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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 001474 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2014 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM VE
SUBJECT: FIRST VENEZUELAN NATIONAL FORUM ON HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
 
    CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR REASONS 1.4 (D 
) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (U) AT A HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM ORGANIZED BY THE MINISTRY OF 
INTERIOR AND JUSTICE (MIJ) GOV SPEAKERS DISMISSED ALLEGATIONS 
OF VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE DISTURBANCES FROM 
FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 5.  SENIOR MIJ OFFICIALS CONTENDED THAT 
HUMAN RIGHTS ARE MULTIFACETED, AND THE GOV IS ADVANCING 
SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS; SECURITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT HUMAN 
RIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE; THE DEMONSTRATORS VIOLATED THE PUBLIC'S 
RIGHT TO TRANSPORTATION, AND WORK.  PRESIDENT CHAVEZ TOLD THE 
AUDIENCE THAT THE GOV'S SOCIAL MISSIONS (EDUCATION, HEALTH 
CARE) "HAVE OPENED A NEW HORIZON FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, RECOGNIZED 
NOW BY THE WORLD."  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) THE MIJ DIRECTORATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZED THE 
"FIRST NATIONAL FORUM ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE BOLIVARIAN 
CONSTITUTION OF VENEZUELA OF 1999" ON APRIL 27 AND 28. 
POLOFF ATTENDED SOME OF THE PROCEEDINGS.  SPEAKERS INCLUDED 
THE ENTIRE LEADERSHIP OF THE MIJ, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES 
OF OTHER GOV ORGANISMS WITH HUMAN RIGHTS PORTFOLIOS, 
INCLUDING THE ARMED FORCES AND THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.  A 
NUMBER OF SPEAKERS FROM GOV SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND 
MISSIONS SPOKE ABOUT ECONOMIC HUMAN RIGHTS. PLANNING FOR THE 
FORUM BEGAN IN JANUARY, ACCORDING TO MIJ DG OF HUMAN RIGHTS 
MAYERLING ROJAS VILLASMIL, BEFORE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN 
RIGHTS BY STATE SECURITY FORCES IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH. 

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INTERIOR MINISTER LUCAS RINCON 
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¶3.  (C) MINISTER OF INTERIOR AND JUSTICE LUCAS RINCON OPENED 
THE FORUM WITH AN AGGRESSIVELY DEFENSIVE SPEECH, CALLING THE 
BOLIVARIAN CONSTITUTION "ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED IN THE 
WORLD WITH REGARD TO HUMAN RIGHTS."  HE ACCUSED THE 
OPPOSITION OF USING HUMAN RIGHTS TO DAMAGE THE REPUTATION OF 
THE GOV INTERNATIONALLY.  WHILE ADMITTING THAT THE AMBITIOUS 
GOALS OF THE CONSTITUTION HAVE NOT YET BEEN FULFILLED, HE 
ASSURED THE AUDIENCE THAT "THE BOLIVARIAN REVOLUTION IS 
WORKING ARDUOUSLY TO ALLOW THE PEOPLE TO ENJOY THE ELEMENTAL 
RIGHTS SUCH AS LIFE, HEALTH, EDUCATION AND FREEDOM OF 
EXPRESSION, WHICH HAVE BEEN CASTRATED FOR ALL THESE YEARS..." 
  RINCON ATTACKED THE "HYPOCRISY" OF OPPOSITION COMPLAINTS, 
AND PRAISED GOV STEPS TO PROVIDE SOCIO-POLITICAL RIGHTS TO 
THE PEOPLE. 
 
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DIRECTOR GENERAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS 
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¶4.  (U) IN HER SPEECH, MAYERLING ROJAS VILLASMIL, DIRECTOR 
GENERAL OF THE MIJ FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TRIED TO RECAPTURE THE 
MORAL HIGH GROUND BY DENOUNCING THE OPPOSITION AS HYPOCRITES 
FOR COMPLAINING ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, AFTER YEARS OF 
HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES UNDER THE AD AND COPEI GOVERNMENTS.  SHE 
ADMITTED THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS, AND CALLED FOR 
INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR TRAINING PROGRAMS.  SHE CLAIMED 
    THAT NOW WAS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT THE GOV WAS 
PUBLICLY TALKING ABOUT IMPROVING HUMAN RIGHTS.  SHE SAID HER 
OFFICE HAD BEEN PLANNING THE EVENT FOR FOUR MONTHS, 
INDICATING THE EVENTS OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH WERE 
INCONVENIENTLY RAISING BRUTALITY ISSUES IN A FORUM DESIGNED 
TO SHOW OFF SOCIAL PROGRESS. 
 
