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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 AN | ||||