Saturday, 1 December 2007
Golpe de inteligencia a la CIA en Venezuela
El documento de fecha 20 de noviembre del 2007, clasificado “Confidencial” (www.aporrea.org/tiburon/n105390.html), proviene del Sr. Michael Middleton Steere, funcionario de la Oficina de Asuntos Regionales (ORA) de la Agencia Central de Inteligencia (CIA) de Estados Unidos radicado en Venezuela dentro de la Embajada de Estados Unidos en Caracas. El memorando confidencial esta dirigido al Director de la CIA, el General Michael Hayden, y tiene como asunto el “avance de la fase final de la Operación Tenaza”. Esta Operación parece ser la articulación del Golpe Suave que han venido ejecutando en contra de Venezuela y el gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez desde comienzos de este año 2007.
En su primer párrafo del documento confidencial, el autor hace mención a los “anteriores avances documentados en torno a la Operación Tenaza” y confirma que dicha operación esta coordinada por el equipo de Inteligencia Humana (HUMINT) en Venezuela. Hace mención a la directiva “3623-g-0217” que debería ser la comunicación anterior sobre esta operación, y confirma que están entrando ya en la fase final del Plan tal cual como habían estimado.
El memorando resume los diferentes escenarios que viene trabajando este equipo de la CIA, que anteriormente puntualizaron en otra comunicación, y que ahora, según el autor, han adquirido nuevos desarrollos que deben destacar. El primer escenario es el Escenario Electoral, que confirma que las tendencias de intenciones de votos se mantienen y dan al SI una ventaja entre 10 y 13 puntos (57% SI, 44% NO) , con un nivel de abstención acerca del 60%. La CIA determina que esta tendencia es “irreversible” antes de las elecciones.
Sin embargo, destaca el funcionario Steere que la CIA ha venido promoviendo una campaña publicitaria por el NO que cuenta con más de 8 millones de dólares para las operaciones psicológicas, el pago de las encuestadores contratados por la CIA y la colaboración de las agencias y medios internacionales, además de un equipo financiado por la CIA y dirigido por Alberto Federico Ravell con los periodistas y medios nacionales. Menciona como las “deserciones” del General Raúl Isaías Baduel y el partido Podemos lograron “quitarle a Chávez 6 puntos” por el SI, sin embargo, no han tenido más impacto desde sus declaraciones iniciales y estos no forman parte de dicho Plan.
La oficina de la CIA en Venezuela recomienda a su director estos escenarios como respuestas a la inevitable victoria del “SI” el próximo 2 de diciembre: “Impedir el referéndum y/o desconocer sus resultados aún cuando se llame a votar por el NO.” A pesar de parecer contradictorios los dos escenarios, el funcionario Steere clarifica que para el momento “político coyuntural es necesaria su combinación”. Puntualizando más, Steere destaca que en los pocos días que quedan antes del referéndum, deben seguir fortaleciendo “las actividades que apuntan a impedir el referéndum y al mismo tiempo preparar las condiciones para desconocer los resultados del mismo”.
Para lograr impedir el referéndum, la CIA propone a las sigüentes acciones:
Calentar y tomar la calle con Guarimbas y “candelitas”
Generar un clima de ingobernabilidad
Provocar un levantamiento general de una parte sustancial de la población
“Vota y Quédate””, plan de implosión dentro de los centros de votación
Comenzar a dar información en las primeras horas de la tarde del domingo 2 de diciembre, explotando los sondeos preliminares en las mesas de votación (en violación de las normas del CNE).
Coordinar todo esto con los medios de comunicación nacionales (Ravell, Globovisión y RCTV) e internacionales
Coordinar con Peña Esclusa y Guon Céllies, por parte del Agregado Militar de Defensa y Ejército de la Embajada de EEUU en Caracas, Richard Nazario.
Para lograr desconocer los resultados del referéndum, la CIA propone a lo siguente:
Creación de una matriz de opinión sobre el supuesto triunfo seguro del “NO”
Usar encuestadores contratados por la CIA
Criticar y deslegitimar al CNE
Generar una sensación de fraude
Usar un equipo de expertos de las universidades que hace creíble una manipulación de la data del CNE, el Registro Electoral Permanente (REP) y la tinta que se utiliza durante la votación
Además, en el memorando de la CIA, escrita por el funcionario Michael Steere, proclama la necesidad de ejecutar estas acciones para poder lograr su objetivo:
Impedir el referéndum
Denunciar el fraude
Tomar la calle
Aislar a Chávez en el ámbito internacional
Tratar de lograr la unidad de la oposición
Buscar la alianza de los abstencionistas y los que votarán por e “NO”
Sostener con firmeza la propaganda contra Chávez
Ejecutar las acciones militares de apoyo a las movilizaciones y tomas propagandísticas
Terminar las preparaciones operativas en las bases militares de Colombia y Curazao
Controlar una franja territorial o institucional durante las próximas 72 a 120 horas
Impulsar un pronunciamiento militar posiblemente dentro de la Guardia Nacional
Los actores principales articulados en la Operación Tenaza son:
Oficina de la CIA en Venezuela (ORA) y su funcionario Michael Steere
Embajada de EEUU en Venezuela y su embajador Patrick Duddy
Oficina de Defensa, Ataque y Operaciones (DAO) de la Embajada de EEUU en Venezuela y el oficial Richard Nazario
Comando Nacional de la Resistencia
Acción Democrática
Bandera Roja
Primero Justicia
Peña Esclusa
Guyon Céllis
Alberto Federico Ravell y Globovisión
Agencias y medios internacionales
Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa (SIP)
Rectores de la Universidad Simón Bolívar (Rudolph Benjamin Scharikker Pdolski) y de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (Ugalde)
Estudiantes:
Yon Goicochea (UCAB)
Juan A Mejías (USB)
Douglas Barrios (UNIMET)
Ronel Gaglio (Monte Avila)
Gabriel Gallo (Santa Maria)
Ricardo Sánchez (UCV)
La Operación tiene como objetivo final la insurreción armada dentro de Venezuela en contra del gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez, que permitiría entonces la intervención de las fuerzas estadounidenses a territorio venezolano. Debido a la situación actual tensa con Colombia, el gobierno de Estados Unidos junto con el gobierno colombiano han ido reforzando sus fuerzas especiales y sus bases militares radicadas cerca a la frontera de Venezuela. En la Operación Tenaza, mencionan a dos países: Azul y Verde, donde tiene Estados Unidos bases y operaciones militares. El país Azul es marítimo, lo cuál indica que debe ser Curazao, donde Estados Unidos mantiene una base militar en el aeropuerto internacional Hato desde el año 1999, la cual han venido reforzando con equipos, construcciones y fuerzas especiales durante el último año y medio. El país Verde es frontera con Venezuela, que debe ser Colombia, donde Estados Unidos mantiene tres bases militares grandes, una en la frontera con Apure en Saravena, y más de 15 estaciones de rádares por todo el país que cuentan con 35 soldados mínimos de Estados Unidos, más los colombianos. A través de estas dos bases militares estadounidenses cercas a la frontera con Venezuela, la CIA y el Pentágono pretenden equipar a sus “aliados” dentro de Venezuela (mencionan específicamente a “sus contactos y reuniones con los oficiales de los diversos componentes, particularmente de la Guardia Nacional”) y apoyar con armamento a las movilizaciones de calle. Incluso, en el memorando confiesen que fue “detectado y decomisado parte del armamento” que envió Estados Unidos, que debe ser lo que fue capturado la semana pasada en una quinta en la Urbanización Miranda en Altamira por parte de los cuerpos de seguridad de estado.
La CIA confirma que lo he venido alertando durante mucho tiempo: los esfuerzos del enemigo en propaganda y las operaciones psicológicas es donde han “cosechado los mayores éxitos” de su Plan contra Venezuela. El uso de los medios de comunicación nacionales e internacionales, y la manipulación constante de la realidad en Venezuela ha logrado crear un imagen negativa de Venezuela dentro del ambiente internacional. A nivel nacional, estas operaciones psicológicas han logrado confundir algunos sectores de la sociedad venezolana, y siempre logran culpar al gobierno y particularmente al Presidente Chávez por todos los malos del país, a pesar de ser causados muchos de ellos por la misma oposición (el desabastecimiento, el caos causado por las guarimbas, etc). Tenemos el deber de diseñar una buena estrategia comunicacional internacional para contrastar estas operaciones psicológicas y ataques mediáticos contra Venezuela.
En fin, este documento de la CIA confirma lo que hemos venido denunciando hace años: hay un gran plan de desestabilización en marcha contra la revolución bolivariana que cuenta con los medios de comunicación, los partidos políticos tradicionales y nuevos de la derecha, los grupos estudiantiles de la derecha, los rectores de las universidades privadas, ciertos militares retirados, las ONG financiadas por el gobierno estadounidense, entre otros actores. La embajada de Estados Unidos en Caracas es nada más que un centro de conspiración del enemigo en contra de la revolución bolivariana y el gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez. Ahora pretenden involucrar a Colombia y aprovechar del conflicto y las tensiones entre los dos países para lanzar una agresión militar en contra de la integridad territorial de Venezuela. Bolivia, como país hermano revolucionario de Venezuela también esta siendo víctima de un plan parecido y merece la solidaridad y la atención de nuestras filas revolucionarias.
Comenzó la guerra asimétrica hace tiempo. Es hora de reforzar y consolidar la guerra de resistencia y diseñar una estrategia contundente para defender la revolución, asegurando entonces, el futuro de nuestra humanidad.
En su primer párrafo del documento confidencial, el autor hace mención a los “anteriores avances documentados en torno a la Operación Tenaza” y confirma que dicha operación esta coordinada por el equipo de Inteligencia Humana (HUMINT) en Venezuela. Hace mención a la directiva “3623-g-0217” que debería ser la comunicación anterior sobre esta operación, y confirma que están entrando ya en la fase final del Plan tal cual como habían estimado.
El memorando resume los diferentes escenarios que viene trabajando este equipo de la CIA, que anteriormente puntualizaron en otra comunicación, y que ahora, según el autor, han adquirido nuevos desarrollos que deben destacar. El primer escenario es el Escenario Electoral, que confirma que las tendencias de intenciones de votos se mantienen y dan al SI una ventaja entre 10 y 13 puntos (57% SI, 44% NO) , con un nivel de abstención acerca del 60%. La CIA determina que esta tendencia es “irreversible” antes de las elecciones.
Sin embargo, destaca el funcionario Steere que la CIA ha venido promoviendo una campaña publicitaria por el NO que cuenta con más de 8 millones de dólares para las operaciones psicológicas, el pago de las encuestadores contratados por la CIA y la colaboración de las agencias y medios internacionales, además de un equipo financiado por la CIA y dirigido por Alberto Federico Ravell con los periodistas y medios nacionales. Menciona como las “deserciones” del General Raúl Isaías Baduel y el partido Podemos lograron “quitarle a Chávez 6 puntos” por el SI, sin embargo, no han tenido más impacto desde sus declaraciones iniciales y estos no forman parte de dicho Plan.
La oficina de la CIA en Venezuela recomienda a su director estos escenarios como respuestas a la inevitable victoria del “SI” el próximo 2 de diciembre: “Impedir el referéndum y/o desconocer sus resultados aún cuando se llame a votar por el NO.” A pesar de parecer contradictorios los dos escenarios, el funcionario Steere clarifica que para el momento “político coyuntural es necesaria su combinación”. Puntualizando más, Steere destaca que en los pocos días que quedan antes del referéndum, deben seguir fortaleciendo “las actividades que apuntan a impedir el referéndum y al mismo tiempo preparar las condiciones para desconocer los resultados del mismo”.
Para lograr impedir el referéndum, la CIA propone a las sigüentes acciones:
Calentar y tomar la calle con Guarimbas y “candelitas”
Generar un clima de ingobernabilidad
Provocar un levantamiento general de una parte sustancial de la población
“Vota y Quédate””, plan de implosión dentro de los centros de votación
Comenzar a dar información en las primeras horas de la tarde del domingo 2 de diciembre, explotando los sondeos preliminares en las mesas de votación (en violación de las normas del CNE).
Coordinar todo esto con los medios de comunicación nacionales (Ravell, Globovisión y RCTV) e internacionales
Coordinar con Peña Esclusa y Guon Céllies, por parte del Agregado Militar de Defensa y Ejército de la Embajada de EEUU en Caracas, Richard Nazario.
Para lograr desconocer los resultados del referéndum, la CIA propone a lo siguente:
Creación de una matriz de opinión sobre el supuesto triunfo seguro del “NO”
Usar encuestadores contratados por la CIA
Criticar y deslegitimar al CNE
Generar una sensación de fraude
Usar un equipo de expertos de las universidades que hace creíble una manipulación de la data del CNE, el Registro Electoral Permanente (REP) y la tinta que se utiliza durante la votación
Además, en el memorando de la CIA, escrita por el funcionario Michael Steere, proclama la necesidad de ejecutar estas acciones para poder lograr su objetivo:
Impedir el referéndum
Denunciar el fraude
Tomar la calle
Aislar a Chávez en el ámbito internacional
Tratar de lograr la unidad de la oposición
Buscar la alianza de los abstencionistas y los que votarán por e “NO”
Sostener con firmeza la propaganda contra Chávez
Ejecutar las acciones militares de apoyo a las movilizaciones y tomas propagandísticas
Terminar las preparaciones operativas en las bases militares de Colombia y Curazao
Controlar una franja territorial o institucional durante las próximas 72 a 120 horas
Impulsar un pronunciamiento militar posiblemente dentro de la Guardia Nacional
Los actores principales articulados en la Operación Tenaza son:
Oficina de la CIA en Venezuela (ORA) y su funcionario Michael Steere
Embajada de EEUU en Venezuela y su embajador Patrick Duddy
Oficina de Defensa, Ataque y Operaciones (DAO) de la Embajada de EEUU en Venezuela y el oficial Richard Nazario
Comando Nacional de la Resistencia
Acción Democrática
Bandera Roja
Primero Justicia
Peña Esclusa
Guyon Céllis
Alberto Federico Ravell y Globovisión
Agencias y medios internacionales
Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa (SIP)
Rectores de la Universidad Simón Bolívar (Rudolph Benjamin Scharikker Pdolski) y de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (Ugalde)
Estudiantes:
Yon Goicochea (UCAB)
Juan A Mejías (USB)
Douglas Barrios (UNIMET)
Ronel Gaglio (Monte Avila)
Gabriel Gallo (Santa Maria)
Ricardo Sánchez (UCV)
La Operación tiene como objetivo final la insurreción armada dentro de Venezuela en contra del gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez, que permitiría entonces la intervención de las fuerzas estadounidenses a territorio venezolano. Debido a la situación actual tensa con Colombia, el gobierno de Estados Unidos junto con el gobierno colombiano han ido reforzando sus fuerzas especiales y sus bases militares radicadas cerca a la frontera de Venezuela. En la Operación Tenaza, mencionan a dos países: Azul y Verde, donde tiene Estados Unidos bases y operaciones militares. El país Azul es marítimo, lo cuál indica que debe ser Curazao, donde Estados Unidos mantiene una base militar en el aeropuerto internacional Hato desde el año 1999, la cual han venido reforzando con equipos, construcciones y fuerzas especiales durante el último año y medio. El país Verde es frontera con Venezuela, que debe ser Colombia, donde Estados Unidos mantiene tres bases militares grandes, una en la frontera con Apure en Saravena, y más de 15 estaciones de rádares por todo el país que cuentan con 35 soldados mínimos de Estados Unidos, más los colombianos. A través de estas dos bases militares estadounidenses cercas a la frontera con Venezuela, la CIA y el Pentágono pretenden equipar a sus “aliados” dentro de Venezuela (mencionan específicamente a “sus contactos y reuniones con los oficiales de los diversos componentes, particularmente de la Guardia Nacional”) y apoyar con armamento a las movilizaciones de calle. Incluso, en el memorando confiesen que fue “detectado y decomisado parte del armamento” que envió Estados Unidos, que debe ser lo que fue capturado la semana pasada en una quinta en la Urbanización Miranda en Altamira por parte de los cuerpos de seguridad de estado.
