US embassy cable - 04CARACAS947

C O N F I D E N T I A L  CARACAS 000947 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR TSHANNON AND CBARTON 
USCINSO ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OTI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KDEM, VE 
SUBJECT: NUMBER THREE PROSECUTOR BECOMES CHAVEZ POLITICAL 
CASUALTY 
 
REF: A. CARACAS 00620 
 
     B. CARACAS 00882 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Abelardo A. Arias for 
Reason 1.4(d) 
 
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Summary: 
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1. (C) Carmen Alguindigue, the former number three prosecutor 
in the Attorney General's Office, said March 17 she was fired 
for refusing to support the Chavez political agenda.  The 
increasing number of politically-motivated firings in 
government will further weaken the nation's institutions, she 
said.  She said Vice President Jose Vincente Rangel "was 
lying" March 16 when he declared that no human rights 
complaints had been lodged with law enforcement groups, but 
she understands that prosecutors have taken little or no 
action to look into the allegations of human rights abuses. 
Alguindigue's firing is an example of further weakened 
Venezuelan institutions, and the GoV consolidating power 
throught non-executive branch institutions.  End Summary. 
 
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Prosecutor Pushed Out For Resisting Chavez Line 
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2. (C) Carmen Alguindigue, former Chief of Procedural Action 
for the Attorney General's Office (Fiscalia), and a long-time 
contact of the Embassy's NAS, PAS and Legatt sections, told 
poloff March 17 that she was fired February 18 as part of a 
sweep against top Fiscalia managers who resisted policy 
decisions supporting the Chavez political agenda (reftels). 
Alguindigue, who held the number three slot in the Attorney 
General's Office, said she had been warned personally by 
Attorney General Isaias Rodriguez to "find ways to cooperate" 
with GoV directives, and Rodriguez routinely called to press 
her to make decisions on cases effecting GoV interests. 
While she didn't confront Rodriguez, or defy him outright, 
she said it became more and more obvious that she was not 
following his instructions.  The decision to dismiss her, she 
said, was obviously politically motivated.  Rodriguez made 
the decision, but Alguindigue is sure there was pressure from 
GoV officials like Vice President Rangel. 
 
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Political Firings Weaken Institutions 
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3. (C) Alguindigue worked as a prosecutor for six years, 
including during the events of April 2002.  She viewed 
herself as part of a new group of prosecutors who recognized 
their institutional role in the government, and who worked to 
keep the institution transparent, independent and responsible 
under the law.  She asserted that the increasing number of 
politically-motivated firings in government will further 
weaken the nation's institutions, which are already weak 
under Chavez. 
 
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Few Human Rights Investigations Due to GoV Pressure 
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4. (C) Alguindigue also was in charge of overseeing 
investigations into alleged GoV human rights abuses.  She 
said Vice President Jose Vincente Rangel "was lying" March 16 
when he declared that no human rights complaints had been 
lodged.  She noted that Rangel's list of law enforcement 
agencies did not include the Attorney General's Office, which 
is the central authority for human rights investigations. 
Nevertheless, she understands from her contacts in the 
Attorney General's Office that prosecutors have taken little 
to no action to look into the many human rights abuses.  The 
GoV, she said, has effectively closed the investigating 
institutions. 
 
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Comment: 
 
 
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5. (C) Alguindigue's departure from the Attorney General's 
Office is yet another brush stroke in the bleak portrait 
being painted of weakened Venezuelan institutions and a GoV 
increasingly consolidating power in the executive.  Her 
absence is likely to reduce the chances of opening 
investigations into alleged human rights abuses and their 
effective prosecution. 
SHAPIRO 
 
 
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      2004CARACA00947 - CONFIDENTIAL