US embassy cable - 04CARACAS1993

C O N F I D E N T I A L  CARACAS 001993 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD 
USAID DCHA/OTI FOR RPORTER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KDEM, VE 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH SUMATE LEADERS 
 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR REASONS 1.4 (d 
) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C) SUMATE leaders Maria Corina Machado and Alejandro 
Plaz were charged on June 10 and 11 respectively with 
conspiracy to "destroy the republican form of government" for 
accepting funds from the National Endowment for Democracy, 
but have not been detained. Plaz and Machado told the 
Ambassador and DCM June 8 that they feared they would be 
charged with treason and conspiracy and jailed when they 
appeared in court. Plaz asserted that the attempt to shut 
down SUMATE by arresting Machado and himself would fail as 
the organization is designed to operate in the face of 
repression. Machado and Plaz asked the Ambassador's advice on 
whether to go to jail, go into hiding, or seek asylum. The 
Ambassador discussed the options but declined to give 
specific advice on this issue, and talked about the best way 
the organization could go about informing the international 
community about their case. End Summary. 
 
2.  (U) SUMATE leader Maria Corina Machado was charged with 
conspiracy to destroy the republican form of government by a 
prosecutor June 10. Alejandro Plaz was similarly charged on 
June 11. The charges stem from funds the group SUMATE 
received from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) for 
voter education. Charges of treason were not filed against 
either, despite earlier indications. Neither had been taken 
into custody as of June 15. 
 
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SUMATE Leaders Expected to be Arrested 
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3.  (C) The Ambassador, DCM and PolOff (notetaker) met with 
Machado and Plaz June 8. Plaz reported that the only evidence 
in the prosecutor's file is the contract with NED, and a 
public accusation by President Chavez made on television 
February 15, 2004. Machado and Plaz told the Ambassador that 
they expected to be charged and perhaps arrested. 
 
4.  (C) Plaz told the Ambassador that the GOV would fail to 
shut SUMATE down. He explained that the organization drills 
for scenarios where offices are seized and leaders arrested. 
Machado pointed out that the GOV could not arrest 30,000 
people. She feared, however, that the case against them would 
effect operational efficiency, and intimidate people. Machado 
pointed out that the GOV claim that NED funded treasonous 
activities in Venezuela implicates the USG as well. 
 
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Ask Ambassador's Advice 
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5.  (C) Machado told the Ambassador they were considering 
whether to accept imprisonment, go into hiding, or ask for 
asylum. Machado and Plaz reported that the situation was 
placing great strain on their families. Machado asked the 
Ambassador and DCM for their counsel. Though declining to 
give specific advice, the Ambassador noted that while going 
to prison would create an international scandal, the best 
Venezuelan prison is a nightmare and one could not in good 
conscience recommend that anyone go to prison. The DCM 
observed that politically the two would probably be of most 
value in prison, followed by exile, and then in hiding. 
 
6.  (C) Asked who he would recommend they talk to in the 
international community to bring attention to their case, the 
Ambassador recommended they speak with Amnesty International, 
the US Congress, and Moises Naim. He further suggested that 
they try to get in touch with representatives of the GOV's 
lobbyists in the US, Patton and Boggs, to try to get them to 
advise the GOV against pursuing the case. The DCM suggested 
talking to European Union missions. 
 
7.  (C) In a subsequent conversation the Canadian Ambassador 
told Ambassador Shapiro that he would gladly recommend both 
Plaz and Machado and their families for refugee status in 
Canada. 
 
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Comment 
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8.  (C) The case against SUMATE is purely political, as 
President Carter observed during the reparo process. It is 
designed to intimidate the most technically effective group 
in the opposition. SUMATE's talented and dedicated volunteers 
were critical to the success of the signature drive.  If the 
GOV were able to knock SUMATE out of commission by taking out 
the leadership, which is unlikely, as Machado and Plaz note, 
it would be a major blow to the opposition, and the recall 
effort. Machado and Plaz have handled the case intelligently, 
denying the courts a pretext to jail them. Machado and Plaz 
may still be arrested in the future, perhaps closer to the 
referendum, to confuse the opposition. A strong and immediate 
international reaction will be necessary to hold the GOV to 
democratic norms should this occur. 
SHAPIRO 
 
 
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      2004CARACA01993 - CONFIDENTIAL