US embassy cable - 04CARACAS2158

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 002158 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
HQ USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
USAID DCHA/OTI FOR RPORTER 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, VE 
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION RANK-AND-FILE ATTACK CHAVISTAS 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL COUNSELOR MARK WELLS FOR REASONS 1.4 (D) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C) A GROUP OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS ATTACKED A 
PRO-CHAVEZ COMANDO MAISANTA CAMPAIGN TEAM IN THE WEALTHY ALTO 
PRADO AREA OF CARACAS ON JUNE 27. A STATE TELEVISION REPORTER 
WAS THROWN TO THE GROUND, AND A CHAVEZ CAMPAIGN WORKER WAS 
HIT IN THE HEAD AND LEFT BLEEDING. THE INCIDENT IS BEING USED 
BY PRO-CHAVEZ MEDIA, AND BY PRESIDENT CHAVEZ HIMSELF, TO 
PORTRAY THE OPPOSITION AS VIOLENT AND UNBALANCED. SOME 
OPPOSITION POLITICIANS AND JOURNALISTS HAVE BLAMED THE 
CHAVISTAS FOR THE ATTACK, CALLING THE ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH 
THEMSELVES IN AN OPPOSITION NEIGHBORHOOD A PROVOCATION. THE 
MEDIA HAS BEEN MIXED, WITH SOME OPPOSITION PAPERS STRONGLY 
CONDEMNING THE ATTACK AS A SIGN OF INTOLERANCE. SEVERAL 
OPPOSITION POLITICIANS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN IN MEETINGS 
WITH POLOFFS RECENTLY ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR ACTS OF 
VIOLENCE BY OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS IN THE EVENT CHAVEZ IS 
REVOKED. END SUMMARY. 
 
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VIOLENCE IN ALTO PRADO 
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2.  (U) A GROUP OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS ATTACKED A GROUP OF 
CHAVEZ CAMPAIGN WORKERS WHEN THEY TRIED TO MOUNT A BOOTH FOR 
THE COMANDO MAISANTA (CHAVEZ' CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE) IN THE 
WEALTHY ALTO PRADO AREA OF CARACAS ON JUNE 27. A REPORTER 
FROM VENEZUELAN DE TELEVISION (VTV), THE GOVERNMENT STATION, 
WAS THROWN TO THE GROUND, ONE OF THE CHAVISTA CAMPAIGN 
WORKERS WAS LEFT BLEEDING FROM THE HEAD, AND AN ANGLICAN 
PRIEST PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT HAD TO BE LED AWAY BY THE 
LOCAL POLICE FOR HIS OWN PROTECTION. THE CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS 
ATTEMPTED TO SET UP A CAMPAIGN TENT IN A PUBLIC PARK, WITHOUT 
THE REQUIRED PERMITS ACCORDING TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES. THERE 
ARE UNCONFIRMED REPORTS THAT THE CHAVISTAS WERE PLAYING LOAD 
MUSIC, TRYING TO HARASS DRIVERS, AND THROWING ROCKS AT CARS, 
CAUSING A CROWD TO FORM. OTHER REPORTS, HOWEVER, INDICATE THE 
PEOPLE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD REACTED TO THE PRESENCE OF THE 
CHAVISTAS IN A HOSTILE MANNER IMMEDIATELY. 
 
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CHAVISTA REACTION 
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3.  (U) CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS PORTRAYED THE OPPOSITION AS 
VIOLENT, FASCIST, RACIST, AND IRRATIONAL. PRESIDENT CHAVEZ, 
ON HIS "ALO, PRESIDENTE!" PROGRAM, ASKED GOD TO FORGIVE THE 
OPPOSITION, SAYING "LORD, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW NOT 
WHAT THEY DO." CHAVEZ BLAMED THE PRIVATE MEDIA FOR "PUTTING 
THE DEVIL INSIDE PEOPLE, DRIVING THEM MAD." CHAVEZ INSIDER 
AND MIRANDA STATE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE DIOSDADO CABELLO 
TOLD SUPPORTERS JUNE 30 THAT ONE DAY OF RULE BY THE 
OPPOSITION WOULD RESEMBLE THE EVENTS OF APRIL, 2002: 
    VIOLENCE, DISAPPEARANCES, AND REVENGE. THE ALTO PRADO 
INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE DAY OF THE PRESS, AND THE CHAVISTA 
PRESS CONDEMNED THE FAILURE OF THE OPPOSITION TO RESPECT THE 
PRO-GOV PRESS. A PROSECUTOR WAS ASSIGNED TO THE CASE OF 
ROMELIA MATUTE, THE VTV REPORTER THROWN TO THE GROUND, AND 
SHE WAS GIVEN TWO POLICE ESCORTS TO PROTECT HER, BECAUSE SHE 
LIVES IN ALTO PRADO. IT IS POSSIBLE THERE WILL BE ARRESTS IN 
THE CASE. 
 
