VZCZCXRO0914
OO RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #0266 0381713
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071713Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5297
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1407
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1230
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL//OLE/OI//

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000266 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR 
DRL 
S/CRS 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR 
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) 
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID XM XL HA VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ COMING TO HAITI? 
 
¶1. This message is sensitive but unclassified -- protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Haitian Media on February 2 reported that 
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez planned to visit Haiti as 
early as the following week.  However, the foreign ministry's 
political director, Wiener Jean Baptiste, on February 5 
pointed out to Poloff that the reports stemmed from an 
announcement made by Venezuelan Vice Minister of Foreign 
Affairs Rodolfo Sanz in Caracas on January 22, who promised 
that Haitians "will soon see President Chavez in Haiti."  The 
Haitian foreign ministry is making no 
arrangements and has no knowledge of a set date for the 
visit, according to Jean Baptiste.  Deputy Secretary General 
of the Presidency Raymond Jeanty also told Pol Specialist 
that the presidency had no knowledge of a Chavez visit. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Comment: In March, 2006, prior to President 
Preval's inauguration, President Preval told visiting WHA A/S 
Shannon that Chavez was pushing a visit to commemorate the 
bicentennial of Venezuelan flag day on March 12 in Jacmel. 
(Venezuelan General Francisco de Miranda first flew the 
Venezuelan flag on his vessel in Haiti's Jacmel harbor.) 
Preval told A/S Shannon he would do his best to avoid Chavez, 
and the visit did not occur.  Since Preval's inauguration, 
however, Haitian-Venezuelan relations have warmed 
considerably.  Preval signed a Petrocaribe agreement within 
his first weeks in office, and he has made clear that he will 
solicit aid from any country willing to contribute.  Haitian 
officials report that Chavez continues to aggressively court 
Haiti.  Jean Baptiste noted that Sanz also announced a 
Venezuelan donation of five garbage trucks and one tanker as 
part of "operation pure air for Haiti," 
which he attributed to Chavez' earlier remarks to GoH 
officials that Venezuela owed a "historic debt to Haiti." 
(Simon Bolivar in 1816 successfully appealed to the first 
Haitian president, Alexandre Petion, for assistance in his 
fight for independence.)  Preval may well soon issue an 
invitation to Chavez, possibly centered on the March date. 
End Comment. 
SANDERSON