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INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS CARACAS 000087 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID MOPS PREL PREF KPKO OAS HA VE
SUBJECT: TFHA01: GBRV Continues Disinformation Regarding U.S. Aid To 
Haiti 
 
REF: 10 CARACAS 65; 10 CARACAS 51; 10 CARACAS 57 
 
¶1.        (SBU) Summary:  During his January 24 television and 
radio broadcast, President Hugo Chavez claimed the "Yankees" aboard 
the hospital ship, USNS Comfort, were not treating patients 
because, "they will not work in the rubble, they will not go into 
the poor neighborhoods."   Chavez also promoted an ALBA foreign 
ministers' meeting to coordinate aid to Haiti during his show. 
State run broadcaster VTV broadcast the  charge by the Italian 
Civil Defense Chief that the United States was confusing military 
intervention with humanitarian aid.  It also showed a video of 
CITGO preparing to send 120 tons of supplies from Miami.   Media 
reported that a tanker belonging to the state oil company PDVSA 
that was carrying fuel for Haiti made port in the Dominican 
Republic on January 22. End Summary. 
 
 
 
USNS COMFORT 
 
 
 
¶2.       (SBU) During the January 24 "Alo Presidente" program, 
President Hugo Chavez called the arrival of the USNS COMFORT 
"cover" for the U.S.  takeover of Haiti and demanded to visit the 
hospital ship. "I want to see, because you won't let TeleSur 
aboard,"  referring to the  Venezuelan-sponsored regional news 
outlet for South America.   Chavez accused the COMFORT of having 
few patients because the U.S. relief workers "won't work in the 
rubble."  Chavez lauded Venezuelan/Cuban medical teams for their 
fearlessness in the wreckage  and criticized the "gringos" for 
sitting at anchor in air conditioned comfort and waiting for 
patients to come for them.  "How will patients get there?" asked 
Chavez, "show us the boat." 
 
 
 
ALBA TO THE RESCUE 
 
 
 
¶3.        (SBU) Chavez boasted about the Cuban/Venezuelan 
vaccination program and challenged President Obama to  "send 
vaccines boy, send vaccines."  U.S. servicemen were again 
characterized as invaders by Chavez when the Venezuelan leader 
suggested that instead of hand grenades and machine guns they 
should carry vaccines.  Chavez  also touted a meeting of ALBA 
foreign ministers and their relief plan to treat post-disaster 
epidemics, plant crops, rebuild schools and repair infrastructure 
for Haiti.  He stressed that ALBA would protect Haitian culture 
from "the take over by gringo troops," and that "old and new 
empires" would have to get their "claws" out of Haiti. 
 
 
 
 
 
STATE TELEVISION AIMS LOW 
 
 
 
¶4.       State run broadcaster VTV and its official website carried 
an Italian television interview with Guido Bertolase, head of 
Italian Civil Defense, under the headline, Italy: U.S. Aid to Haiti 
Ineffective.  Although the story includes the quote, "Americans 
tend to confuse military intervention with humanitarian aid," 
Bertolase actually calls aid efforts commendable, but was generally 
critical of the lack of coordination of all participating agencies. 
VTV prominently reported that on January 22, CITGO employees, in 
conjunction with the Simon Bolivar Foundation, had sent the first 
phase of a 120 ton shipment of tents, cots, blankets and radios to 
Port Au Prince from Miami.  In fact, as of January 21, the GBRV had 
not even requested a landing time in Haiti. 
 
 
 
 
 
¶5.         (SBU) On January 25, VTV reported that the ALBA 
representatives approved a relief plan for Haiti that included the 
creation of a humanitarian fund for the island, but no dollar 
amount was indicated.  Three Haitian power plants are to be 
provided fuel through PetroCaribe and the Alba Alimentos initiative 
is to help restore food production and distribution channels, 
although no budget or details were provided. 
CAULFIELD