US embassy cable - 04CARACAS1431

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001431 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR C. BARTON 
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KDEM, VE 
SUBJECT: FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER CHADERTON STICKS TO MESSAGE 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMB. CHARLES A.SHAPIRO FOR REASON 1.4 (D). 
 
1.  (C) THE AMBASSADOR HAD BREAKFAST WITH FORMER FOREIGN 
MINISTER, NOW AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO FRANCE, ROY CHADERTON 
APRIL 22.  CHADERTON LAMENTED THE POOR STATE OF 
U.S.-VENEZUELA RELATIONS, AND BLAMED THE SITUATION ON 
SCHEMING COLOMBIANS AND ON MEDIA OWNERS LIKE GUSTAVO 
CISNEROS.  THE AMBASSADOR TOLD CHADERTON STRONGLY THAT 
RELATIONS ARE POOR BECAUSE OF PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ.  THE 
PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA HAS BEEN IMPLACABLY HOSTILE TOWARD THE 
UNITED STATES, HAS INSULTED PRESIDENT BUSH, AND HAS 
THREATENED TO CUT OFF OIL SALES TO THE U.S., THE AMBASSADOR 
REMINDED THE FORMER MINISTER.  TO TRY TO BLAME POOR RELATIONS 
ON COLOMBIAN ACCUSATIONS THAT VENEZUELA IS ASSISTING THE FARC 
OR ON MEDIA OWNERS, COMPLAINTS ABOUT INFRINGEMENT ON FREEDOM 
OF EXPRESSION IS SPECIOUS, THE AMBASSADOR SAID. 
 
2.  (C) SEVERAL TIMES, CHADERTON RETURNED TO POSSIBILITY OF 
INCREASING COOPERATION IN SPECIFIC TECHNICAL AREAS.  EACH 
TIME, THE AMBASSADOR RESPONDED THAT THE ISSUE IS AN 
INCREASINGLY AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENT THAT COMMITS HUMAN 
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND TAKES REVENGE AGAINST PEOPLE WHO SIGNED 
THE PETITIONS FOR THE RECALL REFERENDUM, AND A PRESIDENT WHO 
INSULTS THE UNITED STATES AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.  WHEN 
CHADERTON REITERATED HIS LAMENT ABOUT THE NON-DEMOCRATIC 
NATURE OF THE OPPOSITION, THE AMBASSADOR TOLD HIM HIS 
ANALYSIS WAS OUT OF DATE, THAT THE OPPOSITION HAD EVOLVED, 
HAD MATURED AND HAD SIDELINED THE MORE RADICAL, COUP PLOTTING 
    GROUPS, LIKE THE "BLOQUE DEMOCRATICO."  SINCE THE MAY 29, 
2003 OAS AGREEMENT, THE AMBASSADOR NOTED, THE OPPOSITION HAD 
FOCUSED ON THE RECALL REFERENDUM ONLY TO HAVE THE NATIONAL 
ELECTORAL COUNCIL (CNE) STEAL THE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION 
PROCESS UNDER GOV ORDERS.  YOU CANNOT PICK YOUR OPPOSITION; 
THE OPPOSITION SELECTS ITS OWN LEADERSHIP, THE AMBASSADOR 
REMINDED THE FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER. 
 
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OTHER MATTERS 
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3.  (C) DISCUSSING THE VISIT OF SENATOR BILL NELSON (D-FL), 
CHADERTON CONCLUDED THAT VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. 
BERNARDO ALVAREZ MIGHT HAVE BEEN OVER-CONFIDENT IN HIS REPORT 
TO CARACAS ABOUT WHAT NELSON WOULD SAY PUBLICLY AFTER HIS 
TRIP.  CHADERTON SAID PRESIDENT CHAVEZ INSTRUCTED HIS STAFF 
TO HOLD AGREMENT FOR AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD THE SAME AMOUNT OF 
TIME THAT WE HAD DELAYED AGREMENT FOR ALVAREZ.  CHADERTON 
ALSO SAID FOREIGN MINISTER JESUS PEREZ HAS BROUGHT BACK 
FORMER MFA CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATION MADRIZ BUSTAMANTE. 
CHADERTON EXPENDED A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT GETTING MADRIZ, A 
RADICAL CHAVISTA, MOVED OUT OF THE MFA, ONLY TO HAVE PEREZ 
ACQUIESCE IN HIS RETURN.  CHADERTON FEARS MADRIZ WILL PURGE 
THOSE WHO ARE NOT WITH THE PROCESS. 
 
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COMMENT 
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4.  (C) IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT CHADERTON, NOT HAVING THE 
    PRIZE OF THE VENEZUELAN EMBASSY IN PARIS YET IN HAND, HAS NOT 
CHANGED HIS MESSAGE SINCE LEAVING THE FOREIGN MINISTRY.  HE 
SPOKE PROUDLY OF HIS LONGSTANDING DISGUST WITH THE VENEZUELAN 
MEDIA.  SEEN THROUGH THIS OPTIC, THE MEDIA ARE TO BLAME FOR 
VENEZUELA'S PROBLEMS.  THE PROBLEM IS THE MEDIA, NOT THE 
FAILED POLICIES OF THE GOVERNMENT OR CHAVEZ'S HOSTILE 
RHETORIC TOWARDS ALL WHO ARE NOT PART OF HIS "REVOLUTIONARY" 
PROCESS.  GIVEN CHADERTON'S REPUTATION FOR PROTECTING 
VENEZUELA'S CAREER DIPLOMATIC SERVICE FROM POLITICIZATION AND 
FOR UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, HOWEVER, IT IS 
SURPRISING THAT CANNOT SEE THE NEGATIVE EFFECT OF HIS 
GOVERNMENT'S HOSTILE RHETORIC ON BILATERAL RELATIONS.  NO 
DOUBT THAT CHAVEZ CAN CONTINUE TO COUNT ON A LOYAL AMBASSADOR 
WHEN CHADERTON GOES TO EUROPE. 
SHAPIRO 
 
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      2004CARACA01431 - CONFIDENTIAL