US embassy cable - 04CARACAS2059

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002059 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD 
    STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OTI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, VE 
SUBJECT: TIP REPORT: GOV REACTS INDIGNANTLY 
 
REF: CARACAS 1998 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: MARK A. WELLS, ACTING POLITICAL COUNSELOR, FOR REASONS 1 
.4(B) AND (D). 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (U) NUMEROUS GOV OFFICIALS RESPONDED WITH INDIGNATION AND 
CONDEMNATION TOWARD THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S 2004 TRAFFICKING 
IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT, WHICH LISTED VENEZUELA AS A TIER 3 
COUNTRY.  THE FOREIGN MINISTRY ACCUSED THE U.S. OF SERIOUS 
TRAFFICKING AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS OF ITS OWN.  GOV AND 
PRO-GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ASSAILED THE REPORT AS PART OF A USG 
ANTI-CHAVEZ CAMPAIGN IN THE LEAD-UP TO THE AGUUST 15 
REFERENDUM.  WHILE THE REACTION WAS FORCEFUL, IT WAS SOON 
OVERTAKEN BY THE RELEASE OF THE JUNE 17 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 
REPORT ON THE POLITICIZATION OF VENEZUELA'S JUDICIARY. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------- 
GOV CONDEMNS, DENIES, AND ACCUSES 
--------------------------------- 
 
    2. (U) GOV OFFICIALS AND MEDIA SOURCES CONDEMNED THE 
TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT, CHALLENGED ITS 
LEGITIMACY, AND ACCUSED THE USG OF USING THE REPORT IN ITS 
"DIRTY WAR" TO UNSEAT PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ.  ON A 
STATE-SUPPORTED NEWS WEBSITE, THE FOREIGN MINISTRY RESPONDED 
TO THE TIP REPORT WITH A PRESS STATEMENT CLAIMING THAT "THE 
U.S. IS THE LARGEST TRAFFICKER IN PERSONS."  THE RESPONSE 
ACCUSED THE U.S. OF TRAFFICKING LATIN AMERICAN CHILDREN FOR 
PROSTITUTION AND AGRICULTURAL LABOR, NOT SIGNING 
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES PROTECTING CHILDREN'S RIGHTS (E.G. UN 
CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD), AND PRODUCING THE 
LARGEST AMOUNT OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.  BERNARDO ALVAREZ, 
VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO U.S., SAID THAT VENEZUELA WOULD NOT 
ACCEPT THE USG'S SELF-APPOINTED ROLE AS GLOBAL JUDGE OF HUMAN 
RIGHTS AND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS. 
 
3. (U) DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER AREVALO MENDEZ ACCUSED THE USG 
OF USING THE TIP REPORT TO UNSEAT PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ. 
MENDEZ SAID THAT THE REPORT IS THE WORK OF THE STATE 
DEPARTMENT AND CIA, WHO RELEASED THE REPORT TO "PREJUDICE OUR 
COUNTRY, IN ITS ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE AUGUST 15 
REFERENDUM."  MENDEZ DESCRIBED THE REPORT AS AN AGGRESSION 
TOWARD CHAVEZ AND THE GOV, LIKENING IT TO THE USG'S ALLEGED 
INVOLVEMENT IN THE EVENTS OF APRIL 11, 2002.  MENDEZ FUMED 
THAT THE "INSANITY OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE STATE 
DEPARTMENT HAS REACHED AN EXTREME." 
 
4. (U) TAREK WILLIAM SAAB, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL 
ASSEMBLY'S FOREIGN POLICY COMMITTEE, COMMENTED ON THE HIGH 
U.S. PROSTITUTION RATE, PARTICULARLY CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, BUT 
DIRECTED MUCH OF HIS CRITICISM TOWARD THE USG PLOT TO REMOVE 
    CHAVEZ.  SAAB DESCRIBED THE TIP REPORT AS PART OF AN OPEN, 
HOSTILE USG CAMPAIGN DESIGNED TO "DISTORT THE VENEZUELAN 
REALITY AND FACILITATE AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL RESOLUTION."  SAAB 
STATED THAT THE USG "WANTS TO USE AND MANIPULATE A TOPIC AS 
SENSITIVE AS THIS TO CONDUCT A DIRTY WAR AGAINST THE 
GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ IN THE MIDDLE OF A 
REFERENDUM PROCESS." 
 
5. (C) VICE PRESIDENT JOSE VINCENTE RANGEL ALSO RAISED THE 
ISSUE WITH THE AMBASSADOR IN THEIR MEETING ON JUNE 16 (SEE 
REFTEL).  RANGEL CITED THE TIP REPORT AND ASKED RHETORICALLY 
HOW LONG USG ATTACKS ON THE GOV WILL CONTINUE, DIRECTLY 
CITING THE TIP REPORT.  RANGEL COMPARED VENEZUELA'S 
TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS' SITUATION TO COLOMBIA AND BRAZIL, WHO 
RECEIVED BETTER RATINGS. 
SHAPIRO 
 
NNNN 
      2004CARACA02059 - CONFIDENTIAL