US embassy cable - 05CARACAS2228

C O N F I D E N T I A L  CARACAS 002228 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OTI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, VE 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO LARA STATE 
 
Classified By: Stephen McFarland, Deputy Chief of Mission for 1.4 (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.     (C)  The Ambassador visited Barquisimeto in Lara state 
14-15 July to inaugurate the first American Corner and 
Virtual Presence Post in Venezuela, visit social programs, 
and meet with local business executives, media outlets, 
religious leaders, and a Venezuelan baseball hero. 
Politicians from President Hugo Chavez's Fifth Republic 
Movement (MVR) party declined to meet with the Ambassador. 
The visit, however, achieved its public diplomacy objectives 
to establish a direct virtual connection with the U.S. 
Embassy, exploring possibilities of further cooperation with 
local businesses, and supporting church- and 
business-supported social programs.  End summary. 
 
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AMERICAN CORNER AND VIRTUAL PRESENCE POST 
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2.     (U)  The Ambassador opened the first American Corner 
and the first Virtual Presence Post in Venezuela at the Bar 
Association library in Barquisimeto, Lara State on 15 July. 
The American Corner provides the public a physical area with 
computer terminals, information and materials that are 
accessible at U.S. Embassies.  The Virtual Presence Post 
offers remote internet access to a U.S. Embassy, including a 
live web chat with Embassy personnel. The Ambassador signed a 
Memorandum of Understanding with Dr. Henry Alviarez, 
president of the Bar Association.  In their public remarks, 
the Ambassador and the Bar Association's treasurer hailed the 
American Corner as an important step toward improved 
people-to-people relations.  The treasurer sent the first 
message to Embassy Caracas via the Virtual Presence Post live 
web chat.  He received a rapid response from a Consular 
officer in Caracas.  The event, attended by approximately 60 
people, received extensive coverage from both local and 
national media. 
 
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THE CHURCH 
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3.     (C)  Archbishop Tulio Manuel Chirivella Valera, who 
served through much of the 1990's as president of the 
Venezuelan Episcopal (Bishops') Conference (CEV), asked to 
meet with the Ambassador one-on-one in his office for a 
candid conversation on President Hugo Chavez.  Chirivella 
described Chavez as a serious, long-term problem for 
Venezuela.  During his 1998 presidential campaign, Chavez 
sought and received three meetings with then-CEV president 
Chirivella.  Chirivella said he told Chavez then that the 
Church would support his campaign to help the poor but would 
oppose non-democratic tendencies.  Since his election, 
Chirivella noted, Chavez has not sought another meeting with 
him, although they crossed paths again in April 2002, when 
Chirivella facilitated his departure from Caracas during the 
brief coup.  Asked about the USG position on Chavez, the 
Ambassador said our approach would be to support remaining 
democratic institutions in Venezuela, maintain some sort of 
dialogue with the GOV, and penetrate the poor communities 
with an alternative message.  The Ambassador added he hoped 
to be able to provide USG support for Church social programs 
in such communities.  Chirivella welcomed financial or 
rhetorical support by the Embassy and promised to spread the 
word widely among his fellow prelates.  He emphasized that 
the best way to counter Chavez was to deliver a positive 
message to poor communities, which constitute 90% of Chavez's 
political base of support. 
 
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CHILDREN'S CENTER, HOMES, SCHOOL 
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4.     (C)  The Ambassador visited four social programs to 
publicize USAID and Church contributions and to support 
business and Church social services in the local community. 
 
The Ambassador first shared a message of hope for the kids at 
the Caritas Children's Cancer Center, recounting the 
dedication and accomplishments of Lance Armstrong.  The 
Caritas Center, which supports low-income children and youth 
while they are being treated for their illnesses, is the only 
center of its kind in Lara.  The visit received extensive 
press coverage.  The Ambassador next visited the 
Church-supported Fe y Alegria school and Divina Pastora home 
for poor, orphaned, and abandoned boys.  Both institutions 
are located in Barrio Bolivar, which receives aid from the 
Barrio Adentro program.  At the Fe y Alegria school, the 
Ambassador greeted over a hundred students, under the 
watchful eyes of more than 10 National Guard, who claimed 
protection was necessary in the dangerous neighborhood. 
Turning to the private sector's social programs, the 
Ambassador visited the Pequeno Cottolengo "Don Orione," a 
special education facility funded by Procter & Gamble. 
Procter & Gamble presented their corporate social 
responsibility agenda, which includes educational, 
environmental, and other charitable projects. 
 
