US embassy cable - 04CARACAS920

C O N F I D E N T I A L  CARACAS 000920 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OTI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, VE 
SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHY OF VENEZUELA'S NEW FOREIGN MINISTER 
 
REF: STATE 52070 
 
Classified By: Abelardo A. Arias, Political Counselor, 
for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C/NF) Jesus Arnaldo Perez became Venezuela's Minister of 
Foreign Relations on February 13, 2004.  Having served as 
Ambassador to France (2002-2004) and to Algeria (2001-2002), 
Perez replaced outgoing Minister Roy Chaderton, who will 
replace Perez as Ambassador to France once the GOV receives 
agrement and the National Assembly approves the nomination. 
Perez is reportedly a childhood friend of President Hugo 
Chavez and rumors abound that he is in fact the President's 
illegitimate half brother.  Perez has spent many years living 
in France, where he was educated and later taught university. 
 He has a doctorate in geography and previously served as 
President Chavez's Minister of Environment and Natural 
Resources during 1999-2000.  Perez champions Chavez's call 
for an International Humanitarian Fund to help lesser 
developed countries.  His arrival coincides with several 
rumored dismissals at the foreign ministry, suggesting Perez 
will purge his ministry of anti-revolutionary sentiment. 
This cable responds in part to Department's information 
request regarding Perez (reftel).  End Summary. 
 
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Professional Experience 
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2. (U) Jesus Arnaldo Perez was sworn in as Minister of 
Foreign Relations on February 13, 2004.  He returns from his 
assignment as Ambassador to France (June 2002 to February 
2004) to replace outgoing Minister Roy Chaderton, who will 
reportedly replace Perez in Paris.  While in Paris, Perez was 
also the Venezuelan PermRep to UNESCO.  Perez previously 
served as Ambassador to Algeria (2001-2002) and as Minister 
of Environment and Natural Resources (1999-2000).  According 
to his official biography, he was an independent 
environmental consultant in the Venezuelan petroleum sector 
from 1996 to 1998.  Prior to that, he taught classes in 
agriculture and geography at various universities in France. 
 
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Academic Background 
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3. (U) Minister Perez earned a doctorate in geography 
(emphasis in rural development) in 1994 from Toulouse 
University II in Toulouse, France.  He received master's 
degrees from the University of Paris (1985) and Bordeaux 
University (1983) and a bachelor's degree in geography (1982) 
from the University of Toulouse.  He is the author of several 
technical articles on agriculture and the environment. 
 
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Personal Data 
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4. (C) Perez was born on November 11, 1953 in Veguita, 
Barinas State, close to the birthplace of President Hugo 
Chavez.  Chavez mentioned during Perez's swearing-in ceremony 
that the two had attended school together in Barinas.  It 
widely rumored that Perez and Chavez are half brothers, 
having the same father.  Perez is married to Lylia de Perez, 
a Moroccan of French descent.  According to a senior MFA 
official, Perez's three children do not speak Spanish but 
rather French.  Perez describes his time spent in France as a 
"voluntary exile" from Venezuela. 
 
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Policy Agenda 
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5. (C) At his swearing-in, Perez blamed an increase in world 
poverty on globalization and the leaders of the North.  He 
makes frequent mention of President Chavez's proposal for an 
International Humanitarian Fund to help lesser developed 
countries eradicate poverty.  According to press interviews, 
Perez sees the U.S.-Venezuela relation as "love-hate," like a 
married couple that "loves each other, but has their 
differences."  He has demanded that the USG respond to 
Chavez's allegations that it was involved in the events of 
April 2002 in Venezuela.  Perez said he does not foresee a 
formal break in relations with the U.S. despite President 
Chavez's hardened rhetoric. 
 
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Institutional Cleansing 
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6. (C) One of Perez's mandates reportedly is to ensure that 
the Foreign Ministry is primarily loyal to President Chavez. 
Perez denies there is an ideological purge coming, but rather 
a restructuring the MFA to be more flexible and "truly 
democratic."  A senior MFA official told the Ambassador that 
22 MFA employees were suspended from work just before the 
February 27 G-15 Summit for having signed for the 
presidential recall referendum.  (Note:  Although there is no 
direct link between the suspensions and Perez, the 
circumstances have given the impression of a purge.) 
 
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Comment 
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7. (C) We see the appointment of Perez as Chavez's desire to 
surround himself with people who are loyal above all.  Perez 
is neither a convincing orator nor seems to possess a great 
intellect.  While he appears amiable and purports to want 
cordial relations with us, we do not expect him to challenge 
Chavez or to offer him particularly useful advice on the U.S. 
and bilateral relations.  We do not expect Perez to be a 
heavy hitter in the cabinet.  Perez seems to be fully with 
the revolutionary agenda.  We see a distinct possibility that 
Perez will attempt to bring revolutionary change to a 
Venezuelan diplomatic corps that has been resilient to such 
efforts thus far. 
 
 
SHAPIRO 
 
 
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      2004CARACA00920 - CONFIDENTIAL