VZCZCXRO3795
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHCV #0293 0402126
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 092126Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7795
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7796

UNCLAS CARACAS 000293 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR VE
SUBJECT: FM MADURO RESPONDS TO SECRETARY'S COMMENTS,  CUT 
IN ANTI-DRUG ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: A. CARACAS 00242 
     ¶B. CARACAS 00215 
     ¶C. CARACAS 00090 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY. Minister of Foreign Affairs (FM) Nicolas 
Maduro continued his anti-USG comments, this time in response 
to Secretary Rice's February 7 remarks to the U.S. Congress 
on the state of democracy in Venezuela.  Maduro also 
reiterated allegations that the U.S. is mounting a "campaign" 
against Venezuela and insisted Venezuela does not need 
counter narcotics assistance.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) FM Maduro, on business in Quito, responded February 8 
in the media to Secretary Rice's remarks on Venezuela during 
budget testimony before the House International Relations 
Committee the previous day.  Maduro said "no official of the 
U.S. empire has the moral high ground to speak about 
democracy in Venezuela, about President Chavez' leadership, 
or about Venezuelan society." 
 
¶3. (U) Maduro also repeated past accusations of a supposed 
USG-sponsored international media campaign to "destabilize" 
the Chavez government (ref A).  Referring to President Bush's 
upcoming visit to the region, Maduro said the President is 
shifting his attention to South America in an attempt to 
sabotage plans for regional integration.  Chavez called on 
Latin Americans to challenge U.S. efforts to "dominate the 
world and its energy sources, and to get its imperialist 
claws on our countries' natural resources, particularly those 
of Venezuela." 
 
¶4. (SBU) Maduro also referenced the release of the USG's 
Foreign Affairs budget request.  The BRV has not yet signed a 
bilateral counternarcotics agreement, so the budget request 
does not include funding for anti-drug efforts in Venezuela. 
Maduro asserted U.S. aid assistance programs are used "to 
control our policies, to conduct surveillance, and often 
times to control the drug trade."  Venezuela will now conduct 
a more efficient and self-sufficient fight against drug 
trafficking, said Maduro. 
 
 
BROWNFIELD