La CIA confirma que lo he venido alertando durante mucho tiempo: los esfuerzos del enemigo en propaganda y las operaciones psicológicas es donde han “cosechado los mayores éxitos” de su Plan contra Venezuela. El uso de los medios de comunicación nacionales e internacionales, y la manipulación constante de la realidad en Venezuela ha logrado crear un imagen negativa de Venezuela dentro del ambiente internacional. A nivel nacional, estas operaciones psicológicas han logrado confundir algunos sectores de la sociedad venezolana, y siempre logran culpar al gobierno y particularmente al Presidente Chávez por todos los malos del país, a pesar de ser causados muchos de ellos por la misma oposición (el desabastecimiento, el caos causado por las guarimbas, etc). Tenemos el deber de diseñar una buena estrategia comunicacional internacional para contrastar estas operaciones psicológicas y ataques mediáticos contra Venezuela.
En fin, este documento de la CIA confirma lo que hemos venido denunciando hace años: hay un gran plan de desestabilización en marcha contra la revolución bolivariana que cuenta con los medios de comunicación, los partidos políticos tradicionales y nuevos de la derecha, los grupos estudiantiles de la derecha, los rectores de las universidades privadas, ciertos militares retirados, las ONG financiadas por el gobierno estadounidense, entre otros actores. La embajada de Estados Unidos en Caracas es nada más que un centro de conspiración del enemigo en contra de la revolución bolivariana y el gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez. Ahora pretenden involucrar a Colombia y aprovechar del conflicto y las tensiones entre los dos países para lanzar una agresión militar en contra de la integridad territorial de Venezuela. Bolivia, como país hermano revolucionario de Venezuela también esta siendo víctima de un plan parecido y merece la solidaridad y la atención de nuestras filas revolucionarias.
Comenzó la guerra asimétrica hace tiempo. Es hora de reforzar y consolidar la guerra de resistencia y diseñar una estrategia contundente para defender la revolución, asegurando entonces, el futuro de nuestra humanidad.
Golpe de inteligencia a la CIA en Venezuela
El documento de fecha 20 de noviembre del 2007, clasificado “Confidencial” (www.aporrea.org/tiburon/n105390.html), proviene del Sr. Michael Middleton Steere, funcionario de la Oficina de Asuntos Regionales (ORA) de la Agencia Central de Inteligencia (CIA) de Estados Unidos radicado en Venezuela dentro de la Embajada de Estados Unidos en Caracas. El memorando confidencial esta dirigido al Director de la CIA, el General Michael Hayden, y tiene como asunto el “avance de la fase final de la Operación Tenaza”. Esta Operación parece ser la articulación del Golpe Suave que han venido ejecutando en contra de Venezuela y el gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez desde comienzos de este año 2007.
En su primer párrafo del documento confidencial, el autor hace mención a los “anteriores avances documentados en torno a la Operación Tenaza” y confirma que dicha operación esta coordinada por el equipo de Inteligencia Humana (HUMINT) en Venezuela. Hace mención a la directiva “3623-g-0217” que debería ser la comunicación anterior sobre esta operación, y confirma que están entrando ya en la fase final del Plan tal cual como habían estimado.
El memorando resume los diferentes escenarios que viene trabajando este equipo de la CIA, que anteriormente puntualizaron en otra comunicación, y que ahora, según el autor, han adquirido nuevos desarrollos que deben destacar. El primer escenario es el Escenario Electoral, que confirma que las tendencias de intenciones de votos se mantienen y dan al SI una ventaja entre 10 y 13 puntos (57% SI, 44% NO) , con un nivel de abstención acerca del 60%. La CIA determina que esta tendencia es “irreversible” antes de las elecciones.
Sin embargo, destaca el funcionario Steere que la CIA ha venido promoviendo una campaña publicitaria por el NO que cuenta con más de 8 millones de dólares para las operaciones psicológicas, el pago de las encuestadores contratados por la CIA y la colaboración de las agencias y medios internacionales, además de un equipo financiado por la CIA y dirigido por Alberto Federico Ravell con los periodistas y medios nacionales. Menciona como las “deserciones” del General Raúl Isaías Baduel y el partido Podemos lograron “quitarle a Chávez 6 puntos” por el SI, sin embargo, no han tenido más impacto desde sus declaraciones iniciales y estos no forman parte de dicho Plan.
La oficina de la CIA en Venezuela recomienda a su director estos escenarios como respuestas a la inevitable victoria del “SI” el próximo 2 de diciembre: “Impedir el referéndum y/o desconocer sus resultados aún cuando se llame a votar por el NO.” A pesar de parecer contradictorios los dos escenarios, el funcionario Steere clarifica que para el momento “político coyuntural es necesaria su combinación”. Puntualizando más, Steere destaca que en los pocos días que quedan antes del referéndum, deben seguir fortaleciendo “las actividades que apuntan a impedir el referéndum y al mismo tiempo preparar las condiciones para desconocer los resultados del mismo”.
Para lograr impedir el referéndum, la CIA propone a las sigüentes acciones:
Calentar y tomar la calle con Guarimbas y “candelitas”
Generar un clima de ingobernabilidad
Provocar un levantamiento general de una parte sustancial de la población
“Vota y Quédate””, plan de implosión dentro de los centros de votación
Comenzar a dar información en las primeras horas de la tarde del domingo 2 de diciembre, explotando los sondeos preliminares en las mesas de votación (en violación de las normas del CNE).
Coordinar todo esto con los medios de comunicación nacionales (Ravell, Globovisión y RCTV) e internacionales
Coordinar con Peña Esclusa y Guon Céllies, por parte del Agregado Militar de Defensa y Ejército de la Embajada de EEUU en Caracas, Richard Nazario.
Para lograr desconocer los resultados del referéndum, la CIA propone a lo siguente:
Creación de una matriz de opinión sobre el supuesto triunfo seguro del “NO”
Usar encuestadores contratados por la CIA
Criticar y deslegitimar al CNE
Generar una sensación de fraude
Usar un equipo de expertos de las universidades que hace creíble una manipulación de la data del CNE, el Registro Electoral Permanente (REP) y la tinta que se utiliza durante la votación
Además, en el memorando de la CIA, escrita por el funcionario Michael Steere, proclama la necesidad de ejecutar estas acciones para poder lograr su objetivo:
Impedir el referéndum
Denunciar el fraude
Tomar la calle
Aislar a Chávez en el ámbito internacional
Tratar de lograr la unidad de la oposición
Buscar la alianza de los abstencionistas y los que votarán por e “NO”
Sostener con firmeza la propaganda contra Chávez
Ejecutar las acciones militares de apoyo a las movilizaciones y tomas propagandísticas
Terminar las preparaciones operativas en las bases militares de Colombia y Curazao
Controlar una franja territorial o institucional durante las próximas 72 a 120 horas
Impulsar un pronunciamiento militar posiblemente dentro de la Guardia Nacional
Los actores principales articulados en la Operación Tenaza son:
Oficina de la CIA en Venezuela (ORA) y su funcionario Michael Steere
Embajada de EEUU en Venezuela y su embajador Patrick Duddy
Oficina de Defensa, Ataque y Operaciones (DAO) de la Embajada de EEUU en Venezuela y el oficial Richard Nazario
Comando Nacional de la Resistencia
Acción Democrática
Bandera Roja
Primero Justicia
Peña Esclusa
Guyon Céllis
Alberto Federico Ravell y Globovisión
Agencias y medios internacionales
Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa (SIP)
Rectores de la Universidad Simón Bolívar (Rudolph Benjamin Scharikker Pdolski) y de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (Ugalde)
Estudiantes:
Yon Goicochea (UCAB)
Juan A Mejías (USB)
Douglas Barrios (UNIMET)
Ronel Gaglio (Monte Avila)
Gabriel Gallo (Santa Maria)
Ricardo Sánchez (UCV)
La Operación tiene como objetivo final la insurreción armada dentro de Venezuela en contra del gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez, que permitiría entonces la intervención de las fuerzas estadounidenses a territorio venezolano. Debido a la situación actual tensa con Colombia, el gobierno de Estados Unidos junto con el gobierno colombiano han ido reforzando sus fuerzas especiales y sus bases militares radicadas cerca a la frontera de Venezuela. En la Operación Tenaza, mencionan a dos países: Azul y Verde, donde tiene Estados Unidos bases y operaciones militares. El país Azul es marítimo, lo cuál indica que debe ser Curazao, donde Estados Unidos mantiene una base militar en el aeropuerto internacional Hato desde el año 1999, la cual han venido reforzando con equipos, construcciones y fuerzas especiales durante el último año y medio. El país Verde es frontera con Venezuela, que debe ser Colombia, donde Estados Unidos mantiene tres bases militares grandes, una en la frontera con Apure en Saravena, y más de 15 estaciones de rádares por todo el país que cuentan con 35 soldados mínimos de Estados Unidos, más los colombianos. A través de estas dos bases militares estadounidenses cercas a la frontera con Venezuela, la CIA y el Pentágono pretenden equipar a sus “aliados” dentro de Venezuela (mencionan específicamente a “sus contactos y reuniones con los oficiales de los diversos componentes, particularmente de la Guardia Nacional”) y apoyar con armamento a las movilizaciones de calle. Incluso, en el memorando confiesen que fue “detectado y decomisado parte del armamento” que envió Estados Unidos, que debe ser lo que fue capturado la semana pasada en una quinta en la Urbanización Miranda en Altamira por parte de los cuerpos de seguridad de estado.
La CIA confirma que lo he venido alertando durante mucho tiempo: los esfuerzos del enemigo en propaganda y las operaciones psicológicas es donde han “cosechado los mayores éxitos” de su Plan contra Venezuela. El uso de los medios de comunicación nacionales e internacionales, y la manipulación constante de la realidad en Venezuela ha logrado crear un imagen negativa de Venezuela dentro del ambiente internacional. A nivel nacional, estas operaciones psicológicas han logrado confundir algunos sectores de la sociedad venezolana, y siempre logran culpar al gobierno y particularmente al Presidente Chávez por todos los malos del país, a pesar de ser causados muchos de ellos por la misma oposición (el desabastecimiento, el caos causado por las guarimbas, etc). Tenemos el deber de diseñar una buena estrategia comunicacional internacional para contrastar estas operaciones psicológicas y ataques mediáticos contra Venezuela.
En fin, este documento de la CIA confirma lo que hemos venido denunciando hace años: hay un gran plan de desestabilización en marcha contra la revolución bolivariana que cuenta con los medios de comunicación, los partidos políticos tradicionales y nuevos de la derecha, los grupos estudiantiles de la derecha, los rectores de las universidades privadas, ciertos militares retirados, las ONG financiadas por el gobierno estadounidense, entre otros actores. La embajada de Estados Unidos en Caracas es nada más que un centro de conspiración del enemigo en contra de la revolución bolivariana y el gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez. Ahora pretenden involucrar a Colombia y aprovechar del conflicto y las tensiones entre los dos países para lanzar una agresión militar en contra de la integridad territorial de Venezuela. Bolivia, como país hermano revolucionario de Venezuela también esta siendo víctima de un plan parecido y merece la solidaridad y la atención de nuestras filas revolucionarias.
Comenzó la guerra asimétrica hace tiempo. Es hora de reforzar y consolidar la guerra de resistencia y diseñar una estrategia contundente para defender la revolución, asegurando entonces, el futuro de nuestra humanidad.
27 noviembre 2007
En su primer párrafo del documento confidencial, el autor hace mención a los “anteriores avances documentados en torno a la Operación Tenaza” y confirma que dicha operación esta coordinada por el equipo de Inteligencia Humana (HUMINT) en Venezuela. Hace mención a la directiva “3623-g-0217” que debería ser la comunicación anterior sobre esta operación, y confirma que están entrando ya en la fase final del Plan tal cual como habían estimado.
El memorando resume los diferentes escenarios que viene trabajando este equipo de la CIA, que anteriormente puntualizaron en otra comunicación, y que ahora, según el autor, han adquirido nuevos desarrollos que deben destacar. El primer escenario es el Escenario Electoral, que confirma que las tendencias de intenciones de votos se mantienen y dan al SI una ventaja entre 10 y 13 puntos (57% SI, 44% NO) , con un nivel de abstención acerca del 60%. La CIA determina que esta tendencia es “irreversible” antes de las elecciones.
Sin embargo, destaca el funcionario Steere que la CIA ha venido promoviendo una campaña publicitaria por el NO que cuenta con más de 8 millones de dólares para las operaciones psicológicas, el pago de las encuestadores contratados por la CIA y la colaboración de las agencias y medios internacionales, además de un equipo financiado por la CIA y dirigido por Alberto Federico Ravell con los periodistas y medios nacionales. Menciona como las “deserciones” del General Raúl Isaías Baduel y el partido Podemos lograron “quitarle a Chávez 6 puntos” por el SI, sin embargo, no han tenido más impacto desde sus declaraciones iniciales y estos no forman parte de dicho Plan.
La oficina de la CIA en Venezuela recomienda a su director estos escenarios como respuestas a la inevitable victoria del “SI” el próximo 2 de diciembre: “Impedir el referéndum y/o desconocer sus resultados aún cuando se llame a votar por el NO.” A pesar de parecer contradictorios los dos escenarios, el funcionario Steere clarifica que para el momento “político coyuntural es necesaria su combinación”. Puntualizando más, Steere destaca que en los pocos días que quedan antes del referéndum, deben seguir fortaleciendo “las actividades que apuntan a impedir el referéndum y al mismo tiempo preparar las condiciones para desconocer los resultados del mismo”.
Para lograr impedir el referéndum, la CIA propone a las sigüentes acciones:
Calentar y tomar la calle con Guarimbas y “candelitas”
Generar un clima de ingobernabilidad
Provocar un levantamiento general de una parte sustancial de la población
“Vota y Quédate””, plan de implosión dentro de los centros de votación
Comenzar a dar información en las primeras horas de la tarde del domingo 2 de diciembre, explotando los sondeos preliminares en las mesas de votación (en violación de las normas del CNE).
