VZCZCXRO4596
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHCV #1537 3111229
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 061229Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2087
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY

UNCLAS CARACAS 001537 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID/OTI RPORTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ OBSCURES MIAMI VERDICT, FOREIGN MINISTER 
DENOUNCES IT 
 
¶1. (SBU)  President Hugo Chavez took over the airwaves in an 
obligatory national "cadena" broadcast on November 3, 
squashing early news reports of Franklin Duran's guilt in the 
Miami "suitcase" trial.  Venezuelan law requires free-to-air 
broadcasters to carry presidential "cadena" broadcasts in 
their entirety, and Chavez has used this tool frequently to 
stump for his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) 
candidates and to vilify the opposition.  However, 
yesterday's speech was a mundane recitation of the benefits 
of socialism, evils of capitalism and the models of new 
socialist men and women.  By the time Chavez had finished his 
three-hour "lesson" to a group of San Cristobal students, 
most of the TV audience had probably tuned out and local news 
cycles that would have covered the verdict were thrown off 
kilter. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro held a November 4 
press conference in which he called the convicted Venezuelans 
"political kidnap victims" of the United States and dismissed 
the case as "a fabrication of the FBI and USG on behalf of 
Bush."  Maduro claimed that the GBRV had requested the 
extradition of "that criminal" Antonini and the other 
Venezuelans to face trial for "betraying the homeland and 
giving false testimony."  Note: Post has received no GBRV 
extradition requests for Antonini or other Venezuelans to 
appear.  End Note. 
CAULFIELD