US embassy cable - 04BUENOSAIRES2904

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 002904 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CARACAS FOR AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD 
STATE FOR WHA DAS CHARLES SHAPIRO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, AR, VZ 
SUBJECT: OFFER OF ASSISTANCE WITH POLITICAL RECONCILIATION 
IN VENEZUELA 
 
REF: BUENOS AIRES 02866 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Lino Gutierrez for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
1.  (C)  On October 13th, Ambassador accompanied by POLCOUNS 
and POLOFF met with leading Argentine pollster Graciela 
Romer.  She has long been a helpful contact of the Embassy. 
(SEE REFTEL)  Romer is active in opinion polling and 
political consulting in many parts of Latin America, and has 
completed several recent studies for the National Democratic 
Institute (NDI) in Venezuela.  Graciela Romer told Ambassador 
she would like to offer her services to Embassy Caracas 
and/or WHA to help facilitate the political reconciliation 
between the Venezuelan opposition and the GOV. 
 
2.  (C)  With the recall referendum decided, Romer argued 
that the focus needs to be on political reconciliation and 
governability and would like to use her firm to help this 
process.  In her view, the Carter Center and the OAS have 
been discredited in the eyes of the opposition, and so are 
unable to perform the role of mediator.  She felt that other 
groups, such as the United Nations Development Program 
(UNDP), and private organizations, such as her firm, would be 
better equipped to initiate dialogue between the Venezuelan 
opposition and the more moderate elements associated with 
President Chavez.  Romer mentioned that she has contacts 
within both the opposition and the government, and also 
relayed her impressions of her recent meeting with President 
Chavez. 
 
 
GUTIERREZ