Coordinar todo esto con los medios de comunicación nacionales (Ravell, Globovisión y RCTV) e internacionales
Coordinar con Peña Esclusa y Guon Céllies, por parte del Agregado Militar de Defensa y Ejército de la Embajada de EEUU en Caracas, Richard Nazario.
Para lograr desconocer los resultados del referéndum, la CIA propone a lo siguente:
Creación de una matriz de opinión sobre el supuesto triunfo seguro del “NO”
Usar encuestadores contratados por la CIA
Criticar y deslegitimar al CNE
Generar una sensación de fraude
Usar un equipo de expertos de las universidades que hace creíble una manipulación de la data del CNE, el Registro Electoral Permanente (REP) y la tinta que se utiliza durante la votación
Además, en el memorando de la CIA, escrita por el funcionario Michael Steere, proclama la necesidad de ejecutar estas acciones para poder lograr su objetivo:
Impedir el referéndum
Denunciar el fraude
Tomar la calle
Aislar a Chávez en el ámbito internacional
Tratar de lograr la unidad de la oposición
Buscar la alianza de los abstencionistas y los que votarán por e “NO”
Sostener con firmeza la propaganda contra Chávez
Ejecutar las acciones militares de apoyo a las movilizaciones y tomas propagandísticas
Terminar las preparaciones operativas en las bases militares de Colombia y Curazao
Controlar una franja territorial o institucional durante las próximas 72 a 120 horas
Impulsar un pronunciamiento militar posiblemente dentro de la Guardia Nacional
Los actores principales articulados en la Operación Tenaza son:
Oficina de la CIA en Venezuela (ORA) y su funcionario Michael Steere
Embajada de EEUU en Venezuela y su embajador Patrick Duddy
Oficina de Defensa, Ataque y Operaciones (DAO) de la Embajada de EEUU en Venezuela y el oficial Richard Nazario
Comando Nacional de la Resistencia
Acción Democrática
Bandera Roja
Primero Justicia
Peña Esclusa
Guyon Céllis
Alberto Federico Ravell y Globovisión
Agencias y medios internacionales
Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa (SIP)
Rectores de la Universidad Simón Bolívar (Rudolph Benjamin Scharikker Pdolski) y de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (Ugalde)
Estudiantes:
Yon Goicochea (UCAB)
Juan A Mejías (USB)
Douglas Barrios (UNIMET)
Ronel Gaglio (Monte Avila)
Gabriel Gallo (Santa Maria)
Ricardo Sánchez (UCV)
La Operación tiene como objetivo final la insurreción armada dentro de Venezuela en contra del gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez, que permitiría entonces la intervención de las fuerzas estadounidenses a territorio venezolano. Debido a la situación actual tensa con Colombia, el gobierno de Estados Unidos junto con el gobierno colombiano han ido reforzando sus fuerzas especiales y sus bases militares radicadas cerca a la frontera de Venezuela. En la Operación Tenaza, mencionan a dos países: Azul y Verde, donde tiene Estados Unidos bases y operaciones militares. El país Azul es marítimo, lo cuál indica que debe ser Curazao, donde Estados Unidos mantiene una base militar en el aeropuerto internacional Hato desde el año 1999, la cual han venido reforzando con equipos, construcciones y fuerzas especiales durante el último año y medio. El país Verde es frontera con Venezuela, que debe ser Colombia, donde Estados Unidos mantiene tres bases militares grandes, una en la frontera con Apure en Saravena, y más de 15 estaciones de rádares por todo el país que cuentan con 35 soldados mínimos de Estados Unidos, más los colombianos. A través de estas dos bases militares estadounidenses cercas a la frontera con Venezuela, la CIA y el Pentágono pretenden equipar a sus “aliados” dentro de Venezuela (mencionan específicamente a “sus contactos y reuniones con los oficiales de los diversos componentes, particularmente de la Guardia Nacional”) y apoyar con armamento a las movilizaciones de calle. Incluso, en el memorando confiesen que fue “detectado y decomisado parte del armamento” que envió Estados Unidos, que debe ser lo que fue capturado la semana pasada en una quinta en la Urbanización Miranda en Altamira por parte de los cuerpos de seguridad de estado.
La CIA confirma que lo he venido alertando durante mucho tiempo: los esfuerzos del enemigo en propaganda y las operaciones psicológicas es donde han “cosechado los mayores éxitos” de su Plan contra Venezuela. El uso de los medios de comunicación nacionales e internacionales, y la manipulación constante de la realidad en Venezuela ha logrado crear un imagen negativa de Venezuela dentro del ambiente internacional. A nivel nacional, estas operaciones psicológicas han logrado confundir algunos sectores de la sociedad venezolana, y siempre logran culpar al gobierno y particularmente al Presidente Chávez por todos los malos del país, a pesar de ser causados muchos de ellos por la misma oposición (el desabastecimiento, el caos causado por las guarimbas, etc). Tenemos el deber de diseñar una buena estrategia comunicacional internacional para contrastar estas operaciones psicológicas y ataques mediáticos contra Venezuela.
En fin, este documento de la CIA confirma lo que hemos venido denunciando hace años: hay un gran plan de desestabilización en marcha contra la revolución bolivariana que cuenta con los medios de comunicación, los partidos políticos tradicionales y nuevos de la derecha, los grupos estudiantiles de la derecha, los rectores de las universidades privadas, ciertos militares retirados, las ONG financiadas por el gobierno estadounidense, entre otros actores. La embajada de Estados Unidos en Caracas es nada más que un centro de conspiración del enemigo en contra de la revolución bolivariana y el gobierno del Comandante Presidente Chávez. Ahora pretenden involucrar a Colombia y aprovechar del conflicto y las tensiones entre los dos países para lanzar una agresión militar en contra de la integridad territorial de Venezuela. Bolivia, como país hermano revolucionario de Venezuela también esta siendo víctima de un plan parecido y merece la solidaridad y la atención de nuestras filas revolucionarias.
Comenzó la guerra asimétrica hace tiempo. Es hora de reforzar y consolidar la guerra de resistencia y diseñar una estrategia contundente para defender la revolución, asegurando entonces, el futuro de nuestra humanidad.
27 noviembre 2007
Thursday, 29 November 2007
CNN intigates to kill Chavez
Last night CNN en Español aired the image, which captions at the bottom "Who Killed him?" by "accident". The image of President Chavez with the caption about killing him below, which some could say subliminally incites to assassination, was a "production error" mistakenly made in the CNN en Español newsroom. The news anchor had been narrarating a story about the situation between Colombia and Venezuela and then switched to a story about an unsolved homicide but - oops - someone forgot to change the screen image and President Chavez was left with the killing statement below. Today they apologized and admitted it was a rather "unfortunate" and "regrettable" mistake. Yes, it was.
On a scarier note, an internal CIA memorandum has been obtained by Venezuelan counterintelligence from the US Embassy in Caracas that reveals a very sinister - almost fantastical, were it not true - plan to destabilize Venezuela during the coming days. The plan, titled "OPERATION PLIERS" was authored by CIA Officer Michael Middleton Steere and was addressed to CIA Director General Michael Hayden in Washington. Steere is stationed at the US Embassy in Caracas under the guise of a Regional Affairs Officer. The internal memorandum, dated November 20, 2007, references the "Advances of the Final Stage of Operation Pliers", and confirms that the operation is coordinated by the team of Human Intelligence (HUMINT) in Venezuela. The memo summarizes the different scenarios that the CIA has been working on in Venezuela for the upcoming referendum vote on December 2nd. The Electoral Scenario, as it's phrased, confirms that the voting tendencies will not change substantially before Sunday, December 2nd, and that the SI (YES) vote in favor of the constitutional reform has an advantage of about 10-13 points over the NO vote. The CIA estimates abstention around 60% and states in the memo that this voting tendency is irreversible before the elections.
Officer Steere emphasizes the importance and success of the public relations and propaganda campaign that the CIA has been funding with more than $8 million during the past month - funds that the CIA confirms are transfered through the USAID contracted company, Development Alternatives, Inc., which set up operations in June 2002 to run the USAID Office for Transition Initiatives that funds and advises opposition NGOs and political parties in Venezuela. The CIA memo specifically refers to these propaganda initiatives as "psychological operations" (PSYOPS), that include contracting polling companies to create fraudulent polls that show the NO vote with an advantage over the SI vote, which is false. The CIA also confirms in the memo that it is working with international press agencies to distort the data and information about the referendum, and that it coordinates in Venezuela with a team of journalists and media organized and directed by the President of Globovision, Alberto Federico Ravell.
CIA Officer Michael Steere recommends to General Michael Hayden two different strategies to work simultaneously: Impede the referendum and refuse to recognize the results once the SI vote wins. Though these strategies appear contradictory, Steere claims that they must be implemented together precisely to encourage activities that aim toward impeding the referendum and at the same time prepare the conditions for a rejection of the results.
How is this to be done?
In the memo, the CIA proposes the following tactics and actions:
Take the streets and protest with violent, disruptive actions across the nation
Generate a climate of ungovernability
Provoke a general uprising in a substantial part of the population
Engage in a "plan to implode" the voting centers on election day by encouraging opposition voters to "VOTE and REMAIN" in their centers to agitate others
Start to release data during the early hours of the afternoon on Sunday that favor the NO vote (in clear violation of election regulations)
Coordinate these activities with Ravell & Globovision and international press agencies
Coordinate with ex-militar officers and coupsters Pena Esclusa and Guyon Cellis - this will be done by the Military Attache for Defense and Army at the US Embassy in Caracas, Office of Defense, Attack and Operations (DAO)
To encourage rejection of the results, the CIA proposes:
Creating an acceptance in the public opinion that the NO vote will win for sure
Using polling companies contracted by the CIA
Criticize and discredit the National Elections Council
Generate a sensation of fraud
Use a team of experts from the universities that will talk about how the data from the Electoral Registry has been manipulated and will build distrust in the voting system
The CIA memo also talks about:
Isolating Chavez in the international community
Trying to achieve unity amongst the opposition
Seek an aliance between those abstentionists and those who will vote "NO"
Sustain firmly the propaganda against Chavez
Execute military actions to support the opposition mobilizations and propagandistic occupations
Finalize the operative preparations on the US military bases in Curacao and Colombia to provide support to actions in Venezuela
Control a part of the country during the next 72-120 hours
Encourage a military rebellion inside the National Guard forces and other components
Those involved in these actions as detailed in the CIA memo are:
The CIA Office in Venezuela - Office of Regional Affairs, and Officer Michael Steere
US Embassy in Venezuela, Ambassador Patrick Duddy
Office of Defense, Attack and Operations (DAO) at the US Embassy in Caracas and Military Attache Richard Nazario
Venezuelan Political Parties:
Comando Nacional de la Resistencia
Accion Democratica
Primero Justicia
Bandera Roja
Media:
Alberto Federico Ravell & Globovision
Interamerican Press Society (IAPA) or SIP in Spanish
International Press Agencies
Venezuelans:
Pena Esclusa
Guyon Cellis
Dean of the Simon Bolivar University, Rudolph Benjamin Podolski
Dean of the Andres Bello Catholic University, Ugalde
Students: Yon Goicochea, Juan Mejias, Ronel Gaglio, Gabriel Gallo, Ricardo Sanchez
Operation Tenaza has the objective of encouraging an armed insurrection in Venezuela against the government of President Chavez that will justify an intervention of US forces, stationed on the military bases nearby in Curacao and Colombia. The Operation mentions two countries in code: as Blue and Green. These refer to Curacao and Colombia, where the US has operative, active and equipped bases that have been reinforced over the past year and a half in anticipation of a conflict with Venezuela.
The document confirms that psychological operations are the CIA's best and most effective weapon to date against Venezuela, and it will continue its efforts to influence international public opinion regarding President Chavez and the situation in the country.
Operation Tenaza is a very alarming plan that aims to destabilize Venezuela and overthrow (again) its legitimate and democratic (and very popularly support) president. The plan will fail, primarily because it has been discovered, but it must be denounced around the world as an unacceptable violation of Venezuela's sovereignty.
The original document in English will be available in the public sphere soon for viewing and authenticating purposes. And it also contains more information than has been revealed here.
On a scarier note, an internal CIA memorandum has been obtained by Venezuelan counterintelligence from the US Embassy in Caracas that reveals a very sinister - almost fantastical, were it not true - plan to destabilize Venezuela during the coming days. The plan, titled "OPERATION PLIERS" was authored by CIA Officer Michael Middleton Steere and was addressed to CIA Director General Michael Hayden in Washington. Steere is stationed at the US Embassy in Caracas under the guise of a Regional Affairs Officer. The internal memorandum, dated November 20, 2007, references the "Advances of the Final Stage of Operation Pliers", and confirms that the operation is coordinated by the team of Human Intelligence (HUMINT) in Venezuela. The memo summarizes the different scenarios that the CIA has been working on in Venezuela for the upcoming referendum vote on December 2nd. The Electoral Scenario, as it's phrased, confirms that the voting tendencies will not change substantially before Sunday, December 2nd, and that the SI (YES) vote in favor of the constitutional reform has an advantage of about 10-13 points over the NO vote. The CIA estimates abstention around 60% and states in the memo that this voting tendency is irreversible before the elections.
Officer Steere emphasizes the importance and success of the public relations and propaganda campaign that the CIA has been funding with more than $8 million during the past month - funds that the CIA confirms are transfered through the USAID contracted company, Development Alternatives, Inc., which set up operations in June 2002 to run the USAID Office for Transition Initiatives that funds and advises opposition NGOs and political parties in Venezuela. The CIA memo specifically refers to these propaganda initiatives as "psychological operations" (PSYOPS), that include contracting polling companies to create fraudulent polls that show the NO vote with an advantage over the SI vote, which is false. The CIA also confirms in the memo that it is working with international press agencies to distort the data and information about the referendum, and that it coordinates in Venezuela with a team of journalists and media organized and directed by the President of Globovision, Alberto Federico Ravell.
CIA Officer Michael Steere recommends to General Michael Hayden two different strategies to work simultaneously: Impede the referendum and refuse to recognize the results once the SI vote wins. Though these strategies appear contradictory, Steere claims that they must be implemented together precisely to encourage activities that aim toward impeding the referendum and at the same time prepare the conditions for a rejection of the results.
How is this to be done?
