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TO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 9814
INFO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4744

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 011119 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV PREL ASEC VE IS OAS
SUBJECT: OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL MEMBERS DECRY VENEZUELA 
SYNAGOGUE ATTACK 
 
REF: CARACAS 000135 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  During the Organization of American States' 
(OAS) regular Permanent Council meeting on February 4, seven 
countries spoke out about the January 30-31 synagogue attack 
in Caracas (see reftel).  Five countries, including the 
United States, decried anti-Semitism in the hemisphere, 
denounced the attacks and called on the Venezuelan government 
to bring the perpetrators to justice.  Argentina condemned 
anti-Semitism and called for tolerance, but did not mention 
the attack or Venezuela by name.  Venezuela also repudiated 
the attack but claimed it was also an "aggrieved party" 
because "some (were) seeking to use the incident as a stick 
with which to beat 
Venezuela" in anticipation of the upcoming referendum on 
presidential term limits.  Venezuela also remarked that OAS 
member states should be as concerned about the "genocide" in 
Gaza as they are with the synagogue attack.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) OAS Permanent Council:  The OAS holds Permanent 
Council meetings - meetings of all 34 member states' 
permanent representatives - approximately every two weeks. 
The February 4 meeting was the first since the synagogue 
attack.  Seven member states spoke about the attack under 
"other business" at the end of the session.  Here is a 
summary of the member states' remarks, in the order in which 
they spoke: 
 
-- Panama:  Ambassador Aristides Royo noted the importance of 
religious freedom in the hemisphere and stated that all OAS 
member states "have the obligation to ensure religious 
freedom in our own neighborhoods."  The ambassador denounced 
the attack on the synagogue and all forms of anti-Semitism. 
He also supported OAS Secretary General Insulza's "call for 
the Venezuelan government to bring the perpetrators to 
justice." 
 
-- Argentina:  Ambassador Rodolfo Gil pointed out that 
Argentina has the second largest Jewish community in the 
American Diaspora.  He spoke of the past bombing of the 
Israeli Embassy and of the Jewish cultural center in Buenos 
Aires, and emphasized Argentina's commitment to religious 
freedom and tolerance.  He did not make direct reference to 
Venezuela but said that no form of bullying or hate speech 
should be countenanced. 
 
-- United States:  Deputy Permanent Representative Lew 
Amselem said that all states, including OAS member states, 
have a responsibility to guarantee the rights and liberties 
of their citizens consistent with international commitments. 
Those commitments include the rights to religious freedom, 
free association and spiritual development.  Amselem pointed 
out that freedom of belief is a central freedom under the 
U.S. Bill of Rights, as well.  The attack against the 
synagogue must be condemned in the strongest terms and serves 
as a warning of what can happen in a highly politicized 
environment when intolerance is left to simmer.  Violence 
against religious sites is a clear threat to religious 
diversity and fundamental human rights.  Amselem called on 
Venezuela to investigate the attack thoroughly and prosecute 
those responsible.  He said the United States is proud to 
stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan Jewish community and 
urged the Government of Venezuela to encourage a peaceful, 
pluralistic environment that includes diverse perspectives 
and open dialogue. 
 
-- Canada:  Deputy PermRep Pierre Giroux next gave a very 
brief statement "condemning" the attack and urging Venezuela 
to investigate the crime and bring the responsible parties to 
justice.  (The Canadians had said they would speak only if we 
did, and they would speak only after we did.) 
 
-- Venezuela:  Venezuela's remarks were hardly brief.  While 
the other representatives' comments lasted only a few minutes 
each, Ambassador Roy Chaderton gave a 26-minute rambling 
intervention, much of it filled with anti-Catholic invective, 
during which he said: 
 
(a)  It is encouraging that the OAS "is so concerned about 
events that happen in member states".  He hoped this was a 
"harbinger of hope" that OAS countries will also speak out 
about the "genocide that has been going on in Gaza." 
 
(b)  This is a positive step forward and underlines the 
member states' moral authority to speak out not only on 
 
STATE 00011119  002 OF 002 
 
 
events in the region, but around the world. 
 
(c)  The synagogue attack "filled Venezuelans with regret." 
Since long before the Chavez government came to power, 
Venezuela has been home to a number of hate groups, including 
extreme Catholics "who have various sorts of Nazi 
paraphernalia in their homes." 
 
(d)  The Chavez government has spoken out against 
anti-Semitism, which is an expression of hate "like 
anti-Islamic statements so much in vogue in some countries." 
 
(e)  It is "curious and interesting" that this attack 
happened in the run-up to an election in Venezuela which is 
designed to let the people decide how long a president may 
serve. 
It is a "pity" the OAS does not show equal concern for "other 
occurrences" and it is "not fair Venezuela is not given 
credit for its tolerance." 
 
(f)  The attack on the synagogue should not be "used as a 
stick with which to beat Venezuela as we approach the 
election."  The Venezuelan Government was also "an aggrieved 
party." 
 
-- Costa Rica:  Deputy Permanent Representative Luis Guardia 
said Costa Rica "repudiated the attack on the synagogue" and 
"totally censured it." 
 
-- El Salvador:  Deputy Permanent Representative Luis 
Menendez ended the discussion by expressing its "solidarity 
and sympathy with the Venezuelan Jewish community" in the 
face of the attack. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Comment:  USOAS lobbied other Permanent Missions 
extensively before and during the meeting to encourage them 
to speak out against the attacks in Venezuela.  Had the 
United States been alone in denouncing the attacks, it is 
likely the Venezuelans would have used the opportunity to 
attack the United States directly.  Instead, Chaderton 
essentially claimed that member states were not giving 
sufficient attention to Gaza and should treat the Venezuelan 
government as a victim of the synagogue attack.  In our 
judgment, both claims sounded hollow in the halls of the OAS. 
  End comment. 
CLINTON