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VICE MINISTER CARLOS BETTIOL 
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¶5.  (U) VICE MINISTER FOR INTERNAL RELATIONS AND CITIZEN 
SECURITY, CARLOS BETTIOL PRAISED THE GOV FOR ITS 
MULTI-FACETED VIEW OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THE ADVANCED NATURE 
OF THE BOLIVARIAN CONSTITUTION.  HE ATTACKED THE OPPOSITION 
AND INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS FOR QUESTIONING THE GOV'S 
DEDICATION TO HUMAN RIGHTS, AND CHARGED THAT THE MEDIA AND 
OPPOSITION ALSO VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS.  WHILE ADMITTING THAT 
THE STATE HAD GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROTECTION OF 
HUMAN RIGHTS, HE EMPHASIZED THE PROTECTION OF COLLECTIVE, AND 
NOT INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS. 
 
¶6.  (U) BETTIOL TOLD THE AUDIENCE THAT WITHOUT SECURITY NO 
 
CARACAS 00001474  002 OF 002 
 
 LIES ACCUSATIONS 
AGAINST VENEZUELAN SECURITY FORCES, DEFENDED THEIR ACTIONS, 
AND ACCUSED THE MEDIA OF EXAGGERATING ISOLATED INCIDENTS.  HE 
SAID CLAIMS OF TORTURES AND DISAPPEARANCES ARE ALL LIES. 
BETTIOL ALSO ASSERTED THAT THE DEMONSTRATORS FAILED IN THEIR 
OBLIGATIONS AS CITIZENS BY VIOLATING OTHER PEOPLE'S RIGHTS TO 
TRANSPORTATION AND WORK BY BLOCKING STREETS IN THE 
DISTURBANCES FROM FEB. 27 TO MARCH 5. 
 
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PRESIDENT CHAVEZ CLOSES 
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¶7.  (U) PRESIDENT CHAVEZ CLOSED THE EVENT ON APRIL 28, AGAIN 
PRAISING THE ADVANCED NATURE OF THE CONSTITUTION.  HE POINTED 
OUT THAT DESPITE "EVERYTHING THAT HAS OCCURRED HERE: COUP 
D'ETAT, THREATS TO SECURITY, TO SOVEREIGNTY AND DEFENSE, THIS 
GOVERNMENT... HAS NOT SUSPENDED EVEN ONE CONSTITUTIONAL 
GUARANTEE."  HE CLAIMED THAT THE SOCIAL MISSIONS THE GOV HAS 
INITIATED "HAVE OPENED A NEW HORIZON FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, 
RECOGNIZED NOW BY THE WORLD." 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶8.  (C) IN THIS CONFERENCE, THE GOV ESTABLISHED ITS VISION 
AND DEFINITION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.  THE ORGANIZATION OF THE 
SPEAKERS INDICATE THAT THE ORIGINAL INTENTION WAS TO 
HIGHLIGHT ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GOV'S EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE 
    MISSIONS.  OFFICIALS REPEATEDLY REFERRED TO THE BOLIVARIAN 
CONSTITUTION AS THE BASIS BY WHICH THE GOV WILL MEASURE 
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, THOUGH THEY DID NOT NEGLECT TO NOTE 
THEY WOULD ADHERE TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED STANDARDS. 
SIGNIFICANTLY, THEY RAISED COLLECTIVE RIGHTS ABOVE INDIVIDUAL 
RIGHTS, BLAMED THE VICTIMS OF ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS 
BY STATE SECURITY AGENTS FOR VIOLATING THE RIGHTS OF THE 
GENERAL PUBLIC, AND ELEVATED SECURITY ABOVE OTHER RIGHTS. 
THIS WAS A TIP OF THE HAT TOWARD HUMAN RIGHTS -- A GESTURE -- 
AND CONTRASTS STARKLY WITH THE GOV'S PERFORMANCE.  THE 
ABSENCE OF ANY SIGNS OF REMORSE OR RECONSIDERATION, DESPITE 
INTERNATIONAL CONCERN REGARDING THE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS THAT 
OCCURRED FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 5, SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE 
OPPOSITION THAT THE GOV IS PREPARED TO DEFEND ITSELF BY ANY 
MEANS NECESSARY. 
SHAPIRO 
 
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      2004CARACA01474 - CONFIDENTIAL