In the memo, the CIA proposes the following tactics and actions:
Take the streets and protest with violent, disruptive actions across the nation
Generate a climate of ungovernability
Provoke a general uprising in a substantial part of the population
Engage in a "plan to implode" the voting centers on election day by encouraging opposition voters to "VOTE and REMAIN" in their centers to agitate others
Start to release data during the early hours of the afternoon on Sunday that favor the NO vote (in clear violation of election regulations)
Coordinate these activities with Ravell & Globovision and international press agencies
Coordinate with ex-militar officers and coupsters Pena Esclusa and Guyon Cellis - this will be done by the Military Attache for Defense and Army at the US Embassy in Caracas, Office of Defense, Attack and Operations (DAO)
To encourage rejection of the results, the CIA proposes:
Creating an acceptance in the public opinion that the NO vote will win for sure
Using polling companies contracted by the CIA
Criticize and discredit the National Elections Council
Generate a sensation of fraud
Use a team of experts from the universities that will talk about how the data from the Electoral Registry has been manipulated and will build distrust in the voting system
The CIA memo also talks about:
Isolating Chavez in the international community
Trying to achieve unity amongst the opposition
Seek an aliance between those abstentionists and those who will vote "NO"
Sustain firmly the propaganda against Chavez
Execute military actions to support the opposition mobilizations and propagandistic occupations
Finalize the operative preparations on the US military bases in Curacao and Colombia to provide support to actions in Venezuela
Control a part of the country during the next 72-120 hours
Encourage a military rebellion inside the National Guard forces and other components
Those involved in these actions as detailed in the CIA memo are:
The CIA Office in Venezuela - Office of Regional Affairs, and Officer Michael Steere
US Embassy in Venezuela, Ambassador Patrick Duddy
Office of Defense, Attack and Operations (DAO) at the US Embassy in Caracas and Military Attache Richard Nazario
Venezuelan Political Parties:
Comando Nacional de la Resistencia
Accion Democratica
Primero Justicia
Bandera Roja
Media:
Alberto Federico Ravell & Globovision
Interamerican Press Society (IAPA) or SIP in Spanish
International Press Agencies
Venezuelans:
Pena Esclusa
Guyon Cellis
Dean of the Simon Bolivar University, Rudolph Benjamin Podolski
Dean of the Andres Bello Catholic University, Ugalde
Students: Yon Goicochea, Juan Mejias, Ronel Gaglio, Gabriel Gallo, Ricardo Sanchez
Operation Tenaza has the objective of encouraging an armed insurrection in Venezuela against the government of President Chavez that will justify an intervention of US forces, stationed on the military bases nearby in Curacao and Colombia. The Operation mentions two countries in code: as Blue and Green. These refer to Curacao and Colombia, where the US has operative, active and equipped bases that have been reinforced over the past year and a half in anticipation of a conflict with Venezuela.
The document confirms that psychological operations are the CIA's best and most effective weapon to date against Venezuela, and it will continue its efforts to influence international public opinion regarding President Chavez and the situation in the country.
Operation Tenaza is a very alarming plan that aims to destabilize Venezuela and overthrow (again) its legitimate and democratic (and very popularly support) president. The plan will fail, primarily because it has been discovered, but it must be denounced around the world as an unacceptable violation of Venezuela's sovereignty.
The original document in English will be available in the public sphere soon for viewing and authenticating purposes. And it also contains more information than has been revealed here.
We demand an investigation about CIAs in Venezuela
Complementary information about the Memo about Venezuela
Dear delegates to the European Parliament and United European Left,
I send to you again the text a send yesterday with a better correction of some semantic and grammatical errors committed by the translation robot of Babelfish (yesterday I was in big hurry to send to everyone this important and serious news so I had no time to look after such errors)
With consternation I had read today (the 28th/11) in the TV Channel TELESUR that advanced plans had been discovered to influence in the Venezuelan referendum the 2d of December. I have attached hereby a translation of the text in from Spanish to English (I attach as well the original text and links). If the information stated in this television news is real it is a serious intervention in a sovereign state internal affairs and I request that you take this issue for discussion in the European Parliament and if possible that you, estimated MPs require more information from news agencies and governmental agencies. This report requires a deep and serious investigation!
Here is the text automatically translated by Babelfish translation robot and corrected by me to some extent (due to the poor quality of the translation robot in some sentences and phrases I can not list out what was the original meaning of some phrases, but the text here give you a pretty good understanding of the issue) I attach as well an analysis of the content at the final of the memo.
November 20, 2007 CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM Of: Michael Middleton Steere, U.S. Embassy
TO: Michael Hayden, Director Central Agency of Intelligence.
Subject: Advance of the Final stage of the Operation Pincer
Taking in consideration the previous documentary advances around the Operation Pincer that coordinate HUMINT in Venezuela according to the directive 3623-g-0217, I fulfill in informing to him for the consequent aims, of the present status of this operation, which enters its final stage according to the considered issue. In summarized form, we presented/displayed the diverse scenes emphasized in the memoradum previous, which in the last weeks acquires new developments:
Electoral Scene. As I emphasized it in the preceding report, the tendencies of intentions of vote stay. Until now the different made measurements, including ours, they give to YES an advantage between 10 and 13 points (57 % YES, 44% NON). Such percentage estimation occurs within the framework of an abstention that goes up to around 60% of the enrolled voters. Our analyses, observe that this tendency is irreversible in the short term, that is to say, in next the fifteen (15) days cannot be modified those percentage of a significant way. On the other hand, the advertising campaign promoted by the Plan and the desertions in the governmental rows (We can take Baduel, for example) has managed to lower Chávez with 6 points in his position of initial starting, as it had not happened in other campaigns, where has started off with an advantage between 15 and 20 % Nevertheless, a freezing of the waited impact can be hoped, since such tendencies touched floor. In such sense, this office recommends to execute the predicted Plan for the Operation Pincer in the case of consolidating in the next days this scene.
As it is of your knowledge we have proposed some measures, between which they are: To prevent the referendum or to not recognize its results even though is called to vote for NO. In terms of tactical orientation these hinges can give the impression of being contradictory, but for the conjunctural political moment its combination is necessary. In the days ahead we can continue fortifying the activities that aim to prevent the referendum and at the same time to prepare the conditions to not recognize the results of the same one.
In the political preparation of the non recognition of the results of the referendum, the creation has been important from the opinion matrix on a safe triumph of NO and in such sense we will continue working with the vote pools research that we have contracted.
At the same time which we maintain one maintained campaign for NO, one comes working in the critic to the CNE and its connection with a series of traps, which generates in the public opinion the fraud sensation. In that sense we have come insisting on the topics referred the inconsistency from the permanent electoral registry, where we contacted with an equipment of experts of the universities, that by its academic prestige makes a manipulation credible of the data on the part of the CNE, equal happens on the doubts on the red and the behavior of the voting machines. In this context, to flood the voting act day 2 of December is consustancial with the premise of VOTES and ABSTENTION to be able to produce an implosion that allows us to execute the directives already established in the Operation Pincer
Upon this last aspect we have agreed with allied forces to begin in the afternoon give information in the first hours of the Sunday the 2 of December, exploding preliminary soundings in the voting tables. The mounted operations requires of coordination with mass media at international level, according to the planning.
Since we have explained in another document, to handle itself in these two scene does not stop being politically dangerous, by the fracture that exists in the competing groups. In spite of our effort to unite to all the sectors, there are opinions found around some aspects of our Plan. We have made contacts and meetings with the First Justice and New Time and apparently are not going to subscribe our strategy. All the opposites of the National Commando of the Resistance and Democratic Action, with those who we come working the two options. Here it is necessary to emphasize the paper that come carrying out Esclusa Rock and Guyon Cellis according to the previous co ordinations made by Richard Nazario, with respect to scattering in all the national territory small centers of protests that generate an ungovernability climate, allowing to culminate in the general rise of a substantial part of the population. Nevertheless, I consider advisable that this operational nexus canalizes by the office to avoid complications to the embassy
2) the immediate tasks of the final stage The combination of the previous clamps or hinges (to prevent the referendum, to denounce the fraud and to take the street) for a victorious closing from our operation, demand of a sharp diplomatic effort to isolate still more Chávez in the international arena, to deal with and to obtain the unity of the opposition and to look for the alliance of the non-participants and those that vote by NO, to increase the pressure of street in the previous days to the 2 December, to maintain with firmness the propaganda against the regime, to execute the military actions of support to the mobilizations and propagandistic tasks, to culminate operational preparations of our forces quartered in bordering Base.
The support of the originating external team of the green and blue country, this coordinated, blue the naval operation of this predicted one and, the borders with green in the certain points this free one.
We immediately reviewed to the made activities to fulfil such goals: A) As far as the mobilizations of street, as it contemplates the Plan, we have managed to persuade important tie student sectors of the private education institutions so that they are gotten up organic to our initiatives to leave Chávez. In the third week of November an agreement was obtained that leads to emergent consensus that has welcomed our ideas of democracy and freedom, several meetings of work we have made, under the coordination of Scharikker Podolski of the Simón University Bolivar and Ugalde of the Catholic University Andrés Bello. These authorities have constituted a team where groups of professors participate between whom Oropeza Angel and his team of the postgraduate of Political Sciences. The meetings they have attended student leaders of several universities: Yon Goicochea of the Catholic University Andrés Bello (UCAB), Juan To Mejías of the Simón Bolivar University (USB), Douglas of the Metropolitan University, Ronel Gaglio of the University Mounts Ávila, Gabriel Rooster of the University Santa Maria.
Between these leaders there is consensus in general terms, but with some differences as far as the concrete actions for the next days. Red Flag has result flattering the position assumed by student leaders of a denominated group, formerly enemy of ours interests in the country. His leader Ricardo Sanchez, of the Central University of Venezuela, was one of which support our proposal of direct actions of street against the institutions: CNE, Supreme Court of Justice and the Palace of Miraflores. Anyway, unit has to continue working of action of these groups, since there is danger of fracture under the operational premise of the non-violence and exigencies that are contemplated in the Plan, being part of the same contradictory reality that we evaluated in the electoral scene, since in these student groups they influence so much the National Commando of the Resistance as the First Justice and in their sine the diverse partisan positions are expressed.
B) As you know, one of the objectives of the Operation Pincer is to control a territorial or institutional strip, with massive support of citizen displeasures, in a lapse contemplated between 72 and 120 hours, time considered like minimum lapse to detonate the ascending phase of the actions anticipated, where the military uprising is contemplated. In this are not it jeopardizes all the sectors, reason why we demanded a greater activity of the dedicated teams to construct our alliances. Particular importance has the contacts and meetings with the officials of the diverse components, particularly of the National Guard. Although the connection that previously the central office sent made its task, the coordination with this key force has not been easy by the dispersion of its commandos.
In this scope, as already it had been found out by our emergency message, one of the team coordinated by our operative connection was detected and part of the armament had been seized, which has generated some difficulties of security. Before the dangers of political use of the publicly well-known facts, it is necessary to prepare alibis and contra propaganda that minimize the demoralizing impact of some imputations that the government will do, due to the facts found in some cellular phones and laptops seized.
C) In the contemplated sphere of propaganda and psychological operations in the Plan in course, is where we have harvested the greater successes, to such an extent than in the last weeks we have imposed our agenda and dominated the advertising scene. The contributions of the SIP and the international agencies have been crucial. Special recognition deserves Y. Gregg ZIF, AAPP of the Embassy, by his work. And the team organized by Ravell comes rendering its fruits and requires in this last phase greater contributions.
In this last aspect I must inform him that of $8 million that were transferred almost everything they have been spent in propaganda, publicity and contributions to some of the facade organizations. In this last case, we have had difficulties with the Development INC. Alternative, since enemy intelligence has located our connection with Mr. Gerson Patete and have monitored the current account of the Mercantile Bank, Not 0105-0026-59-102636243-1. He is urgent not to continue making transference that account and to establish another channel for the financing contemplated in this phase of the Operation Pincer.
My own Notes
First Justice Primero Justicia political party
New Time, Nuevo Tiempo, political party
Democratic Action, Accción Democratica , political party
National Commando of the Resistance, Opposition group leaded by ORVEX, in Maimi
Red Flag, Troskist group in the opposition to Chavez
Podemos “We Can”, political party
Inteligencia Humana-HUMINT
Richard Nazario, Militar American Attaché on the American Embassy in Caracas
CNE, National Electoral Council , Venezuelan Election Authority
The original full text in Spanish can be found on
HYPERLINK "http://www.aporrea.org/tiburon/n105390.html"
www.aporrea.org/tiburon/n105390.html
Analysis and summary:
On November 26, 2007 the Venezuelan government broadcast and circulated a confidential memo from the US embassy to the CIA which is devastatingly revealing of US clandestine operations and which will influence the referendum this Sunday (December 2, 2007).
The memo sent by an embassy official, Michael Middleton Steere, was addressed to the head of the CIA, Michael Hayden. The memo was entitled ‘Advancing to the Last Phase of Operation Pincer’ and updates the activity by a CIA unit with the acronym ‘HUMINT’ (Human Intelligence) which is engaged in clandestine action to destabilize the forth-coming referendum and coordinate the civil military overthrow of the elected Chavez government. The Embassy-CIA’s polls concede that 57% of the voters approved of the constitutional amendments proposed by Chavez but also predicted a 60% abstention.
The US operatives emphasized their capacity to recruit former Chavez supporters among the social democrats (PODEMOS) and the former Minister of Defense Baduel, claiming to have reduced the ‘yes’ vote by 6% from its original margin. Nevertheless the Embassy operatives concede that they have reached their ceiling, recognizing they cannot defeat the amendments via the electoral route.
The memo then recommends that Operation Pincer (OP) [Operación Tenaza] be operationalized. OP involves a two-pronged strategy of impeding the referendum, rejecting the outcome at the same time as calling for a ‘no’ vote. The run up to the referendum includes running phony polls, attacking electoral officials and running propaganda through the private media accusing the government of fraud and calling for a ‘no’ vote. Contradictions, the report cynically emphasizes, are of no matter.
The CIA-Embassy reports internal division and recriminations among the opponents of the amendments including several defections from their ‘umbrella group’. The key and most dangerous threats to democracy raised by the Embassy memo point to their success in mobilizing the private university students (backed by top administrators) to attack key government buildings including the Presidential Palace, Supreme Court and the National Electoral Council. The Embassy is especially praiseworthy of the ex-Maoist ‘Red Flag’ group for its violent street fighting activity. Ironically, small Trotskyist sects and their trade unionists join the ex-Maoists in opposing the constitutional amendments. The Embassy, while discarding their ‘Marxist rhetoric’, perceives their opposition as fitting in with their overall strategy.
The ultimate objective of ‘Operation Pincer’ is to seize a territorial or institutional base with the ‘massive support’ of the defeated electoral minority within three or four days (before or after the elections – is not clear. JP) backed by an uprising by oppositionist military officers principally in the National Guard. The Embassy operative concede that the military plotters have run into serous problems as key intelligence operatives were detected, stores of arms were decommissioned and several plotters are under tight surveillance.
Apart from the deep involvement of the US, the primary organization of the Venezuelan business elite (FEDECAMARAS), as well as all the major private television, radio and newspaper outlets have been engaged in a vicious fear and intimidation campaign. Food producers, wholesale and retail distributors have created artificial shortages of basic food items and have provoked large scale capital flight to sow chaos in the hopes of reaping a ‘no’ vote.
