VZCZCXRO4340
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHCV #0867 1911353
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101353Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3360
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 000867 
 
SIPDIS 
 
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KDEM VE
SUBJECT: MFA FINDS SECRETARY'S COMMENTS DISRESPECTFUL 
 
REF: CARACAS 858 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  A communique late on July 8 from the Ministry of 
Foreign Relations criticized Secretary Clinton's comments on 
Venezuela during a July 7 interview with Globovision, 
Venezuela's last opposition television channel.  Calling the 
interview "unfriendly," the MFA questioned the sincerity of 
the USG's desire for improved relations and accused the 
Secretary of falling into the old habit of "passing judgment 
and giving orders" about Venezuelan democracy.  Branding 
Secretary Clinton's comments as a "clumsy and aggressive" act 
aimed at Venezuela, Latin America and the Caribbean, the GBRV 
called for a rectification for the good of relations between 
the two nations.  Although it criticized the interview 
itself, the communique does not object to any specific 
statements by the Secretary, 
 
¶2.  (U) TRANSLATED TEXT OF COMMUNIQUE (original sent to 
WHA/AND) 
 
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 
 
Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs 
 
COMMUNIQUE 
 
At a time when great efforts are being made to improve 
relations with the government of the United States, the 
Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, repeats the old 
practice of giving instructions and passing judgments about 
Venezuelan democracy and the sovereign relations of our 
country with other nations. 
 
The insinuations of the Secretary of State reflect a profound 
lack of knowledge of our reality as well as disdain to the 
popular will our people have demonstrated numerous times 
under the framework of a true participatory democracy. 
 
It is difficult to believe that the efforts to rebuild our 
bilateral relations are sincere given such unfriendly acts. 
The opinions stated by the Secretary of State yesterday 
constitute a clumsy and aggressive signal by the United 
States towards Venezuela, Latin America and the Caribbean. 
 
The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 
rejects this disrespectful gesture and urges a rectification 
for the sake of the relations between the Government of the 
United States and the Government of the Bolivarian Republic 
of Venezuela. 
 
DUDDY