VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPE #0055 0052213
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 052213Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7931
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2803
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 6403
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 8844
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JAN QUITO 9876
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0028
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS LIMA 000055 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PE VE
SUBJECT: PERU RECALLS ITS AMBASSADOR FROM VENEZUELA IN 
RESPONSE TO CHAVEZ' ENDORSEMENT OF HUMALA 
 
REF: LIMA 30 
 
¶1.  The Peruvian Government recalled its Ambassador to 
Caracas, Carlos Urrutia, for consultations in response to 
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's virtual endorsement of 
Peruvian presidential candidate Ollanta Humala at an event 
honoring visiting Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales on 1/3 
(Reftel).  The Foreign Ministry issued a press statement 
explaining that Chavez' actions, "Constituted an interference 
in the internal affairs of Peru," and that his remarks, "did 
not coincide with international law, or with the norms and 
principles of the Inter-American system, which obliges 
democratic states to not intervene in the affairs of other 
countries." 
 
¶2.  Prime Minister Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, in comments to the 
media on 1/4, noted that the Council of Ministers had 
discussed Chavez remarks on 1/4, and that Foreign Minster 
Oscar Maurtua, "was taking appropriate action."  On the other 
hand, Ollanta Humala, during a 1/5 press conference, termed 
the GOP's action "improper." 
 
¶3.  COMMENT:  As noted in Reftel, the GOP recognized that it 
had to respond "appropriately" to Chavez' incursion into 
Peru's presidential campaign.  The temporary recall of Peru's 
Ambassador, along with the public explanation tying this 
directly to Chavez' comments, may not faze Venezuela's 
leader, but it at least demonstrates that at least one South 
American country is prepared to stand up to his intromissions 
in its domestic politics.  END COMMENT. 
STRUBLE