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OPPOSITION 
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4.  (U) THE REACTION OF THE OPPOSITION HAS BEEN MIXED. 
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (NA) DEPUTY GERARDO BLYDE (PRIMERO 
JUSTICIA) AND EL UNIVERSAL COLUMNIST ROBERTO GUISTI CONDEMNED 
THE CHAVISTAS FOR PROVOKING THE VIOLENCE, AND RECALLED 
PREVIOUS ACTS OF VIOLENCE BY CHAVISTAS AGAINST THE 
OPPOSITION. MOST OPPOSITION POLITICAL LEADERS HAVE NOT 
COMMENTED ON THE INCIDENT. THE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP PROVEA 
CALLED THE ATTACK "PROFOUNDLY IRRATIONAL," WHILE TEODORO 
 
CARACAS 00002158  002 OF 002 
 
IOLENT. EL GLOBO HARSHLY 
ATTACKED THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VIOLENCE, CALLING IT 
"UNACCEPTABLE," "INFANTILE," AND "A FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE 
DEMOCRATIC SPIRIT."  OTHER OPPOSITION PAPERS HAVE MADE NO 
EDITORIAL COMMENT, AND SOME HAVE NOT GIVEN THE INCIDENT MUCH 
COVERAGE. 
 
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WHAT LIES BENEATH 
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5.  (C) NA DEPUTY PASTOR HEYDRA (ACCION DEMOCRATICA) TOLD 
POLOFF ON JUNE 28 THAT HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY 
OF VIOLENCE ON THE PART OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS IN THE EVENT 
CHAVEZ IS REVOKED. HE SAID THAT THE OPPOSITION IS POWERED BY 
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND NGOS, WHICH ARE OFTEN MORE RADICAL IN 
THEIR ANTI-CHAVISMO THAN THE OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES. HE 
SAID THE CD IS NOT GETTING ITS MESSAGE OUT ABOUT 
RECONCILIATION AND UNITY BECAUSE MUCH OF THE OPPOSITION'S 
SUPPORTERS REJECT IT. NA DEPUTY ERNESTO ALVARENGA 
(SOLIDARIDAD) TOLD POLOFF JUNE 16 THAT HE WAS CONCERNED THAT 
THE OPPOSITION DID NOT TRULY ACCEPT EX-CHAVISTAS, AND THAT 
THE FEAR AMONG CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS OF A WAVE OF REPRESSION 
AGAINST THEM SHOULD CHAVEZ BE REVOKED WAS NOT UNFOUNDED. 

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COMMENT 
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6.  (C) THIS INCIDENT IS A REMINDER THAT OPPOSITION 
RANK-AND-FILE ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF VIOLENCE, THOUGH CHAVISTA 
VIOLENCE AGAINST THE OPPOSITION HAS BEEN STRONGER AND MORE 
FREQUENT (E.G., THE JUNE 3 BEATING OF CONGRESSMAN RAFAEL 
MARIN -- WHICH PUT HIM IN INTENSIVE CARE -- AND GUNSHOTS 
FIRED THAT DAY MEDIA OFFICES AND THE CARACAS MAYOR'S OFFICE), 
.  IT IS POSSIBLE THE ALTO PRADO PRO-CHAVEZ PRESENCE WAS 
INITIATED WITH THE HOPE THE ANTI-CHAVEZ NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD 
REACT EMOTIONALLY AND VIOLENTLY TO THE CAMPAIGN WORKERS.  WE 
CAN PROBABLY EXPECT THE CHAVISTAS TO TRY TO REPLICATE THE 
INCIDENT.  CHAVEZ WANTS TO PAINT THE OPPOSITION AS PRONE TO 
VIOLENCE AND REVENGE, THEREBY CREATING FEAR FOR WHAT WOULD 
COME SHOULD CHAVEZ BE REVOKED.  THIS WILL COMPLICATE THE 
COORDINADORA DEMOCRATICA'S EFFORTS TO CLAIM THEY ARE FOR 
UNITY AND RECONCILIATION. 
SHAPIRO 
 
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      2004CARACA02158 - CONFIDENTIAL