ARE YOU GOING TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY? HISTORY IS OUR WITNESS/
BEST REGARDS/
MARC L. FROM SWEDEN
here can you find the adress of several deputies in the EU-partliament ( United Left delegates)
maria.dalimonte@europarl.europa.eu,theodosia.dalmara@europarl.europa.eu,pedro.decarvalho@europarl.europa.eu,klaus.draeger@europarl.europa.eu,paul-emile.dupret@europarl.europa.eu, .gadeyne@europarl.europa.eu,fatima.garcia@europarl.europa.eu,crissy.iliadis@europarl.europa.eu,julia.garlito@europarl.europa.eu,kerstin.eekman@europarl.europa.eu, klara.adamcova@europarl.europa.eu,edoardo.ferrara@europarl.europa.eu,jean-michel.aubaret@europarl.europa.eu,carla.bardino@europarl.europa.eu,gianfranco.battistini@europarl.europa.eu,mette.tonsberg@europarl.europa.eu,alessio.bellin@europarl.europa.eu,chiara.tamburini@europarl.europa.eu,rene.roovers@europarl.europa.eu, brian.carty@europarl.europa.eu, soultana.pantazidou@europarl.europa.eu, kallikatridas.kyriazis@europarl.europa.eu, carolina.falk@europarl.europa.eu, dionisio.fernandez@europarl.europa.eu, renato.soeiro@europarl.europa.eu, mauricio.miguel@europarl.europa.eu, roberto.galtieri@europarl.europa.eu,
Dear delegates to the European Parliament and United European Left,
I send to you again the text a send yesterday with a better correction of some semantic and grammatical errors committed by the translation robot of Babelfish (yesterday I was in big hurry to send to everyone this important and serious news so I had no time to look after such errors)
With consternation I had read today (the 28th/11) in the TV Channel TELESUR that advanced plans had been discovered to influence in the Venezuelan referendum the 2d of December. I have attached hereby a translation of the text in from Spanish to English (I attach as well the original text and links). If the information stated in this television news is real it is a serious intervention in a sovereign state internal affairs and I request that you take this issue for discussion in the European Parliament and if possible that you, estimated MPs require more information from news agencies and governmental agencies. This report requires a deep and serious investigation!
Here is the text automatically translated by Babelfish translation robot and corrected by me to some extent (due to the poor quality of the translation robot in some sentences and phrases I can not list out what was the original meaning of some phrases, but the text here give you a pretty good understanding of the issue) I attach as well an analysis of the content at the final of the memo.
November 20, 2007 CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM Of: Michael Middleton Steere, U.S. Embassy
TO: Michael Hayden, Director Central Agency of Intelligence.
Subject: Advance of the Final stage of the Operation Pincer
Taking in consideration the previous documentary advances around the Operation Pincer that coordinate HUMINT in Venezuela according to the directive 3623-g-0217, I fulfill in informing to him for the consequent aims, of the present status of this operation, which enters its final stage according to the considered issue. In summarized form, we presented/displayed the diverse scenes emphasized in the memoradum previous, which in the last weeks acquires new developments:
Electoral Scene. As I emphasized it in the preceding report, the tendencies of intentions of vote stay. Until now the different made measurements, including ours, they give to YES an advantage between 10 and 13 points (57 % YES, 44% NON). Such percentage estimation occurs within the framework of an abstention that goes up to around 60% of the enrolled voters. Our analyses, observe that this tendency is irreversible in the short term, that is to say, in next the fifteen (15) days cannot be modified those percentage of a significant way. On the other hand, the advertising campaign promoted by the Plan and the desertions in the governmental rows (We can take Baduel, for example) has managed to lower Chávez with 6 points in his position of initial starting, as it had not happened in other campaigns, where has started off with an advantage between 15 and 20 % Nevertheless, a freezing of the waited impact can be hoped, since such tendencies touched floor. In such sense, this office recommends to execute the predicted Plan for the Operation Pincer in the case of consolidating in the next days this scene.
As it is of your knowledge we have proposed some measures, between which they are: To prevent the referendum or to not recognize its results even though is called to vote for NO. In terms of tactical orientation these hinges can give the impression of being contradictory, but for the conjunctural political moment its combination is necessary. In the days ahead we can continue fortifying the activities that aim to prevent the referendum and at the same time to prepare the conditions to not recognize the results of the same one.
In the political preparation of the non recognition of the results of the referendum, the creation has been important from the opinion matrix on a safe triumph of NO and in such sense we will continue working with the vote pools research that we have contracted.
At the same time which we maintain one maintained campaign for NO, one comes working in the critic to the CNE and its connection with a series of traps, which generates in the public opinion the fraud sensation. In that sense we have come insisting on the topics referred the inconsistency from the permanent electoral registry, where we contacted with an equipment of experts of the universities, that by its academic prestige makes a manipulation credible of the data on the part of the CNE, equal happens on the doubts on the red and the behavior of the voting machines. In this context, to flood the voting act day 2 of December is consustancial with the premise of VOTES and ABSTENTION to be able to produce an implosion that allows us to execute the directives already established in the Operation Pincer
Upon this last aspect we have agreed with allied forces to begin in the afternoon give information in the first hours of the Sunday the 2 of December, exploding preliminary soundings in the voting tables. The mounted operations requires of coordination with mass media at international level, according to the planning.
Since we have explained in another document, to handle itself in these two scene does not stop being politically dangerous, by the fracture that exists in the competing groups. In spite of our effort to unite to all the sectors, there are opinions found around some aspects of our Plan. We have made contacts and meetings with the First Justice and New Time and apparently are not going to subscribe our strategy. All the opposites of the National Commando of the Resistance and Democratic Action, with those who we come working the two options. Here it is necessary to emphasize the paper that come carrying out Esclusa Rock and Guyon Cellis according to the previous co ordinations made by Richard Nazario, with respect to scattering in all the national territory small centers of protests that generate an ungovernability climate, allowing to culminate in the general rise of a substantial part of the population. Nevertheless, I consider advisable that this operational nexus canalizes by the office to avoid complications to the embassy
2) the immediate tasks of the final stage The combination of the previous clamps or hinges (to prevent the referendum, to denounce the fraud and to take the street) for a victorious closing from our operation, demand of a sharp diplomatic effort to isolate still more Chávez in the international arena, to deal with and to obtain the unity of the opposition and to look for the alliance of the non-participants and those that vote by NO, to increase the pressure of street in the previous days to the 2 December, to maintain with firmness the propaganda against the regime, to execute the military actions of support to the mobilizations and propagandistic tasks, to culminate operational preparations of our forces quartered in bordering Base.
The support of the originating external team of the green and blue country, this coordinated, blue the naval operation of this predicted one and, the borders with green in the certain points this free one.
We immediately reviewed to the made activities to fulfil such goals: A) As far as the mobilizations of street, as it contemplates the Plan, we have managed to persuade important tie student sectors of the private education institutions so that they are gotten up organic to our initiatives to leave Chávez. In the third week of November an agreement was obtained that leads to emergent consensus that has welcomed our ideas of democracy and freedom, several meetings of work we have made, under the coordination of Scharikker Podolski of the Simón University Bolivar and Ugalde of the Catholic University Andrés Bello. These authorities have constituted a team where groups of professors participate between whom Oropeza Angel and his team of the postgraduate of Political Sciences. The meetings they have attended student leaders of several universities: Yon Goicochea of the Catholic University Andrés Bello (UCAB), Juan To Mejías of the Simón Bolivar University (USB), Douglas of the Metropolitan University, Ronel Gaglio of the University Mounts Ávila, Gabriel Rooster of the University Santa Maria.
Between these leaders there is consensus in general terms, but with some differences as far as the concrete actions for the next days. Red Flag has result flattering the position assumed by student leaders of a denominated group, formerly enemy of ours interests in the country. His leader Ricardo Sanchez, of the Central University of Venezuela, was one of which support our proposal of direct actions of street against the institutions: CNE, Supreme Court of Justice and the Palace of Miraflores. Anyway, unit has to continue working of action of these groups, since there is danger of fracture under the operational premise of the non-violence and exigencies that are contemplated in the Plan, being part of the same contradictory reality that we evaluated in the electoral scene, since in these student groups they influence so much the National Commando of the Resistance as the First Justice and in their sine the diverse partisan positions are expressed.
B) As you know, one of the objectives of the Operation Pincer is to control a territorial or institutional strip, with massive support of citizen displeasures, in a lapse contemplated between 72 and 120 hours, time considered like minimum lapse to detonate the ascending phase of the actions anticipated, where the military uprising is contemplated. In this are not it jeopardizes all the sectors, reason why we demanded a greater activity of the dedicated teams to construct our alliances. Particular importance has the contacts and meetings with the officials of the diverse components, particularly of the National Guard. Although the connection that previously the central office sent made its task, the coordination with this key force has not been easy by the dispersion of its commandos.
In this scope, as already it had been found out by our emergency message, one of the team coordinated by our operative connection was detected and part of the armament had been seized, which has generated some difficulties of security. Before the dangers of political use of the publicly well-known facts, it is necessary to prepare alibis and contra propaganda that minimize the demoralizing impact of some imputations that the government will do, due to the facts found in some cellular phones and laptops seized.
C) In the contemplated sphere of propaganda and psychological operations in the Plan in course, is where we have harvested the greater successes, to such an extent than in the last weeks we have imposed our agenda and dominated the advertising scene. The contributions of the SIP and the international agencies have been crucial. Special recognition deserves Y. Gregg ZIF, AAPP of the Embassy, by his work. And the team organized by Ravell comes rendering its fruits and requires in this last phase greater contributions.
In this last aspect I must inform him that of $8 million that were transferred almost everything they have been spent in propaganda, publicity and contributions to some of the facade organizations. In this last case, we have had difficulties with the Development INC. Alternative, since enemy intelligence has located our connection with Mr. Gerson Patete and have monitored the current account of the Mercantile Bank, Not 0105-0026-59-102636243-1. He is urgent not to continue making transference that account and to establish another channel for the financing contemplated in this phase of the Operation Pincer.
My own Notes
First Justice Primero Justicia political party
New Time, Nuevo Tiempo, political party
Democratic Action, Accción Democratica , political party
National Commando of the Resistance, Opposition group leaded by ORVEX, in Maimi
Red Flag, Troskist group in the opposition to Chavez
Podemos “We Can”, political party
Inteligencia Humana-HUMINT
Richard Nazario, Militar American Attaché on the American Embassy in Caracas
CNE, National Electoral Council , Venezuelan Election Authority
The original full text in Spanish can be found on
HYPERLINK "http://www.aporrea.org/tiburon/n105390.html"
www.aporrea.org/tiburon/n105390.html
Analysis and summary:
On November 26, 2007 the Venezuelan government broadcast and circulated a confidential memo from the US embassy to the CIA which is devastatingly revealing of US clandestine operations and which will influence the referendum this Sunday (December 2, 2007).
The memo sent by an embassy official, Michael Middleton Steere, was addressed to the head of the CIA, Michael Hayden. The memo was entitled ‘Advancing to the Last Phase of Operation Pincer’ and updates the activity by a CIA unit with the acronym ‘HUMINT’ (Human Intelligence) which is engaged in clandestine action to destabilize the forth-coming referendum and coordinate the civil military overthrow of the elected Chavez government. The Embassy-CIA’s polls concede that 57% of the voters approved of the constitutional amendments proposed by Chavez but also predicted a 60% abstention.
The US operatives emphasized their capacity to recruit former Chavez supporters among the social democrats (PODEMOS) and the former Minister of Defense Baduel, claiming to have reduced the ‘yes’ vote by 6% from its original margin. Nevertheless the Embassy operatives concede that they have reached their ceiling, recognizing they cannot defeat the amendments via the electoral route.
The memo then recommends that Operation Pincer (OP) [Operación Tenaza] be operationalized. OP involves a two-pronged strategy of impeding the referendum, rejecting the outcome at the same time as calling for a ‘no’ vote. The run up to the referendum includes running phony polls, attacking electoral officials and running propaganda through the private media accusing the government of fraud and calling for a ‘no’ vote. Contradictions, the report cynically emphasizes, are of no matter.
The CIA-Embassy reports internal division and recriminations among the opponents of the amendments including several defections from their ‘umbrella group’. The key and most dangerous threats to democracy raised by the Embassy memo point to their success in mobilizing the private university students (backed by top administrators) to attack key government buildings including the Presidential Palace, Supreme Court and the National Electoral Council. The Embassy is especially praiseworthy of the ex-Maoist ‘Red Flag’ group for its violent street fighting activity. Ironically, small Trotskyist sects and their trade unionists join the ex-Maoists in opposing the constitutional amendments. The Embassy, while discarding their ‘Marxist rhetoric’, perceives their opposition as fitting in with their overall strategy.
The ultimate objective of ‘Operation Pincer’ is to seize a territorial or institutional base with the ‘massive support’ of the defeated electoral minority within three or four days (before or after the elections – is not clear. JP) backed by an uprising by oppositionist military officers principally in the National Guard. The Embassy operative concede that the military plotters have run into serous problems as key intelligence operatives were detected, stores of arms were decommissioned and several plotters are under tight surveillance.
Apart from the deep involvement of the US, the primary organization of the Venezuelan business elite (FEDECAMARAS), as well as all the major private television, radio and newspaper outlets have been engaged in a vicious fear and intimidation campaign. Food producers, wholesale and retail distributors have created artificial shortages of basic food items and have provoked large scale capital flight to sow chaos in the hopes of reaping a ‘no’ vote.
ARE YOU GOING TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY? HISTORY IS OUR WITNESS/
BEST REGARDS/
MARC L. FROM SWEDEN
here can you find the adress of several deputies in the EU-partliament ( United Left delegates)
maria.dalimonte@europarl.europa.eu,theodosia.dalmara@europarl.europa.eu,pedro.decarvalho@europarl.europa.eu,klaus.draeger@europarl.europa.eu,paul-emile.dupret@europarl.europa.eu, .gadeyne@europarl.europa.eu,fatima.garcia@europarl.europa.eu,crissy.iliadis@europarl.europa.eu,julia.garlito@europarl.europa.eu,kerstin.eekman@europarl.europa.eu, klara.adamcova@europarl.europa.eu,edoardo.ferrara@europarl.europa.eu,jean-michel.aubaret@europarl.europa.eu,carla.bardino@europarl.europa.eu,gianfranco.battistini@europarl.europa.eu,mette.tonsberg@europarl.europa.eu,alessio.bellin@europarl.europa.eu,chiara.tamburini@europarl.europa.eu,rene.roovers@europarl.europa.eu, brian.carty@europarl.europa.eu, soultana.pantazidou@europarl.europa.eu, kallikatridas.kyriazis@europarl.europa.eu, carolina.falk@europarl.europa.eu, dionisio.fernandez@europarl.europa.eu, renato.soeiro@europarl.europa.eu, mauricio.miguel@europarl.europa.eu, roberto.galtieri@europarl.europa.eu,
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
CIAs planer i Venezuela
Idag har publicerad en hemlig stämplad dokument som visar den hur PLANEN TENAZAS ser ut för att göra NEJ - sidan vinna i Venezuela eller inte erkänna resultatet och slutligen för att driva den valda regeringen till kollapsen. Hur säkerhetstjänsten kom över den är inte klart än ( i alla fall för mig ) men förra veckan upptäckte man en grupp "studenter" från oppositionen med vapen, mobiltelefoner, laptops, mm och viss information fann man då. Men eftersom dokumentet nämner detta incidenten verkar som källan vara en annan. Jag har endast översiktligt korrigerat texten som annars är automatisk översatt från spanska i Babelfish, men bifogar den ursprunliga texten i slutet.