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BUSINESS 
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5.     (C)  The Ambassador addressed business leaders on 14 
July, explaining he had come to Lara to learn more about the 
area's possibilities for investment and cooperation and to 
offer U.S. support as an ally to business. He met with 
roughly 25 business leaders at PROINLARA, an 
investment-promotion civil association.  At a VENAMCHAM 
luncheon the Ambassador remarked that VENAMCHAM is the United 
State's primary partner in the Venezuelan private sector. 
Emphasizing the importance of corporate social 
responsibility, the Ambassador offered support to help 
publicize the business community's efforts in providing 
social services.  The Ambassador touched on similar themes at 
Procter & Gamble's plant in Barquisimeto.  The plant, which 
has the largest warehouse in the country, employs nearly 600 
P&G employees and contractors. 
 
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UNIVERSITY 
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6.     (U)  The Ambassador called on Maria del Pilar Alonso, 
academic vice-rector at Yacambu University, a private 
university specializing in science, technology, and 
humanities, with approximately 8,000 graduate and 
undergraduate students enrolled.  At Yacambu, the Ambassador 
pitched the Fulbright Program, including the Faculty 
Development scholarships available.  He also offered support 
for English language instruction at the university.  Alonso 
expressed some regret that the American Corner was not 
located in the University library, and enthusiasm for more 
engagement with the USG. 
 
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BASEBALL 
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7.     (C)  The Ambassador met with Luis Aparicio on 14 July, 
the only Venezuelan Hall-of-Famer, and Los Cardenalitos, the 
little league team sponsored by the Cardenales of Lara 
professional baseball team, who will face Mexico this summer 
to compete for the Little League World Series.  Amidst 
extensive press coverage the Ambassador recounted childhood 
memories of receiving a lefty mitt with Aparicio's signature. 
 The Ambassador also met Umberto Oropeza, the general manager 
of the Cardenales.  Oropeza shared plans to build a facility 
of nine baseball academies and mentioned the upcoming 
off-season baseball games the Venezuelan team would be 
playing in Florida.  The Ambassador offered to provide 
publicity for the games. 
 
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MEDIA 
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8.     (C)  El Impulso, an opposition newspaper, interviewed 
 
the Ambassador on 14 July. The Ambassador fielded questions 
about U.S.-Venezuelan bilateral relations, Iraq, the U.S. 
democratic model, Sumate, the U.S. position on left-leaning 
leaders in Latin America, alleged plans for U.S invasion, oil 
prices, and baseball.  He stated that the U.S. and Venezuela 
should acknowledge their differences and focus on issues of 
common interest, such as the war on drugs, energy, and 
terrorism.  The Ambassador defended the U.S.'s absolute right 
to protect its democratic system against drugs and weapons of 
mass destruction while dismissing theories about U.S. 
invasion plans.  He noted that while there are various forms 
of democracies, the system must allow the people to express 
their opinion.  Asked how Venezuelans can be expected to 
express their opinion when the system is not fair and 
transparent, the Ambassador noted the important role of 
international organizations.  During an interview at the 
opposition-leaning newspaper El Informador, the Ambassador 
recapped his purposes for visiting Barquisimeto.  He stressed 
the role of companies as the growth engines of the state and 
emphasized the importance of maintaining investor confidence. 
 
9.     (C)  At Promar Television, an opposition-leaning 
station that broadcasts throughout the states of Lara, 
Barinas, Portuguesa, and Yaracuy, the Ambassador spoke 
briefly with the station president about Governor Luis Reyes 
Reyes's mixed record of governance.  The station also 
recorded an interview with the Ambassador to be aired on 18 
July, which focused on the American Corner and Virtual 
Presence Post and the services that it will offer. 
 
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COMMENT 
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10.     (C)  The Ambassador reached out to Fifth Republic 
Movement (MVR) politicians Governor Luis Reyes Reyes and 
Barquisimeto Mayor Henri Falcon, but both declined to meet 
the Ambassador, saying they would be out of town.  AD Deputy 
Pedro Pablo Alcantara, however, showed up at all but four 
meetings, invited or not.  The press was robust but not 
aggressive  Questions at the Stadium and American Corner 
inauguration were restricted to sports and the American 
Corner, respectively. 
Brownfield 
 
 
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      2005CARACA02228 - CONFIDENTIAL