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P 191228Z NOV 07
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002343 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM WHA EU VE IT
SUBJECT: ITALY ON VENEZUELAN CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS 
 
REF: STATE 154674 
 
Classified By: A/Pol M/C Jonathan Cohen, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to MFA South America 
Office Director Michele Giacomelli November 16.  Poloff 
shared USG concerns about democracy in Venezuela posed by 
President Chavez's proposed constitutional reforms, and 
requested that Italy speak out on behalf of democratic rights 
in Venezuela. 
 
¶2. (C) Giacomelli said he had been following the 
constitutional reform closely, and that Italy was concerned 
about its anti-democratic nature as well as the potential 
impact on Italian businesses operating in Venezuela.  Despite 
these concerns, Giacomelli questioned the wisdom of speaking 
out in the lead-up to the referendum, as international 
criticism would embolden Chavez and possibly work to his 
advantage.  Giacomelli also said that despite the troubling 
nature of the reforms, Italy considered them an internal 
Venezuelan matter. 
SPOGLI