November 20,2007 CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM Of: Michael Middleton Steere, U.S. Embassy He stops: Michael Hayden, Director Central Agency of Intelligence. Subject: Advance of the Final stage of the Operation Pliers Taking in consideration the previous documentary advances around the Operation Pliers that coordinate HUMINT in Venezuela according to the director 3623-g-0217, I fulfill in informing to him for the consequent aims, of the present status of this operation, which enters its final stage according to the considered thing. In summarized form, we presented/displayed the diverse scenes emphasized in the memoradum previous, which in the last weeks acquires new developments:
1) Electoral Scene. As I emphasized it in the preceding report, the tendencies of intentions of vote stay. Until now the different made measurements, including ours, they give to IF an advantage between 10 and 13 points (57 % IF, 44% non). A such percentage estimation occur within the framework of an abstention that goes up to around 60% of the enrolled voters. Our analyses, observe that this tendency is irreversible in the short term, that is to say, in next the fifteen (15) days cannot be modified those percentage of a significant way. On the other hand, the advertising campaign promoted by the Plan and the desertions of the governmental rows (We can Baduel, for example) has managed to clear to Chávez 6 points to him in their position of initial starting, as it had not happened in other campaigns, where has started off with an advantage between 15 and 20 % Nevertheless, a freezing of the waited for impact can be hoped, since such tendencies touched floor. In such sense, this office recommends to execute predicted in the Plan for the Operation Pliers in the case of consolidating in the next days this scene. As it is of his knowledge we have proposed a fan of answers, between which they are: To prevent the referendum or to not know its results even though is called to vote by NO. In terms of tactical orientation these hinges can give the impression of being contradictory, but for the conjunctural political moment its combination is necessary. In the days that are we can continue fortifying the activities that aim to prevent the referendum and at the same time to prepare the conditions to not know the results of the same one. In the political preparation of the non recognition of the results of the referendum, the creation has been important from the opinion matrix on a safe triumph of NOT and in such sense we will continue working with the pools researchs that we have contracted. At the same time which we maintain one maintained campaign by NO, one comes working in the critic to the CNE and its connection with a series of traps, which generates in the public opinion the fraud sensation. In that sense we have come insisting on the topics referred the inconsistency from the permanent electoral registry, where we contacted with an equipment of experts of the universities, that by its academic prestige makes a manipulation credible of the data on the part of the CNE, equal happens on the doubts on the red and the behavior of the voting machines. In this context, to flood the voting act day 2 of December is consustancial with the premise of VOTES and ABSTENTION to be able to produce an implosion that allows us to execute the director already established in the Operation Pliers. Upon this last aspect we have agreed with allied forces to begin in the afternoon give information in the first hours of the Sunday the 2 of December, exploding preliminary soundings in the voting tables. The mounted operations requires of a coordination with mass media at international level, according to the planning. Since we have explained in another document, to handle itself in these two scene does not stop being politically dangerous, by the fracture that exists in the competing groups. In spite of our effort to unite to all the sectors, there are opinions found around some aspects of our Plan. We have made contacts and meetings with the First Justice and New Time and apparently are not going to subscribe our strategy. All the opposite of the National Commando of the Resistance and Democratic Action, with those who we come working the two options. Here it is necessary to emphasize the paper that come carrying out Esclusa Rock and Guyon Cellis according to the previous coordinations made by Richard Nazario, with respect to scattering in all the national territory small centers of protests, that generate an ungovernability climate, allowing to culminate in the general rise of a substantial part of the population. Nevertheless, I consider advisable that this operational nexus canalizes the office to avoid complications to him to the embassy 2) the immediate tasks of the final stage The combination of the previous clamps or hinges (to prevent the referendum, to denounce the fraud and to take the street) for a victorious closing from our operation, demand of a sharp diplomatic effort to isolate still more to Chávez in the international land, to deal with to obtain the unit of the opposition and to look for the alliance of the non-participants and those that vote by NO, to increase the pressure of street in the previous days to the 2 December, to maintain with firmness the propaganda against the regime, to execute the military actions of support to the mobilizations and propagandistic takings, to culminate operational preparations of our forces quartered in bordering Base. The support of the originating external equipment of the green and blue country, this coordinated, blue the naval operation of this predicted one and, the borders with green in the certain points this free one. We immediately reviewed to the made activities to fulfill such goals: A) As far as the mobilizations of street, as it contemplates the Plan to it, we have managed to persuade to important tie student sectors to the deprived educative institutions so that they are gotten up organic to our initiatives to leave Chávez. In the third week of November an agreement was obtained that leads to emergent consensus that has welcomed our ideas of democracy and freedom, several meetings of work we have made, under the coordination of Rudolph directors Youngest child Scharikker Podolski of the Simón University Bolivar and Ugalde of Beautiful the Catholic University Andrés. These authorities have constituted a team where groups of professors participate between whom Oropeza Angel and his team of the postgraduate of Political Sciences. The meetings they have attended student leaders of several universities: Yon Goicochea of the Catholic University Andrés Bello (UCAB), Juan To Mejías of the Simón Bolivar University (USB), Douglas of the Metropolitan University, Ronel Gaglio of the University Mounts Ávila, Gabriel Rooster of the University Santa Maria. Between these leaders there is consensus in general terms, but with some differences as far as the concrete actions for the next days. Red Flag has result flattering the position assumed by student leaders of a denominated group, formerly enemy jury of ours interests in the country. His leader Ricardo Sanchez, of the Central University of Venezuela, was one of which support our proposal of direct actions of street against the institutions: CNE, Supreme Court of Justice and the Palace of Miraflores. Anyway, unit has to continue working of action of these groups, since there is danger of fracture under the operational premise of the nonviolence and exigencies that are contemplated in the Plan, being part of the same contradictory reality that we evaluated in the electoral scene, since in these student groups they influence so much the National Commando of the Resistance as the First Justice and in their sine the diverse partisan positions are expressed. B) As you know, one of the objectives of the Operation Pliers is to control a territorial or institutional strip, with massive support of citizen displeasures, in a lapse contemplated between 72 and 120 hours, time considered like minimum lapse to detonate the ascending phase of the actions anticipated, where the military uprising is contemplated. In this they are not it jeopardize all the sectors, reason why we demanded a greater activity of the dedicated teams to construct our alliances. Particular importance has the contacts and meetings with the officials of the diverse components, particularly of the National Guard. Although the connection that previously the central office sent made its task, the coordination with this key force has not been easy by the dispersion of its commandos. In this scope, as already it had been found out by our emergency message , one of the team coordinated by our operative connection was detected and part of the armament had been seized, which has generated some difficulties of security. Before the dangers of political use of the publicly well-known facts, it is necessary to prepare alibis and contra propaganda that minimize the demoralizing impact of some imputations that the government will do, due to the facts found in some cellular phones and laptops seized. C) In the contemplated sphere of propaganda and psychological operations in the Plan in course, is where we have harvested the greater successes, to such an extent than in the last weeks we have imposed our agenda and dominated the advertising scene. The contributions of the SIP and the international agencies have been key. Special recognition deserves Youngest child Gregg ZIF, AAPP of the Embassy, by this work. And the equipment organized by Ravell comes rendering its fruits and requires in this last phase greater contributions. In this last aspect I must inform him that of $8 million that were transferred almost everything they have been spent in propaganda, publicity and contributions to some of the facade organizations. In this last case, we have had difficulties with the Development INC. Alternative, since enemy intelligence has located our connection with Mr. Gerson Patete and have monitoreada the current account of the Mercantile Bank, Not 0105-0026-59-102636243-1. He is urgent not to continue making transference that account and to establish another channel for the financing contemplated in this phase of the Operation Pliers.
November 20,2007
MEMORANDUM CONFIDENCIAL
De: Michael Middleton Steere, US Embassy
Para: Michael Hayden, Director Agencia Central de Inteligencia.
Asunto: Avance de la Fase Terminal de la Operación Tenaza
Tomando en consideración los anteriores avances documentales en torno a la Operación Tenaza que coordina Humint en Venezuela según la directiva 3623-g-0217, cumplo en informarle para los fines consiguientes, del status actual de dicha operación, la cual entra en su fase terminal según lo estimado.
En forma resumida, presentamos los diversos escenarios puntualizados en los memoradum anteriores, los cuales en las últimas semanas adquieren nuevos desarrollos:
1) Escenario Electoral.
Tal como lo puntualicé en el informe precedente, las tendencias de intenciones de voto se mantienen. Hasta ahora las distintas mediciones realizadas, incluidas las nuestras, le dan al SI una ventaja entre 10 y 13 puntos ( 57 % SI, 44% NO ).Tal estimación porcentual se dan en el marco de una abstención que ronda el 60% de los votantes inscritos.
Nuestros análisis, observan que esta tendencia es irreversible en el corto plazo, es decir, en los próximos quince (15) días no se pueden modificar esos porcentajes de una manera significativa.
Por otro lado, la campaña publicitaria promovida por el Plan y las deserciones de las filas gubernamentales ( Podemos- Baduel, por ejemplo ) han logrado quitarle a Chávez 6 puntos en su posición de arranque inicial, tal como NO había ocurrido en otras campañas, donde ha partido con una ventaja entre 15 y 20 % Sin embargo, se puede esperar un congelamiento del impacto esperado, ya que tales tendencias tocaron piso.
En tal sentido, esta oficina recomienda ejecutar lo previsto en el Plan para la Operación Tenaza en el caso de consolidarse en los próximos días este escenario. Como es de su conocimiento hemos propuesto un abanico de respuestas, entre las que están:
Impedir el referéndum o desconocer sus resultados aún cuando se llame a votar por el NO.
En términos de orientación táctica estas bisagras pueden dar la impresión de ser contradictorias, pero para el momento político coyuntural es necesaria su combinación. En los días que quedan podemos seguir fortaleciendo las actividades que apuntan a impedir el referéndum y al mismo tiempo preparar las condiciones para desconocer los resultados del mismo.
En el acondicionamiento político del no reconocimiento de los resultados del referéndum, ha resultado importante la creación de la matriz de opinión sobre un triunfo seguro del NO y en tal sentido seguiremos trabajando con las encuestadoras que hemos contratado. Al mismo tiempo que mantenemos una sostenida campaña por el NO, se viene trabajando en la crítica al CNE y su conexión con una serie de trampas, lo cual genera en la opinión pública la sensación de fraude. En ese sentido hemos venido insistiendo en los tópicos referido a las inconsistencia del registro electoral permanente, donde contactamos con un equipo de expertos de las universidades, que por su prestigio académico hace creíble una manipulación de la data por parte del CNE, igual ocurre sobre las dudas sobre la tinta y el comportamiento de las máquinas de votación.
En este contexto, empantanar el acto de votación el día 2 de Diciembre es consustancial con la premisa de VOTA Y QUEDATE para poder producir una implosión que nos permita ejecutar la directiva ya establecida en la Operación Tenaza. En este último aspecto hemos convenido con fuerzas aliadas comenzar a dar información en las primeras horas de la tarde del Domingo 2 de Diciembre, explotando los sondeos preliminares en las mesas de votación. La operación montada requiere de una coordinación con medios de comunicación a nivel internacional, según lo pautado.
Como hemos explicado en otro documento, manejarnos en estos dos escenario no deja de ser políticamente peligroso, por la fractura que existe en los grupos opositores. A pesar de nuestro esfuerzo por unir a todos los sectores, hay opiniones encontradas en torno a algunos aspectos de nuestro Plan. Hemos realizado contactos y reuniones con Primero Justicia y Nuevo Tiempo y al parecer no van a suscribir nuestra estrategia. Todo lo contrario del Comando Nacional de la Resistencia y Acción Democrática, con quienes venimos trabajando las dos opciones. Aquí es necesario resaltar el papel que viene desempeñando Peña Esclusa y Guyon Cellis según las coordinaciones previas realizadas por Richard Nazario, en lo relativo a diseminar en todo el territorio nacional pequeños focos de protestas, que generen un clima de ingobernabilidad, permitiendo culminar en el levantamiento general de una parte sustancial de la población.
Sin embargo, considero conveniente que este nexo operacional lo canalice la oficina para evitarle complicaciones a la embajada
2) Las tareas inmediatas de la fase terminal
La combinación de las anteriores pinzas o bisagras (impedir el referéndum, denunciar el fraude y tomar la calle )para un cierre victorioso de nuestra operación, demanda de un sostenido esfuerzo diplomático para aislar aún más a Chávez en el terreno internacional, tratar de lograr la unidad de la oposición y buscar la alianza de los abstencionistas y los que votan por el NO, incrementar la presión de calle en los días previos al 2 de Diciembre, sostener con firmeza la propaganda contra el régimen, ejecutar las acciones militares de apoyo a las movilizaciones y tomas propagandísticas, culminar los aprestos operacionales de nuestras fuerzas acantonadas en la Base aledaña. El apoyo de los equipos externos provenientes del país verde y azul, esta coordinado, la acción marítima de azul esta prevista y, las fronteras con verde en los puntos determinados esta libre.
De inmediato pasamos revista a las actividades realizadas para cumplir con tales metas:
A) En cuanto a las movilizaciones de calle, tal como lo contempla el Plan, hemos logrado persuadir a importantes sectores estudiantiles vinculados a las instituciones educativas privadas para que se incorporen orgánicamente a nuestras iniciativas para salir de Chávez. En la tercera semana de Noviembre se logró un acuerdo marco con los lideres emergentes que han acogido nuestro ideario de democracia y libertad, varias reuniones de trabajo hemos realizados, bajo la coordinación de los rectores Rudolph Benjamín Scharikker Podolski de la Universidad Simón Bolívar y Ugalde de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bellos. Estas autoridades han constituido un equipo donde participan unos grupos de profesores entre los que destacan Ángel Oropeza y su equipo del post-grado de Ciencias Políticas. A las reuniones han asistido dirigentes estudiantiles de varias universidades: Yon Goicochea de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB), Juan A. Mejías de la Universidad Simón Bolívar (USB), Douglas Barrios de la Universidad Metropolitana, Ronel Gaglio de la Universidad Monte Ávila, Gabriel Gallo de la Universidad Santa María. Entre estos líderes hay consenso en términos generales, pero con algunas diferencias en cuanto a las acciones concretas para los próximos días. Ha resulltado halagador la postura asumido por dirigentes estudiantiles de un grupo denominado Bandera Roja, antiguamente enemigo jurado de los intereses nuestros en el país. Su dirigente Ricardo Sánchez, de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, fue uno de los que apoyo nuestra propuesta de acciones de calle directas contra las instituciones: CNE, Tribunal Supremo de Justicia y el Palacio de Miraflores. De todos modos, hay que seguir trabajando la unidad de acción de estos grupos, ya que hay peligro de fractura bajo la premisa de la no violencia y las exigencias operacionales que se contemplan en el Plan, siendo parte de la misma realidad contradictoria que evaluamos en el escenario electoral, ya que en estos grupos estudiantiles influyen tanto el Comando Nacional de la Resistencia como Primero Justicia y en su seno se expresan las diversas posturas partidistas.
