US embassy cable - 05CARACAS603

C O N F I D E N T I A L  CARACAS 000603 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2014 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, PGOV, PREL, PROP 
SUBJECT: "GO TO HELL" VENEZUELAN MINISTER OF INFORMATION 
SAYS TO U.S. AND VENEZUELAN PRESS 
 
REF: CARACAS 598 
 
Classified By: CDA STEPHEN G. MCFARLAND FOR 1.4 (D) 
 
 1.  Summary: (U) Venezuelan Minister of Communication and 
Information Andres Izarra followed up on President Hugo 
Chavez's February 20 claim that the U.S. was trying to kill 
him by launching his own attack on the U.S. and Venezuelan 
media, starting with a February 21 press conference.  He 
claimed that the U.S. had organized a media campaign Chavez's 
government. He charged that journalists from both nations 
were in the pay of the U.S. Government.  He specifically 
named five journalists for U.S. publications as being part of 
the plot.  Though he tacked back and forth through the week, 
he continued to single-out for attack Caracas-based British 
journalist Phil Gunston, who strings for the Miami Herald. 
It is uncertain why he singled out Gunston for special 
attention.  On February 24 Izarra told "the poison press" to 
"go to hell."   End Summary 
 
2.  (U) Minister of Communication and Information Andres 
Izarra began on Monday, February 21 with a press conference 
highlighted by a strident attack on the press in general and 
specifically the U.S. press.  he charged that the U.S. 
Government has organized a media campaign against the Chavez 
government, with the active participation of the U.S. press, 
and support from the opposition press.  He named five 
journalists and commentators and their U.S. news 
organizations: Mary Anastasia O'Grady, Wall Street Journal; 
Phil Gunston (British citizen), Miami Herald; Steve Harrigan, 
Fox News; Jackson Diehl, Washington Post; and academic 
Michael Schifter, Inter-American Dialogue.  (The last is not 
a journalist but was named on the basis of op-eds he has 
written.)  He opined that he "would not be surprised" if 
these journalists and others were being paid by Washington. 
He cited as evidence examples of both alleged previous 
propaganda skullduggery led by Otto Reich in the 80s, and the 
current cases of U.S. journalists Armstrong Williams and 
Maggie Gallagher reportedly receiving money from the U.S. 
government to support official policies.  The opposition 
press was also accused of supporting this campaign. 
According to Izarra, the objective of this media campaign is 
to isolate Venezuela in international opinion, thus preparing 
the way for U.S. intervention.  In a response to a question 
he denied he was threatening any journalist. 
 
3. (U) The reaction in the Venezuelan opposition press the 
next day (Feb. 22) was to deride the idea that they or the 
U.S. press were being paid to oppose Chavez.  Gunston spoke 
to the press and denied the charges against him, calling them 
"funny and ridiculous."  This did not deter Minister Izarra, 
who continued to make the same charges in different forums 
for the rest of the week.  Izarra did some tacking when asked 
for specifics.  He denied that he had made direct charges 
against any journalists, noting that he had used the 
conditional case when discussing journalists being paid by 
the U.S. Government.  By Thursday, February 24, Izarra was 
telling the "poison" press "to go to hell."  He claimed to 
have sent letters to media companies complaining of their 
lies and distortions when writing about Chavez.  he again 
specifically referred to the Miami Herald and Phil Gunston, 
who on this occasion he called "Mr. Gringo."  He pointed to 
Iraq as an example of poisoning public opinion to justify an 
invasion.  Telesur, the planned Venezuela-Brazil-Argentina 
satellite television network would bring the truth to Latin 
America, he declared.  When asked in a local radio interview 
about Izarra's charges against the U.S. press, the Charge 
denied any U.S. media campaign and noted that the same 
American media that crticized Chavez also frequently 
criticized President Bush 
 
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Why Gunston? 
------------ 
4.  (C)  In a meeting with Vice President Rangel's Chief of 
Staff, Rene Arreaza, the Charge was told that Gunston has 
(unpublished) innuendoes that 'outed' Izarra.  In a later 
discussion with a PAS officer Gunston denied any special 
knowledge of Izarra's personal life.  Gunston speculated that 
there could be several reasons why he had become a center of 
attention for Izarra.  Of all the journalists named in the 
Feb. 21 press conference, Gunston is the only one based in 
 
 
Caracas.  The Miami Herald is a special target for the 
Chavistas.  The Chavez government was especially angered by a 
Miami Herald article headline on February 12, "Chavez Arming 
to Fight U.S.," which was co-written by Gunston and Stephen 
Dudley.  Gunston also believes that his position as head of 
the local foreign press association makes him a more visible 
target.  Gunston says the Chavistas have formed a rival press 
organization, the Independent Venezuelan Press Association, 
headed by a Syrian national, intended to bring together 
foreign and Venezuelan journalists.  He said he had not had 
any personal contact with Izarra for months.  Having defended 
himself he intends to lie low for a while.  Gunston is 
certain that this was a planned provocation and that "Izarra 
is out of control." 
 
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What's up with Izarra? 
---------------------- 
 
5.  (C)  Comment:  Gunston and other observers believe that 
Izarra is feeling considerable pressure from Chavez over the 
bad international press that the Chavez government has 
received recently.  As someone with a professional journalism 
background, Izarra was supposed to have the ability to 
control the foreign press. This tension combined with the 
vitriolic attacks made by President Chavez against the U.S. 
in the February 20 "Alo Presidente" program, pushed Izarra to 
try for a new level of invective against the U.S. and 
Venezuelan press.  End Comment 
 
McFarland 
 
McFarland 
 
 
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      2005CARACA00603 - CONFIDENTIAL