mayor of the Municipality of Sucre in Greater Caracas, has focused on governing, rather than politicking since assuming office in November 2008. His approval ratings have increased since taking office, and his work on social programs, public services, and [...]	2009-12-10 15:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM PINR VE
09CARACAS1545	OAS Visit Ends Student Hunger Strike; Student Confrontation [...] (SBU) Summary: Student activist Julio Rivas claimed victory and ended his 18-day hunger strike on December 8 after a visit to Caracas by an OAS team that listened to the students' concerns and announced a January 2010 visit to Venezuela by OAS Secretary General Insulza. In a separate i [...]	2009-12-10 23:31:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PHUM VE
09CARACAS1547	TWO CHAVISTAS ELECTED AS NEW "INDEPENDENT" CNE RECTORS [...] (C) Summary: The National Assembly (AN) selected two new rectors to the five-person committee that oversees the National Electoral Council (CNE),replacing the two outgoing Chavista rectors with two more of the party faithful. Incoming rectors Socorro Hernandez and Tania D'Amelio, respectiv [...]	2009-12-11 17:23:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS155	VENEZUELAN AUTOMOTIVE POLICY HAD "DISASTEROUS" [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan government's automotive policy, in effect since January 1, 2008, fell far short of meeting its goal of increasing domestic car production. Car sales dropped by 45 percent in 2008 while spiraling prices due to lack of supply now have some in the government calling f [...]	2009-02-05 16:49:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON PGOV PREL ETRD EINV VE
09CARACAS1551	VENEZUELA'S MEDICAL SYSTEM IN DISARRAY AS GBRV SHIFTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan doctors have accused the Venezuelan Government (GBRV) of politicizing health care at the expense of the health of Venezuelans. In recent months, protests have paralyzed hospitals across Venezuela as doctors and patients have complained of shortages of medical supplies, delay [...]	2009-12-14 14:32:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ELAB HURI PGOV VE
09CARACAS1553	GBRV Takes Over Another Small Bank, Raising Total to Eight [...] (C) Summary: On December 11, the Venezuelan government (GBRV) took over another small bank due to "a situation of illiquidity," raising the total in the ongoing episode to eight. This bank, Banorte, fits the pattern of the other seven banks in that it was bought recently by a new entrant to [...]	2009-12-14 20:51:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN VE PGOV
09CARACAS1555	CHAVEZ GOVERNMENT: DIVISION OF POWERS WEAKENS THE STATE [...] (C) Summary: President Chavez publicly echoed comments made by President of the Supreme Court (TSJ) Luisa Estella Morales December 5 that "the division of powers weakens the state." The local media has speculated that the comments suggest that Chavez might try to convoke a constituent assem [...]	2009-12-15 21:18:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1557	GBRV ISSUES ARREST WARRANT FOR ANOTHER OPPOSITION LEADER [...] (C) Summary: The Venezuelan Government (GBRV) issued an arrest warrant December 8 for Ramon Martinez, an ex-governor and the nominal president of the Podemos opposition party, on corruption charges. Although the case has generated only minimal press interest, the prosecution is probably tar [...]	2009-12-15 21:20:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1559	C-AL9-02397 GBRV TIGHTENS THE NOOSE ON COLOMBIAN IMPORTS, [...] (C) SUMMARY: On December 8, the Executive President of the Venezuelan-Colombian Economic Integration Board (CAVECOL),Luis Alberto Russian, told EconOffs that while custom offices remain open on the Colombian border the Venezuelan Government (GBRV) has erected a series of administrative barrier [...]	2009-12-16 13:05:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON ETRD EAGR PINR PREL VE CO
09CARACAS1561	VENEZUELA: NEW PORT AUTHORITIES CHARACTERIZED BY DECLINING [...] (C) SUMMARY: Shipping company representatives report that port conditions improved immediately after the nationalization of Venezuelan port operations in June 2009 when the government retrieved thousands of containers that had been left in the ports. This improvement, though, was short-lived as [...]	2009-12-16 13:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EINT EWWT VE MARR PGOV PREL ETRD
09CARACAS1563	MILITARY REFORMS CONSOLIDATE CHAVEZ AUTHORITY [...] (C) Summary: The October 5 approval by the National Assembly (AN) of 45 changes to the year-old Organic Law of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces and a revision of the Law on Conscription and Enlistment surprised military watchers and NGOs. The new reforms increase the presidency's contro [...]	2009-12-17 00:13:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	MCAP PGOV CO VE
