US embassy cable - 05CARACAS41

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000041 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
S/ES-O, WHA, NSC FOR CBARTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PREL, VE 
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA: NAMES, TITLES AND CONTACT NUMBERS FOR 
LEADING GOV AND POLITICAL FIGURES 
 
REF: SECSTATE 271552 
 
(SBU) Per reftel instructions, the following is a list of 
leading goverment and political figures in Venezuela: 
 
Country:    Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 
      (Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela) 
 
DATE: January 6, 2005 
 
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT 
      LAST NAME: CHAVEZ FRIAS 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: HUGO RAFAEL 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Hugo Chavez 
FORMAL TITLE: President of the Bolivarian Republic of 
Venezuela (Presidente de la Republica Bolivariana de 
Venezuela) 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-806-3111 (24 HRS) 
                              011-58-212-575-1922 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: (same as Office Telephone Nos.) 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: not available 
COMMENTS: Requires interpreter. 
 
VICE PRESIDENT 
      LAST NAME: RANGEL VALE 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: JOSE VICENTE 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Jose Vicente Rangel 
FORMAL TITLE: Executive Vice President of the Bolivarian 
Republic of Venezuela (Vicepresidente Ejecutivo de la 
Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela) 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-863-3938 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-416-633-8147 
E-MAIL: lbracho@vicepresidencia.gov.ve 
COMMENTS: Requires interpreter. 
 
FOREIGN MINISTER 
      LAST NAME: RODRIGUEZ ARAQUE 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: ALI 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Ali Rodriguez 
FORMAL TITLE: Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ministro de 
Relaciones Exteriores) 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-862-4484 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: 011-58-212-693-1111 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-414-270-2050 
E-MAIL: canciller@mre.gov.ve 
COMMENTS: Requires interpreter. 
 
FIFTH REPUBLIC MOVEMENT (MOVIMIENTO QUINTA REPUBLICA, MVR) 
POLITICAL PARTY LEADER 
      LAST NAME: LARA 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: WILLIAN 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Willian Lara 
FORMAL TITLE: National Assembly Deputy, Member of the MVR 
National Tactical Command 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-409-7665 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-416-695-8562 
E-MAIL: not available 
COMMENTS: Requires interpreter. Lara is a senior official of 
the MVR.  President Chavez is the head of the party. 
 
FATHERLAND FOR ALL (PATRIA PARA TODOS, PPT) POLITICAL PARTY 
LEADER 
      LAST NAME: ALBORNOZ 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: JOSE 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Jose Albornoz 
FORMAL TITLE: Secretary General of PPT 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-577-4545 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-414-327-5265 
E-MAIL: not available 
COMMENTS: Albornoz's Secretary Luisa Medina answers office 
telephone number. Albornoz and Medina require an interpreter. 
 
"WE CAN" (PODER DEMOCRATICO SOCIAL, PODEMOS) POLITICAL PARTY 
LEADER 
      LAST NAME: GARCIA 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: ISMAEL 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Ismael Garcia 
FORMAL TITLE: National Assembly Deputy, Secretary General of 
Podemos 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-484-3863 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-412-290-3030 
E-MAIL: not available 
COMMENTS: Garcia's Assistant Maira Funes answers office 
telephone numbers. Garcia and Funes require an interpreter. 
 
DEMOCRATIC ACTION (ACCION DEMOCRATICA, AD) POLITICAL PARTY 
LEADER 
      LAST NAME: RAMOS ALLUP 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: HENRY 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Henry Ramos 
FORMAL TITLE: National Assembly Deputy, Secretary General of 
AD 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  not available 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-414-228-0694 
BLACKBERRY: hcl@tmotion.net 
COMMENTS: Requires interpreter. 
 
CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC (COPEI) POLITICAL PARTY LEADER 
      LAST NAME: PEREZ VIVAS 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: CESAR 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Cesar Perez Vivas 
FORMAL TITLE: National Assembly Deputy, Secretary General of 
COPEI 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-409-7600 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-414-321-6743 
E-MAIL: cesarpv@telcel.net.ve 
COMMENTS: Requires interpreter. 
 
JUSTICE FIRST (PRIMERO JUSTICIA) POLITICAL PARTY LEADER 
      LAST NAME: BORGES 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: JULIO 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Julio Borges 
FORMAL TITLE: National Assembly Deputy, General Coordinator 
of Primero Justicia 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-952-9733 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: 011-58-212- 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-414-307-3893 
BLACKBERRY: cometa4@tmotion.net 
COMMENTS: Speaks English. 
 
MOVEMENT TO SOCIALISM (MOVIMIENTO AL SOCIALISMO, MAS) 
POLITICAL PARTY LEADER 
      LAST NAME: MUJICA 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: FELIPE 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Felipe Mujica 
FORMAL TITLE: President of MAS 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-953-5661 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-416-625-6829 
BLACKBERRY: barranco@tmotion.net 
COMMENTS: Requires interpreter. 
 
SUMATE LEADER (ELECTORAL NGO) 
      LAST NAME: MACHADO PARISCA 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: MARIA CORINA 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Maria Corina Machado 
FORMAL TITLE: 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-285-4562 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-414-323-5481 
E-MAIL: machadomc@cantv.net 
COMMENTS: Speaks English. 
 
SUMATE LEADER (ELECTORAL NGO) 
      LAST NAME: PLAZ CASTILLO 
      FIRST/MIDDLE NAMES: ALEJANDRO 
      CONVENTIONAL USAGE: Alejandro Plaz 
FORMAL TITLE: 
OFFICE TELEPHONE NOS.:  011-58-212-285-4562 
AFTER-HOURS OFFICIAL NOS.: not available 
RESIDENCE TELEPHONE NOS.: not available 
CELL PHONE NOS.: 011-58-416-632-5458 
E-MAIL: not available 
COMMENTS: Speaks English. 
Brownfield