US embassy cable - 05CARACAS324

UNCLAS CARACAS 000324 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR TSHANNON AND CBARTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KWMN, PHUM, VE 
SUBJECT: WOMEN'S GROUPS REGISTER SUPPORT FOR SECRETARY RICE 
 
REF: A. CARACAS 00252 
     B. WELLS/COLLINS EMAIL 1/28 
 
1. (U) Leaders of women's rights groups came to the Embassy 
on January 28 to deliver a letter repudiating the comments 
made by President Hugo Chavez about Secretary-Designate Rice 
during a rally on January 23 (ref a).  The letter is signed 
by the National Women's Front, a group of 26 organizations 
largely affiliated with opposition political parties, labor, 
business, and civil society groups.  Poloff accepted the 
letter on behalf of the Ambassador.  Post e-mailed an 
electronic copy of the letter in Spanish to WHA/AND. 
 
2. (U) Begin Embassy translation of text of letter: 
 
National Women's Front 
 
 
                              Caracas, January 27,2005 
 
 
 
Mr. Ambassador of the United States of America 
William R. Brownfield 
Your Office 
 
Your Excellency, receive our greeting, 
 
We are writing to inform you that the National Women's Front 
of Venezuela, representing an important group of women 
leaders of democratic political parties and civil society 
groups of our country, decided to send, through you and the 
other members of the U.S. Embassy, to Ms. Conoleeza Rice, 
Secretary of State and senior representative of American 
 
SIPDIS 
diplomacy, our excuses regarding the inconsiderate, obscene, 
and lewd statements made against her last Sunday by President 
Chavez during a public speech. 
 
This is not the first time that the President has exhibited 
such behavioral traits without restraint in the media, 
offending the dignity of our people with such shameful 
behavior, which has even affected his own wife and degraded 
the presidential office. 
 
The democratic women of Venezuela do hereby state that we 
reject not only such disrespectful language but we especially 
reject the sexist, macho, and authoritarian concept hidden 
behind it that we have tried to eradicate with our struggle 
to reach true gender equality in our country and in the world. 
 
With our respectful consideration, we remain, very truly 
yours, 
 
The National Women's Front: 
 
The women of 
 
AD, COPEI, Red Flag, Project Venezuela, Movement to 
Socialism, Brave People's Alliance, Movement of Labor, URD, 
United Democratic Women, Women of Petroleum, Women United and 
Organized for Venezuela, Watchmen for Democracy, Ecological 
Guardians, Venezuela Is All Of Us, People of Education, 
CISFEM, Woman and Community, Argelia Laya Women's House 
Foundation, Women of the Federation of Construction Workers, 
Women of the Venezuelan Workers Confederation, Women of the 
Campesino Federation, Women of the State of Falcon, Women of 
the State of Tachira, Women of the State of Monogas, Women of 
the State of Bolivar, and Women of the State of Anzoategui. 
 
Witnesses: 
(48 signatures of representatives of the above groups) 
 
BROWNFIELD