US embassy cable - 05CARACAS1635

C O N F I D E N T I A L  CARACAS 001635 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KWMN, VE 
SUBJECT: GOV HOLDS TIPS HEARING IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 
 
Classified By: Abelardo A. Arias, Political Counselor, for 
Reason 1.4 (d) 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) At the behest of Venezuelan Ambassador to the U.S. 
Bernardo Alvarez, National Assembly Foreign Relations 
Committee president Saul Ortega (MVR), convened a hearing May 
25 on organized crime, particularly trafficking in persons. 
In addition to poloffs, three National Assembly deputies and 
some pro-Chavez media were present.  Vice Minister of 
Interior and Justice Alcides Rondon Rivero read a report 
outlining the GOV's legislative efforts, intentions to 
investigate trafficking, information campaigns, and 
prevention and assistance hotlines and alternatives.  Much of 
what Rondon described was either future planning or loosely 
related to trafficking.  International Organization for 
Migration (IOM) Regional Director Marisol Fuves, whose 
organization Rondon cited in the report, was unaware of the 
hearing.  She described initial conversations with the GOV, 
but no agreements or formal requests, and was also unaware of 
some of the GOV's reported outreach programs.  End Summary. 
 
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Who Attended 
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2. (U) At the behest of the Venezuelan Ambassador to the 
U.S., Bernardo Alvarez, the president of the National 
Assembly's Foreign Relations Committee, Saul Ortega (MVR, 
Carabobo), formally invited Embassy representatives to attend 
a hearing on organized crime, particularly trafficking in 
persons.  Ortega chaired the hearing held in the National 
Assembly May 25, where the Ministry of Interior and Justice's 
Vice-Minister for Citizen Security Alcides Rondon Rivero 
described the GOV's efforts on trafficking, money laundering 
and corruption.  National Assembly deputies Henry Jose 
Tachinamo Garcia (MVR Anzoategui), Henry Baldayo Lopez (MVR, 
Falcon), and Maris Eizaga (MVR, Falcon) attended.  An 
alternate deputy, Josefina del Valle Serrano Prieto (MVR, 
Miranda), also attended.  A Canadian journalist was 
reportedly in attendance as were some pro-Chavez media 
outlets. 
 
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What Was Said 
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3. (U) After a review of national and international laws and 
conventions dealing with trafficking in persons and organized 
crime, Rondon read a report prepared by the Ministry of 
Interior and Justice about the steps Venezuela has taken 
against trafficking in persons.  The steps include: 
 
--Formally requesting the help of the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM) in the design and execution 
of an investigation on the trafficking phenomenon in Caracas 
and along the border.  Regional governments, he said, are 
also allegedly designing and conducting their own research 
into trafficking in conjunction with regional universities. 
 
--The Ministry of Interior in conjunction with other 
ministries, NGOs, and the IOM is leading the discussion 
(unspecified) on agreements for awareness training for public 
employees. 
 
--Giving awareness talks to over 3,000 persons in the 
"popular" sectors about drugs, violence and trafficking. 
 
--Surveying approximately 2,400 persons in Caracas to 
identify possible victims. 
 
--Visiting and assessing the needs of 15 education centers to 
identify problems of violence, drugs, and trafficking. In the 
last part of 2005, 15 more centers are to be included. 
 
--Conducting an information campaign through "alternative and 
community media" sources. 
 
--Integrating police, migration, and missing persons 
databases, and increasing border controls. 
 
--Implementing the Plan for Citizen Security (which claims to 
address problems associated with violence), including an 
"800-CONTIGO" hotline to address problems of child abuse, 
violence against women, prostitution, drugs and trafficking, 
among other crimes.  (Comment: The 800-CONTIGO hotline is in 
addition to the "800-MUJERES" hotline that deals with 
violence against women and has been available for several 
years.)  The Attorney General's office also offers an 800 
number answered by the Victim Attention unit and web page for 
crimes to be reported. 
 
Rondon also outlined international and bilateral efforts on 
trafficking. A copy of the 14-page Spanish report will be 
faxed to: 202-312-9637. 
 
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Follow-Up Conversations 
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4. (C) Poloff asked IOM Regional Director Marisol Fuves May 
27 about the investigation project Rondon claimed the GOV had 
formally requested.   Fuves said she spoke with the Director 
for Crime Prevention Lilian Aya May 10 about the possibility 
of such a project, but was still waiting for a formal 
request.  Fuves said she was uncertain about the parameters 
of the project and its funding.  She had no knowledge of the 
National Assembly hearing, nor was she aware of some of the 
projects mentioned by Rondon, including hotlines like the 
800-CONTIGO. 
 
5. (C)  Poloff called the 800-CONTIGO hotline May 27 for 
additional information.  A National Guard member answered and 
told poloff that the National Guard has been in charge of the 
hotline since its inception about six months ago.  The 
forthcoming guard said National Guard Brigade General Freddy 
Oswaldo Waldron Diaz is in charge of the program.  He noted 
the hotline is available to offer information on almost any 
kind of crime including drugs, domestic or child abuse, 
prostitution, violence, kidnapping or extortion, etc, which 
would then be reported to the police for record keeping 
purposes.  When asked if any calls about trafficking in 
persons had been received, the guard seemed uncertain.  After 
poloff briefly described possible trafficking scenarios, the 
guard said he could not specifically remember any case, but 
he thought a few similar calls had been received.  Asked 
about what kind of information the hotline could offer 
potential victims who called, the guard described a legal 
process, referring potential victims to the Attorney 
General's office, who would contact the police to open an 
investigation. 
 
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Comment 
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6. (C) The National Assembly hearing seemed to have been put 
on for the Embassy's benefit, as we were the only 
international or diplomatic representatives present.  The 
five deputies present represented far less than a quorum for 
the session to be considered official.  There was a weak 
showing of interest from only 4 MVR deputies for a hearing 
reportedly put on for their benefit.  Pro-Chavez media outlet 
"Venezuelanalysis.com" published an article May 27 about the 
hearing, appearing to lay the groundwork for an attack should 
Venezuela remain Tier 3. The report issued by the Ministry of 
Interior and Justice at the hearing includes plans in the 
works, and a collection of other crime prevention or 
education measures that the GOV has put on that also 
minimally include trafficking. 
Brownfield 
 
 
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      2005CARACA01635 - CONFIDENTIAL