US embassy cable - 04CARACAS3374

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HENRIQUE SALAS ROEMER SHRUGS OFF STRATEGY

Identifier: 04CARACAS3374
Wikileaks: View 04CARACAS3374 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Caracas
Created: 2004-11-01 12:58:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PGOV VE
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 003374 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
HQSOUTHCOM FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, VE 
SUBJECT: HENRIQUE SALAS ROEMER SHRUGS OFF STRATEGY 
 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR 1.4 (D) 
 
1.  (C)  Proyecto Venezuela leader Henrique Salas Roemer said 
that the government would win by fraud in the regional 
elections during a short courtesy call on the Ambassador at 
the Residence October 22.  Salas Roemer criticized the Carter 
Center for legitimizing what he described as a fraudulent 
recall referendum.  Citing polls, he said the opposition was 
poised to fare well in the regional elections on October 31, 
but Chavez would sweep the map on October 31 by cheating. 
 
2.  (C)  Salas Roemer called himself the "most famous 
unemployed Venezuelan."  He dismissed the Ambassador's 
suggestion that he would have many opportunities to seek 
election in the next few years, saying he would never run 
without an impartial process.  In response to Ambassador's 
queries about a future strategy for the opposition, the party 
leader merely returned to the subject of prospects for the 
regional election. 
 
------- 
Comment 
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3.  (C)  Salas Roemer demonstrates a lack of vision that is 
typical of opposition leadership, many of whom have no plan 
for reorganizing after what they expect to be a Chavez rout 
on October 31.  Claims that he will abstain from future 
elections appear somewhat disingenuous coming from this 
self-absorbed, longtime politician. 
Brownfield 
 
 
NNNN 
      2004CARACA03374 - CONFIDENTIAL 

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