B) Como usted sabe, uno de los objetivos de la Operación Tenaza es controlar una franja territorial o institucional, con apoyo masivo de ciudadanos descontentos, en un lapso contemplado entre 72 y 120 horas, tiempo estimado como lapso mínimo para detonar la fase ascendente de las acciones prevista, donde se contempla el pronunciamiento militar. En esto no están comprometidos todos los sectores, por lo que demandamos una mayor actividad del equipo dedicado a construir nuestras alianzas. Particular importancia tiene los contactos y reuniones con los oficiales de los diversos componentes, particularmente de la Guardia Nacional. Si bien el enlace que anteriormente la oficina central envió hizo su tarea, la coordinación con esta fuerza clave no ha sido fácil por la dispersión de sus comandos.
En este ámbito, como ya está enterado por el mensaje de emergencia enviado, uno de los equipos coordinado por nuestro enlace operativo fue detectado y decomisado parte del armamento, lo cual ha generado algunas dificultades de seguridad. Ante los peligros de utilización política de los hechos conocidos públicamente, hay que preparar unas coartadas y contrapropaganda que evite el impacto desmoralizante de algunas imputaciones que de seguro hará el gobierno, dado a los rastros encontrados en algunos celulares y en la lapto decomisada.
C) En la esfera de la propaganda y las operaciones psicológicas contempladas en el Plan en curso, es donde hemos cosechado los mayores éxitos, hasta tal punto que en las últimas semanas hemos impuesto nuestra agenda y dominado la escena publicitaria. Los aportes de la SIP y de las agencias internacionales han sido clave. Especial reconocimiento merece Benjamín Gregg ZIF, AAPP de la Embajada , por este trabajo. El y el equipo organizado por Ravell viene rindiendo sus frutos y requiere en esta última fase mayores aportes nuestros.
En este último aspecto debo informarle que de los $8 millones que fueron transferidos casi todo han sido gastado en propaganda, publicidad y contribuciones a algunas de las organizaciones de fachada.
En este último caso, hemos tenido dificultades con la Development Alternative INC, ya que la inteligencia enemiga tiene ubicada nuestra conexión con el señor Gerson Patete y tienen monitoreada la cuenta corriente del Banco Mercantil, No 0105-0026-59-102636243-1. Es urgente no seguir haciendo transferencia a esa cuenta y establecer otro canal para el financiamiento contemplados en esta fase de la Operación Tenaza.
November 20,2007 CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM Of: Michael Middleton Steere, U.S. Embassy He stops: Michael Hayden, Director Central Agency of Intelligence. Subject: Advance of the Final stage of the Operation Pliers Taking in consideration the previous documentary advances around the Operation Pliers that coordinate HUMINT in Venezuela according to the director 3623-g-0217, I fulfill in informing to him for the consequent aims, of the present status of this operation, which enters its final stage according to the considered thing. In summarized form, we presented/displayed the diverse scenes emphasized in the memoradum previous, which in the last weeks acquires new developments:
1) Electoral Scene. As I emphasized it in the preceding report, the tendencies of intentions of vote stay. Until now the different made measurements, including ours, they give to IF an advantage between 10 and 13 points (57 % IF, 44% non). A such percentage estimation occur within the framework of an abstention that goes up to around 60% of the enrolled voters. Our analyses, observe that this tendency is irreversible in the short term, that is to say, in next the fifteen (15) days cannot be modified those percentage of a significant way. On the other hand, the advertising campaign promoted by the Plan and the desertions of the governmental rows (We can Baduel, for example) has managed to clear to Chávez 6 points to him in their position of initial starting, as it had not happened in other campaigns, where has started off with an advantage between 15 and 20 % Nevertheless, a freezing of the waited for impact can be hoped, since such tendencies touched floor. In such sense, this office recommends to execute predicted in the Plan for the Operation Pliers in the case of consolidating in the next days this scene. As it is of his knowledge we have proposed a fan of answers, between which they are: To prevent the referendum or to not know its results even though is called to vote by NO. In terms of tactical orientation these hinges can give the impression of being contradictory, but for the conjunctural political moment its combination is necessary. In the days that are we can continue fortifying the activities that aim to prevent the referendum and at the same time to prepare the conditions to not know the results of the same one. In the political preparation of the non recognition of the results of the referendum, the creation has been important from the opinion matrix on a safe triumph of NOT and in such sense we will continue working with the pools researchs that we have contracted. At the same time which we maintain one maintained campaign by NO, one comes working in the critic to the CNE and its connection with a series of traps, which generates in the public opinion the fraud sensation. In that sense we have come insisting on the topics referred the inconsistency from the permanent electoral registry, where we contacted with an equipment of experts of the universities, that by its academic prestige makes a manipulation credible of the data on the part of the CNE, equal happens on the doubts on the red and the behavior of the voting machines. In this context, to flood the voting act day 2 of December is consustancial with the premise of VOTES and ABSTENTION to be able to produce an implosion that allows us to execute the director already established in the Operation Pliers. Upon this last aspect we have agreed with allied forces to begin in the afternoon give information in the first hours of the Sunday the 2 of December, exploding preliminary soundings in the voting tables. The mounted operations requires of a coordination with mass media at international level, according to the planning. Since we have explained in another document, to handle itself in these two scene does not stop being politically dangerous, by the fracture that exists in the competing groups. In spite of our effort to unite to all the sectors, there are opinions found around some aspects of our Plan. We have made contacts and meetings with the First Justice and New Time and apparently are not going to subscribe our strategy. All the opposite of the National Commando of the Resistance and Democratic Action, with those who we come working the two options. Here it is necessary to emphasize the paper that come carrying out Esclusa Rock and Guyon Cellis according to the previous coordinations made by Richard Nazario, with respect to scattering in all the national territory small centers of protests, that generate an ungovernability climate, allowing to culminate in the general rise of a substantial part of the population. Nevertheless, I consider advisable that this operational nexus canalizes the office to avoid complications to him to the embassy 2) the immediate tasks of the final stage The combination of the previous clamps or hinges (to prevent the referendum, to denounce the fraud and to take the street) for a victorious closing from our operation, demand of a sharp diplomatic effort to isolate still more to Chávez in the international land, to deal with to obtain the unit of the opposition and to look for the alliance of the non-participants and those that vote by NO, to increase the pressure of street in the previous days to the 2 December, to maintain with firmness the propaganda against the regime, to execute the military actions of support to the mobilizations and propagandistic takings, to culminate operational preparations of our forces quartered in bordering Base. The support of the originating external equipment of the green and blue country, this coordinated, blue the naval operation of this predicted one and, the borders with green in the certain points this free one. We immediately reviewed to the made activities to fulfill such goals: A) As far as the mobilizations of street, as it contemplates the Plan to it, we have managed to persuade to important tie student sectors to the deprived educative institutions so that they are gotten up organic to our initiatives to leave Chávez. In the third week of November an agreement was obtained that leads to emergent consensus that has welcomed our ideas of democracy and freedom, several meetings of work we have made, under the coordination of Rudolph directors Youngest child Scharikker Podolski of the Simón University Bolivar and Ugalde of Beautiful the Catholic University Andrés. These authorities have constituted a team where groups of professors participate between whom Oropeza Angel and his team of the postgraduate of Political Sciences. The meetings they have attended student leaders of several universities: Yon Goicochea of the Catholic University Andrés Bello (UCAB), Juan To Mejías of the Simón Bolivar University (USB), Douglas of the Metropolitan University, Ronel Gaglio of the University Mounts Ávila, Gabriel Rooster of the University Santa Maria. Between these leaders there is consensus in general terms, but with some differences as far as the concrete actions for the next days. Red Flag has result flattering the position assumed by student leaders of a denominated group, formerly enemy jury of ours interests in the country. His leader Ricardo Sanchez, of the Central University of Venezuela, was one of which support our proposal of direct actions of street against the institutions: CNE, Supreme Court of Justice and the Palace of Miraflores. Anyway, unit has to continue working of action of these groups, since there is danger of fracture under the operational premise of the nonviolence and exigencies that are contemplated in the Plan, being part of the same contradictory reality that we evaluated in the electoral scene, since in these student groups they influence so much the National Commando of the Resistance as the First Justice and in their sine the diverse partisan positions are expressed. B) As you know, one of the objectives of the Operation Pliers is to control a territorial or institutional strip, with massive support of citizen displeasures, in a lapse contemplated between 72 and 120 hours, time considered like minimum lapse to detonate the ascending phase of the actions anticipated, where the military uprising is contemplated. In this they are not it jeopardize all the sectors, reason why we demanded a greater activity of the dedicated teams to construct our alliances. Particular importance has the contacts and meetings with the officials of the diverse components, particularly of the National Guard. Although the connection that previously the central office sent made its task, the coordination with this key force has not been easy by the dispersion of its commandos. In this scope, as already it had been found out by our emergency message , one of the team coordinated by our operative connection was detected and part of the armament had been seized, which has generated some difficulties of security. Before the dangers of political use of the publicly well-known facts, it is necessary to prepare alibis and contra propaganda that minimize the demoralizing impact of some imputations that the government will do, due to the facts found in some cellular phones and laptops seized. C) In the contemplated sphere of propaganda and psychological operations in the Plan in course, is where we have harvested the greater successes, to such an extent than in the last weeks we have imposed our agenda and dominated the advertising scene. The contributions of the SIP and the international agencies have been key. Special recognition deserves Youngest child Gregg ZIF, AAPP of the Embassy, by this work. And the equipment organized by Ravell comes rendering its fruits and requires in this last phase greater contributions. In this last aspect I must inform him that of $8 million that were transferred almost everything they have been spent in propaganda, publicity and contributions to some of the facade organizations. In this last case, we have had difficulties with the Development INC. Alternative, since enemy intelligence has located our connection with Mr. Gerson Patete and have monitoreada the current account of the Mercantile Bank, Not 0105-0026-59-102636243-1. He is urgent not to continue making transference that account and to establish another channel for the financing contemplated in this phase of the Operation Pliers.
November 20,2007
MEMORANDUM CONFIDENCIAL
De: Michael Middleton Steere, US Embassy
Para: Michael Hayden, Director Agencia Central de Inteligencia.
Asunto: Avance de la Fase Terminal de la Operación Tenaza
Tomando en consideración los anteriores avances documentales en torno a la Operación Tenaza que coordina Humint en Venezuela según la directiva 3623-g-0217, cumplo en informarle para los fines consiguientes, del status actual de dicha operación, la cual entra en su fase terminal según lo estimado.
En forma resumida, presentamos los diversos escenarios puntualizados en los memoradum anteriores, los cuales en las últimas semanas adquieren nuevos desarrollos:
1) Escenario Electoral.
Tal como lo puntualicé en el informe precedente, las tendencias de intenciones de voto se mantienen. Hasta ahora las distintas mediciones realizadas, incluidas las nuestras, le dan al SI una ventaja entre 10 y 13 puntos ( 57 % SI, 44% NO ).Tal estimación porcentual se dan en el marco de una abstención que ronda el 60% de los votantes inscritos.
Nuestros análisis, observan que esta tendencia es irreversible en el corto plazo, es decir, en los próximos quince (15) días no se pueden modificar esos porcentajes de una manera significativa.
Por otro lado, la campaña publicitaria promovida por el Plan y las deserciones de las filas gubernamentales ( Podemos- Baduel, por ejemplo ) han logrado quitarle a Chávez 6 puntos en su posición de arranque inicial, tal como NO había ocurrido en otras campañas, donde ha partido con una ventaja entre 15 y 20 % Sin embargo, se puede esperar un congelamiento del impacto esperado, ya que tales tendencias tocaron piso.
En tal sentido, esta oficina recomienda ejecutar lo previsto en el Plan para la Operación Tenaza en el caso de consolidarse en los próximos días este escenario. Como es de su conocimiento hemos propuesto un abanico de respuestas, entre las que están:
Impedir el referéndum o desconocer sus resultados aún cuando se llame a votar por el NO.
En términos de orientación táctica estas bisagras pueden dar la impresión de ser contradictorias, pero para el momento político coyuntural es necesaria su combinación. En los días que quedan podemos seguir fortaleciendo las actividades que apuntan a impedir el referéndum y al mismo tiempo preparar las condiciones para desconocer los resultados del mismo.
En el acondicionamiento político del no reconocimiento de los resultados del referéndum, ha resultado importante la creación de la matriz de opinión sobre un triunfo seguro del NO y en tal sentido seguiremos trabajando con las encuestadoras que hemos contratado. Al mismo tiempo que mantenemos una sostenida campaña por el NO, se viene trabajando en la crítica al CNE y su conexión con una serie de trampas, lo cual genera en la opinión pública la sensación de fraude. En ese sentido hemos venido insistiendo en los tópicos referido a las inconsistencia del registro electoral permanente, donde contactamos con un equipo de expertos de las universidades, que por su prestigio académico hace creíble una manipulación de la data por parte del CNE, igual ocurre sobre las dudas sobre la tinta y el comportamiento de las máquinas de votación.
En este contexto, empantanar el acto de votación el día 2 de Diciembre es consustancial con la premisa de VOTA Y QUEDATE para poder producir una implosión que nos permita ejecutar la directiva ya establecida en la Operación Tenaza. En este último aspecto hemos convenido con fuerzas aliadas comenzar a dar información en las primeras horas de la tarde del Domingo 2 de Diciembre, explotando los sondeos preliminares en las mesas de votación. La operación montada requiere de una coordinación con medios de comunicación a nivel internacional, según lo pautado.
Como hemos explicado en otro documento, manejarnos en estos dos escenario no deja de ser políticamente peligroso, por la fractura que existe en los grupos opositores. A pesar de nuestro esfuerzo por unir a todos los sectores, hay opiniones encontradas en torno a algunos aspectos de nuestro Plan. Hemos realizado contactos y reuniones con Primero Justicia y Nuevo Tiempo y al parecer no van a suscribir nuestra estrategia. Todo lo contrario del Comando Nacional de la Resistencia y Acción Democrática, con quienes venimos trabajando las dos opciones. Aquí es necesario resaltar el papel que viene desempeñando Peña Esclusa y Guyon Cellis según las coordinaciones previas realizadas por Richard Nazario, en lo relativo a diseminar en todo el territorio nacional pequeños focos de protestas, que generen un clima de ingobernabilidad, permitiendo culminar en el levantamiento general de una parte sustancial de la población.
Sin embargo, considero conveniente que este nexo operacional lo canalice la oficina para evitarle complicaciones a la embajada
2) Las tareas inmediatas de la fase terminal
La combinación de las anteriores pinzas o bisagras (impedir el referéndum, denunciar el fraude y tomar la calle )para un cierre victorioso de nuestra operación, demanda de un sostenido esfuerzo diplomático para aislar aún más a Chávez en el terreno internacional, tratar de lograr la unidad de la oposición y buscar la alianza de los abstencionistas y los que votan por el NO, incrementar la presión de calle en los días previos al 2 de Diciembre, sostener con firmeza la propaganda contra el régimen, ejecutar las acciones militares de apoyo a las movilizaciones y tomas propagandísticas, culminar los aprestos operacionales de nuestras fuerzas acantonadas en la Base aledaña. El apoyo de los equipos externos provenientes del país verde y azul, esta coordinado, la acción marítima de azul esta prevista y, las fronteras con verde en los puntos determinados esta libre.