09CARACAS1565	TRIBAL DEATHS HIGHLIGHT GOVERNMENT LAND TRANSFER PROGRAM IN [...] (C) Summary: The October 13 killing of three members of the Yukpa tribe in the border state of Zulia highlighted the tension surrounding the Venezuelan government's (GBRV's) land transfer program. The killings, supposedly by other Yukpa members, followed the alleged theft of 124 cattle two d [...]	2009-12-17 16:30:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREF PHUM PREL KDEM SNAR VE
09CARACAS1567	Venezuela: PDVSA Experiencing Quality Control Problems [...] (C) SUMMARY: PDVSA is experiencing quality control problems with refined product and upgraded crude oil and is bearing significant costs due to these problems. The Venezuelan national oil company has prioritized the supply of gasoline and other petroleum products to its domestic market over it [...]	2009-12-17 17:28:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	EPET EINV ENRG ECON CH VE
09CARACAS1569	Sorting Out the Cedeno Story [...] (C) Summary. The December 10 release of imprisoned banker Eligio Cedeno and the immediate detention of Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni, who ordered his release, have merged two issues: corruption by Chavez insiders and the politicization of Venezuela's judicial system. Embassy recommends a principled po [...]	2009-12-17 23:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PGOV VE
09CARACAS157	VENEZUELA: LABOR UNREST TURNS DEADLY [...] (C) Summary. On January 29, police in Anzoategui state, enforcing a judicial order obtained by Mitsubishi, entered the Mitsubishi automotive factory, which had been taken over by union workers on January 12. A melee ensued, leaving two workers dead and several workers and two police officers [...]	2009-02-05 17:56:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	ECON EFIN ELAB EINV PGOV PREL VE
09CARACAS1581	Venezuela Hosts New FARC-Affiliated Organization [...] (C) Summary: In a meeting in Caracas on December 7-9, about 1,000 delegates from 24 countries established the Continental Bolivarian Movement (MCB),named FARC leader Alfonso Cano its honorary president, and expressed support for the FARC and for President Chavez's fight against "U.S. imperia [...]	2009-12-21 21:02:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV PREL KDEM SNAR VE
09CARACAS1585	OPPOSITION "UNITY TABLE" APPROVES CANDIDATE SELECTION [...] (SBU) Summary: On December 10, after months of negotiations, the opposition "unity table" ("mesa de unidad") announced its proposal for selecting candidates for the September 2010 National Assembly (AN) elections. While relatively thin on detail, the agreement establishes that the selection [...]	2009-12-22 16:44:00	Embassy Caracas	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	PGOV KDEM VE
09CARACAS1587	CHAVEZ VOWS TO SHOOT DOWN "SPY" PLANES [...] (SBU) In his nationally-televised weekly Alo Presidente show on December 20, President Chavez accused Colombian President Uribe of having "handed over Colombia to the yankees" and having allowed them to send unmanned aircraft into Venezuelan airspace near the Colombian border. Chavez said tha [...]	2009-12-22 20:22:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL SNAR VE
09CARACAS1589	Chavez Calls for Cedeno's Extradition and 35-Year Sentence for the Judge [...] (C) During a December 21 broadcast, President Chavez announced that fugitive banker Eligio Cedeno had been detained in the United States and asked the relevant government ministries to quickly put together the necessary documentation for an extradition request to the United States (see reftel for b [...]	2009-12-22 21:27:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PREL PHUM PGOV VE

09CARACAS159	REFERENDUM UPDATE - ONE WEEK OUT [...] (C) Summary: With just over a week to go before the February 15 constitutional referendum to remove official term limits, credible local polling indicates that support for President Chavez's "Yes" campaign has drawn slightly ahead of the "No." The Government of Bolivarin Republic of Venezue [...]	2009-02-06 17:37:00	Embassy Caracas	CONFIDENTIAL	PGOV KDEM VE

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XT
XTAG
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XV
XW
XX
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YE
YEH
YI
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YM
YMCS
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YU
YURIY
ZA
ZANU
ZB
ZC
ZCTU
ZEALAND
ZF
ZFR
ZH
ZI
ZIM
ZJ
ZK
ZKGM
ZL
ZM
ZN
ZO
ZP
ZR
ZS
ZT
ZU
ZW
ZXA