US embassy cable - 04CARACAS2089

C O N F I D E N T I A L  CARACAS 002089 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OTI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, VE 
SUBJECT: REVOLUTIONARY SOAP OPERA BUBBLES OVER FOR GOV 
 
Classified By: Mark A. Wells, Acting Political Counselor, for Reasons 1 
.4(b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) "Amores de Barrio Adentro (Love Inside the 
Neighborhood)," a state-sponsored soap opera, premiered on 
national television on June 22 after a two-hour national 
premiere party.  "Amores" is filled with pro-Chavez rhetoric, 
GoV propaganda, and attacks on the opposition, while 
providing the class rich boy/poor girl love story which is 
the staple of Latin American "telenovelas."  The soap opera 
is a joint effort between the GoV, state-sponsored media, and 
the Ministry of Culture to create one more pro-Chavez 
propaganda tool.  End summary. 
 
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The Revolution Will Be Televised 
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2. (U) The first episode of "Amores de Barrio Adentro (Love 
Inside the Neighborhood)" debuted on state-owned station 
Venezolana de Television (VTV) on July 22.  It contained 
standard soap opera plots and characters, mixed with GoV 
rhetoric and propaganda.  (Note: The title is a play on words 
of the GoV's "Barrio Adentro" program, which brings Cuban 
doctors into poor neighborhoods. End note.)  VTV hosted a 
two-hour television premiere event from a Caracas theatre. 
During the premiere, the introductory speeches took a clear 
political bent.  The President of VTV, the President of 
Cineastas (film producers association), and the Minister of 
Culture all stressed how the show exposes "the enemies of the 
revolution" and "resists the oligarchy."  When "Amores" 
director Roman Chalbaud spoke, the crowd erupted in Chavista 
cheers after Chalbaud's declaration that "we are going to 
vote NO!" (a reference to the presidential recall 
referendum).  Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel also 
attended the premiere. 
 
3. (U) The storyline begins in December 2001 and features two 
families, one Chavista and one "esqualido" (middle and 
upper-class opposition), as the central actors.  The Chavista 
father (Juan) works in a factory and the daughter (Lucinda) 
is a university student, who actively participates in 
pro-Chavez marches.  The opposition father is a psychologist, 
who is depicted as a coup plotter, and the son (Alfonso) is a 
university student.  Both the opposition son and mother 
appear to have pro-Chavez sympathies, if not outright 
tendencies.  The connection between the two families will be 
the Romeo-and-Juliet romance between Lucinda and Alfonso.  In 
a moment of true romance, the two embrace and kiss after 
Alfonso is shot in the neck by (the opposition controlled) 
Metropolitan Police at a Chavista rally.  After a trip to the 
hospital and speedy recovery, the first episode ends outside 
Alfonso's house as Lucinda proclaims her love for Alfonso. 
 
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GoV Propaganda Bubbles Over 
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4. (U) Political commentaries filled the soap opera. 
"Amores" ran one hour, but contained many commercials 
featuring GoV missions and other projects.  Juan, the 
Chavista father and factory worker, is promised by the 
opposition factory manager that he and his workers will 
receive their salaries during the upcoming December 
2001-February 2002 national strike in an effort to allay 
Juan's concerns.  The opposition father and his family appear 
to have prominent roles as coup plotters and dissidents. 
They roll tires through the living room, presumably to be 
burned in a street demonstration similar to the real events 
of March 2004.  The father and family prepare Molotov 
cocktails in the living room as they jokingly discuss their 
"violence in Venezuela" strategy.  Pedro Carmona's image is 
flashed on the television sets of the "esqualidos" on two 
separate occasions.  During a Bolivarian student march, 
Lucinda is seen having a pleasant, informative conversation 
 
with radical Chavista leader Lina Ron, making a cameo 
appearance.  During the same march, the Metropolitan Police 
fire upon innocent Chavista supporters, injuring numerous 
people, including Alfonso. 
 
5. (U) In the first episode, the characters were developed 
and storylines were set.  Three basic story lines will be 
engaged in "Amores": 1) the opposition are violent, 
coup-plotting dissidents; 2) love will unite pro-Chavez 
supporters, even across socio-economic lines (i.e. Lucinda 
and Alfonso); and 3) there will be clear divisions within 
opposition families when some family members support Chavez. 
 
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Comment 
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6. (C) "Amores de Barrio Adentro" is the first attempt by the 
Chavistas to put their own spin on Venezuela's problems 
through the popular "telenovela" format.  (Ironically, 
Venezuela is already a Latin American soap opera leader, with 
Venevision, owned by Chavez antagonist Gustavo Cisneros, the 
principal producer of the soap operas.)  "Amores" appears to 
have acting and production levels which meet the genre's 
standards, but whether Venezuelans want to watch something 
this close to real life is a question.  Nevertheless, it is a 
promising idea for the Chavistas to get their message out 
over the upcoming presidential referendum campaign. 
SHAPIRO 
 
 
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      2004CARACA02089 - CONFIDENTIAL