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R 272136Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0060
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS CARACAS 001507 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL IR VE KISL
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ GIVES IRANIAN LEADER WARM WELCOME; SIGNS MORE 
AGREEMENTS 
 
¶1.        (SBU) Summary:  President Hugo Chavez provided a warm 
welcome to Iranian President  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his 
November 24-26 visit to Venezuela, declaring he and his Iranian 
counterpart were , "together to the end."   The Iranian's visit 
attracted small protests from student, Venezuelan Jewish and 
opposition groups.   Local political pundits have questioned the 
benefits of such close relations, noting that the nearly 300 
agreements with Iran have yielded very little in Venezuela.  During 
a signing ceremony of an additional 12 agreements, Chavez mocked 
Department spokesman Ian Kelly's comments regarding Iran's nuclear 
program, support for terrorism  and human rights.   End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶2.       (SBU) Following his cordial visit in Bolivia, Venezuelan 
President Hugo Chavez gave Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a 
warm welcome during his two day visit to Caracas.  Chavez called 
Ahmadinejad an "anti-imperialist gladiator," and a "valiant 
brother."  The Iranian leader returned the compliment, declaring he 
felt "at home with brothers" when visiting "his revolutionary 
friends" in Venezuela.  The Iranian Embassy and two Caracas hotels 
hosting the delegation were the sites of small protests by 
political parties, student and Jewish groups.  Maribel Castillo, 
Secretary General of the Patria Para Todos party, told the press, 
"on the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against 
Women...the government hosts the leader of a country where women 
are stoned to death." 
 
 
 
¶3.       (SBU) Using a satellite link to San Carlos in the central 
state of Cojedes, the two Presidents inaugurated an Iranian built 
public housing project.  According to press reports, behind the 
scenes, a 70-man business delegation worked to find investment 
opportunities in agriculture, energy, trade and basic industries. 
The newspaper Tal Cual, in a front page editorial, noted that only 
400 of 10,000 homes announced in 2007 had been built by Iran, a 
mere 5,000 of the expected 100,000 bicycles were built in 2008, and 
less than a third of the 2008 goal of 16,000 joint 
Iranian-Venezuelan automobiles had been assembled.  Similarly, 
planned oil refineries, aircraft plants and explosives factories 
only exist on paper.  Tal Cual assured readers not to worry about 
nuclear power in Venezuela and that the "aspiring autocrat and 
Persian satrap" were merely making noises. 
 
 
 
¶4.       (SBU)    During a November 26 signing ceremony for an 
additional 12 agreements on energy and infrastructure, Chavez 
mocked Department spokesman Ian Kelly's November 25 comments 
regarding Iran and the concerns of the international community 
regarding nuclear weapons, terrorism and human rights:  "The world 
is worried about the United States violating human rights." 
Referring to Posada Carilles, Chavez asked, "Why doesn't the Obama 
administration extradite this continent's father of terrorists?" 
DUDDY