This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS  CARACAS 001138 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR TSHANNON AND CBARTON 
USCINSO ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OTI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
SUBJECT: EVO, THE ICC, AND THE U.N.: VENEZUELA POLITICAL 
UPDATE: 4/1/2004 
 
REF: CARACAS 01090 
 
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Summary: 
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¶1. (U) Leftist Bolivian legislator Evo Morales joined 
President Hugo Chavez in Caracas March 30 to announce plans 
to stage international demonstrations to commemorate the 
events of April 2002, when Chavez was temporarily removed 
from power and returned in triumph.  Members of the 
Venezuelan human rights NGO Venezuelan Victims of Political 
Violence (VIVE) accused President Hugo Chavez of crimes 
against humanity in the International Criminal Court at the 
Hague March 31.  Five former Venezuelan ambassadors to the 
United Nations sent a letter March 23 to UN SYG Kofi Annan 
condemning the GoV for human rights abuses and for preventing 
the citizens from exercising their constitutional rights to 
have a presidential referendum.  End Summary. 
 
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Chavez Receives Evo 
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¶2. (U) Leftist Bolivian legislator Evo Morales joined 
President Hugo Chavez in Caracas March 30 to announce plans 
to stage international demonstrations marking the events of 
April 2002, when Chavez was temporarily removed from power, 
only to return.  Morales and Chavez said they would sponsor 
marches in various cities on "the continent" to commemorate 
what they called a failed coup d'etat, and to support 
Chavez's "Bolivarian revolution."  Other Latin American 
leftist organizations such as Barrios de Pie (Argentina), 
Movimiento Pachakutec (Bolivia); Farabundo Marti Liberation 
Front (El Salvador); Sandinista Front (Nicaragua); the Cuban 
Communist Party (Cuba); and the Amplio Front (Uruguay) are 
also in Caracas for the annual Bolivarian People's Congress. 
 
¶3. (U) Chavez said coordinated April events will condemn U.S. 
intervention, and recalled that he was swept back into power 
in April 2002 by a counteroffensive that he said took "the 
hawks of the CIA and pentagon" by surprise.  Chavez said the 
U.S. did not count on the people rising up to throw off the 
tyranny and the military refusing their "bastard orders." 
 
¶4. (U) Morales arrived in Caracas March 29 for several days 
of meetings, including discussion on foreign aid for Bolivia 
rumored to involve asphalt for Bolivian roads and $50 
million.  He said the results of those discussions would be 
announced soon in La Paz.  Morales also thanked Chavez for 
his support in Bolivian efforts to reclaim a passage to the 
sea through Chilean territory.  Morales told reports he will 
travel to Spain the week of April 5 to meet with 
newly-elected Prime Minister Zapatero. 
 
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Victims Accuse Chavez in the International Criminal Court 
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¶5. (U) Members of the Venezuelan human rights NGO Venezuelan 
Victims of Political Violence (VIVE) filed formal accusations 
under the Rome Statute against President Hugo Chavez in the 
International Criminal Court (ICC) March 31.  VIVE's 
accusation lists instances of murder, torture, unlawful 
detention, and sexual abuse it alleges Chavez security forces 
and agents carried out since July 2002.  The accusation terms 
the collected human rights abuses as "crimes against 
humanity" perpetrated in a systematic manner as part of GoV 
policy.  VIVE charges that an appeal to the international 
body is required because the Attorney General's Office, the 
Ombudsman, and the courts in Venezuela have neglected to 
conduct lawful investigations and to take action to protect 
the citizenry from GoV abuse.  VIVE also requested a 
preliminary declaration from the ICC because the GoV has 
started a criminal investigation against them for having 
brought an earlier ICC complaint. 
 
 
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Ex-Ambassadors Appeal to UN SYG 
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¶6. (U) Five former Venezuelan ambassadors to the United 
Nations, Simon Alberto Consalvi, Ramon Escovar Salom, Diego 
Arria, Adolpho Raul Taylhardat, and Milos Alcalay, sent a 
letter March 23 to UN SYG Kofi Annan condemning the GoV for 
human rights abuses and for preventing the citizens from 
exercising their constitutional rights to have a presidential 
referendum.  The ambassadors complained of GoV efforts to 
avoid or confuse orders issued by the Supreme Court (TSJ) 
Electoral Chamber regarding the referendum, and detailed GoV 
attempts to remove or disqualify TSJ justices through actions 
in the National Assembly and investigations by the offices of 
the Attorney General and the Ombudsman.  The result of these 
GoV efforts, said the ambassadors, was to impede the people's 
rights to an electoral solution to the current political 
impasse.  The ambassadors invited SYG Annon to visit 
Venezuela and hoped that he would use his "voice of 
authority" to call for a referendum and an end to GoV abuse. 
 
 
SHAPIRO 
 
 
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      2004CARACA01138 - UNCLASSIFIED