De inmediato pasamos revista a las actividades realizadas para cumplir con tales metas:
A) En cuanto a las movilizaciones de calle, tal como lo contempla el Plan, hemos logrado persuadir a importantes sectores estudiantiles vinculados a las instituciones educativas privadas para que se incorporen orgánicamente a nuestras iniciativas para salir de Chávez. En la tercera semana de Noviembre se logró un acuerdo marco con los lideres emergentes que han acogido nuestro ideario de democracia y libertad, varias reuniones de trabajo hemos realizados, bajo la coordinación de los rectores Rudolph Benjamín Scharikker Podolski de la Universidad Simón Bolívar y Ugalde de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bellos. Estas autoridades han constituido un equipo donde participan unos grupos de profesores entre los que destacan Ángel Oropeza y su equipo del post-grado de Ciencias Políticas. A las reuniones han asistido dirigentes estudiantiles de varias universidades: Yon Goicochea de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB), Juan A. Mejías de la Universidad Simón Bolívar (USB), Douglas Barrios de la Universidad Metropolitana, Ronel Gaglio de la Universidad Monte Ávila, Gabriel Gallo de la Universidad Santa María. Entre estos líderes hay consenso en términos generales, pero con algunas diferencias en cuanto a las acciones concretas para los próximos días. Ha resulltado halagador la postura asumido por dirigentes estudiantiles de un grupo denominado Bandera Roja, antiguamente enemigo jurado de los intereses nuestros en el país. Su dirigente Ricardo Sánchez, de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, fue uno de los que apoyo nuestra propuesta de acciones de calle directas contra las instituciones: CNE, Tribunal Supremo de Justicia y el Palacio de Miraflores. De todos modos, hay que seguir trabajando la unidad de acción de estos grupos, ya que hay peligro de fractura bajo la premisa de la no violencia y las exigencias operacionales que se contemplan en el Plan, siendo parte de la misma realidad contradictoria que evaluamos en el escenario electoral, ya que en estos grupos estudiantiles influyen tanto el Comando Nacional de la Resistencia como Primero Justicia y en su seno se expresan las diversas posturas partidistas.
B) Como usted sabe, uno de los objetivos de la Operación Tenaza es controlar una franja territorial o institucional, con apoyo masivo de ciudadanos descontentos, en un lapso contemplado entre 72 y 120 horas, tiempo estimado como lapso mínimo para detonar la fase ascendente de las acciones prevista, donde se contempla el pronunciamiento militar. En esto no están comprometidos todos los sectores, por lo que demandamos una mayor actividad del equipo dedicado a construir nuestras alianzas. Particular importancia tiene los contactos y reuniones con los oficiales de los diversos componentes, particularmente de la Guardia Nacional. Si bien el enlace que anteriormente la oficina central envió hizo su tarea, la coordinación con esta fuerza clave no ha sido fácil por la dispersión de sus comandos.
En este ámbito, como ya está enterado por el mensaje de emergencia enviado, uno de los equipos coordinado por nuestro enlace operativo fue detectado y decomisado parte del armamento, lo cual ha generado algunas dificultades de seguridad. Ante los peligros de utilización política de los hechos conocidos públicamente, hay que preparar unas coartadas y contrapropaganda que evite el impacto desmoralizante de algunas imputaciones que de seguro hará el gobierno, dado a los rastros encontrados en algunos celulares y en la lapto decomisada.
C) En la esfera de la propaganda y las operaciones psicológicas contempladas en el Plan en curso, es donde hemos cosechado los mayores éxitos, hasta tal punto que en las últimas semanas hemos impuesto nuestra agenda y dominado la escena publicitaria. Los aportes de la SIP y de las agencias internacionales han sido clave. Especial reconocimiento merece Benjamín Gregg ZIF, AAPP de la Embajada , por este trabajo. El y el equipo organizado por Ravell viene rindiendo sus frutos y requiere en esta última fase mayores aportes nuestros.
En este último aspecto debo informarle que de los $8 millones que fueron transferidos casi todo han sido gastado en propaganda, publicidad y contribuciones a algunas de las organizaciones de fachada.
En este último caso, hemos tenido dificultades con la Development Alternative INC, ya que la inteligencia enemiga tiene ubicada nuestra conexión con el señor Gerson Patete y tienen monitoreada la cuenta corriente del Banco Mercantil, No 0105-0026-59-102636243-1. Es urgente no seguir haciendo transferencia a esa cuenta y establecer otro canal para el financiamiento contemplados en esta fase de la Operación Tenaza.
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Venezuela’s Constitutional Reform: Article-by-Article Summary
Venezuela’s Constitutional Reform: Article-by-Article Summary
The following is an article-by-article summary of the changes being proposed to Venezuela's 1999 constitution. The summary is in no way official and should only be used as an aid in making sense of the proposed constitutional reform. The official reform text is quite long (31 pages), as it includes the full text of each to be changed article, even if only one sentence or word was changed in the article. Making out what, exactly, the changes are relative to the original 1999 constitution can thus be a sometimes time-consuming and difficult task.
Venezuelans will vote on the reform on December 2nd and will do so in two blocks. Block "A" includes President Chavez's original proposal, as amended by the National Assembly, which would change 33 articles out of the 350 articles in the constitution. Also included in block A are another 13 articles introduced by the National Assembly. Block "B" includes another 26 reform articles proposed by the National Assembly. Voters may vote "Yes" or "No" on each block.
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Reform Question: "Are you in agreement with the approval of the constitutional reform project, passed by the National Assembly, with the participation of the people, and based in the initiative of President Hugo Chavez, with its respective titles, chapters, and transitional, derogative, and final dispositions, distributed in the following blocks?"
[Articles in italics are those proposed by the National Assembly, non-italic articles were proposed by the President.]
Block A
Section II. Politico-Territorial Division of the Country: President may declare special military and development zones, citizens have a new "right to the city."
Art. 11 - Allows the President to decree special military regions for the defense of the nation. Also, it would allow him to name military authorities for these regions in a case of emergency.
Art. 16 - Allows the president to decree, with permission from the National Assembly, communal cities, maritime regions, federal territories, federal municipalities, island districts, federal provinces, federal cities, and functional districts. Also the president may name and remove national government authorities for these territorial divisions (these do not, however, supplant the existing elected authorities in these regions).
Art. 18 - Provides a new right, the right to the city, which says that all citizens have the right to equal access to the city's services or benefits. Also names Caracas, the capital as the "Cradle of Simon Bolivar, the Liberator, and Queen of the Warairarepano" [an indigenous name for the mountain range surrounding Caracas].
Section III. Citizen Rights and Duties: Voting age lowered to 16 years, gender parity in candidacies, creation of councils of popular power, social security fund for self-employed, reduction of workweek to 36 hours, recognition of Venezuelans of African descent, free university education, introduction of communal and social property.
Art. 64 - Lowers the minimum voting age from 18 to 16 years.
Art. 67 - Requires candidates for elected office to be set up in accordance with gender parity, reverses the prohibition against state financing of campaigns and parties, and prohibits foreign funding of political activity.
Art. 70 - Establishes that councils of popular power (of communities, workers, students, farmers, fishers, youth, women, etc.) are one of the main means for citizen participation in the government.
Art. 87 - Creates a social security fund for the self-employed, in order to guarantee them a pension, vacation pay, sick pay, etc.
Art. 90 - Reduction of the workweek from 44 hours to 36.
Art. 98 - Guarantees freedom for cultural creations, but without guaranteeing intellectual property.
Art. 100 - Recognition of Venezuelans of African descent, as part of Venezuelan culture to protect and promote (in addition to indigenous and European culture).
Art. 103 - Right to a free education expanded from high school to university.
Art. 112 - The state will promote a diversified and independent economic model, in which the interests of the community prevail over individual interests and that guarantee the social and material needs of the people. The state is no longer obliged to promote private enterprise.
Art. 113 - Monopolies are prohibited instead of merely being "not allowed." The state has the right to "reserve" the exploitation of natural resources or provision of services that are considered by the constitution or by a separate law to be strategic to the nation. Concessions granted to private parties must provide adequate benefits to the public.
Art. 115 - Introduces new forms of property, in addition to private property. The new forms are (1) public property, belonging to state bodies, (2) direct and indirect social property, belonging to the society in general, where indirect social property is administered by the state and direct is administered by particular communities, (3) collective property, which belongs to particular groups, (4) mixed property, which can be a combination of ownership of any of the previous five forms.
Section IV. Functions of the State: Creation of popular power based in direct democracy, recognition of missions for alleviating urgent needs, foreign policy to pursue a pluri-polar world, devolution of central, state, and municipal functions to the popular power, guaranteed revenues for the popular power.
Art. 136 - Creates the popular power, in addition to the municipal, state, and national powers. "The people are the depositories of sovereignty and exercise it directly via the popular power. This is not born of suffrage nor any election, but out of the condition of the human groups that are organized as the base of the population." The popular power is organized via communal councils, workers' councils, student councils, farmer councils, crafts councils, fisher councils, sports councils, youth councils, elderly councils, women's councils, disables persons' councils, and others indicated by law.
Art. 141 - The public administration is organized into traditional bureaucracies and missions, which have an ad-hoc character and are designed to address urgent needs of the population.
Art. 152 - Venezuela's foreign policy is directed towards creating a pluri-polar world, free of hegemonies of any imperialist, colonial, or neo-colonial power.
Art. 153 - Strengthening of the mandate to unify Latin America, so as to achieve what Simon Bolivar called, "A Nation of Republics."
Art. 156 - Specifies the powers of the national government, adding powers that are spelled out in earlier and in later articles in greater detail. New powers of the national government include the ordering of the territorial regime of states and municipalities, the creation and suspension of federal territories, the administration of branches of the national economy and their eventual transfer to social, collective, or mixed forms of property, and the promotion, organization, and registering of councils of the popular power.
Art. 157 - The national assembly may attribute to the bodies of the popular power, in addition to those of the federal district, the states, and the municipalities, issues that are of national government competency, so as to promote a participatory and active democracy (instead of promoting decentralization, as was originally stated here).
Art. 158 - The state will promote the active participation of the people, restoring power to the population (instead of decentralizing the state).
Art. 167 - States' incomes are increased from 20% to 25% of the national budget, where 5% is to be dedicated to the financing of each state's communal councils.
Art. 168 - Municipalities are obligated to include in their activities the participation of councils of popular power.
Art. 184 - Decentralization of power, by its transfer from state and municipal level to the communal level, will include the participation of communities in the management of public enterprises. Also, communal councils are defined as the executive arm of direct democratic citizen assemblies, which elect and at any time may revoke the mandates of the communal council members.
Art. 185 - The national government council is no longer presided over by the Vice-President, but by the President. Its members are the President, Vice-President(s), Ministers, and Governors. Participation of mayors and of civil society groups is optional now. Previously the federal governmental council (as it was called) was responsible for coordinating policies on all governmental levels. Now it is an advisory body for the formulation of the national development plan.
Section V. Organization of the State: President may name secondary vice-presidents as needed, presidential term extended and limit on reelection removed, may re-organize internal politico-territorial boundaries, and promotes all military officers.
Art. 225 - The president may designate the number of secondary vice-presidents he or she deems necessary. Previously there was only one Vice-President.
Art. 230 - Presidential term is extended from six to seven years. The two consecutive term limit on presidential reelection is removed.
Art. 236 - New presidential powers as specified in other sections of the reform are listed here, which include the ordering and management of the country's internal political boundaries, the creation and suspension of federal territories, setting the number and naming of secondary vice-presidents (in addition to the first vice-president), promote all officers of the armed forces, and administrate international reserves in coordination with the Central Bank.
Art. 251 - Adds detail to the functioning of the State Council, which advises the president on all matters.
Art. 252 - Composition of the State Council changed to include the heads of each branch of government: executive, judiciary, legislature, citizen power, and electoral power. The president may include representatives of the popular power and others as needed. Previously the council included five representatives designated by the president, one by the National Assembly, one by the judiciary, and one by the state governors.
Art. 272 - Removal of the requirement for the state to create an autonomous penitentiary system and places the entire system under the administration of a ministry instead of states and municipalities. Also, removes the option of privatizing the country's penitentiary system.
Section VI. Socio-Economic System: Weakening of the role of private enterprise in the economic system, possible better treatment of national businesses over foreign ones, no privatization any part of the national oil industry, taxation of idle agricultural land, removal of central bank autonomy.
Art. 299 - The socio-economic regimen of the country is based on socialist (among other) principles. Instead of stipulating that the state promotes development with the help of private initiative, it is to do so with community, social, and personal initiative.
Art. 300 - Rewording of how publicly owned enterprises should be created, to be regionalized and in favor of a "socialist economy", instead of "decentralized."
Art. 301 - Removal of the requirement that foreign businesses receive the same treatment as national businesses, stating that national businesses may receive better treatment.
Art. 302 - Strengthening of the state's right to exploit the country's mineral resources, especially all those related to oil and gas.
Art. 303 - Removal of the permission to privatize subsidiaries of the country's state oil industry that operate within the country.
Art. 305 - If necessary, the state may take over agricultural production in order to guarantee alimentary security and sovereignty.
Art. 307 - Strengthening of the prohibition against latifundios (large and idle landed estates) and creation of a tax on productive agricultural land that is idle. Landowners who engage in the ecological destruction of their land may be expropriated.
Art. 318 - Removal of the Central Bank's autonomy and foreign reserves to be administrated by the Central Bank together with the President.
Art. 320 - The state must defend the economic and monetary stability of the country. Removal of statements on the bank's autonomy.
Art. 321 - Removal of the requirement to set up a macro-economic stabilization fund. Instead, every year the President and the Central Bank establish the level of reserves necessary for the national economy and all "excess reserves" are assigned to a special development and investment fund.
Section VII. National Security: Armed forces to be anti-imperialist, reserves to become a militia.
Art. 328 - Armed forces of Venezuela renamed to "Bolivarian Armed Force." Specification that the military is "patriotic, popular, and anti-imperialist" at the service of the Venezuelan people and never at the service of an oligarchy or of a foreign imperial power, whose professionals are not activists in any political party (modified from the prohibition against all political activity by members of the military).
Art. 329 - Addition of the term "Bolivarian" to each of the branches of the military and renaming of the reserves to "National Bolivarian Militia."
Section VIII. Constitutional changes: Signature requirements increased for citizen-initiated referenda to modify the constitution.
Art. 341 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments from 15% to 20% of registered voters.
Art. 342 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated constitutional reforms from 15% to 25% of registered voters.
Art. 348 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated constitutional assembly from 15% to 30% of registered voters.
Block "B"
Section III. Citizen Rights and Duties: Non-discrimination based on sexual orientation and health, increase in signature requirements for citizen-initiated referenda, primary home protected from expropriation.
Art. 21 - Inclusion of prohibition against discrimination based on sexual orientation and on health.
Art. 71 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated consultative referenda from 10% to 20% of registered voters.
Art. 72 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated recall referenda from 20% to 30% of registered voters. Also, voter participation set at minimum 40% (previously no minimum was set, other than that at least as many had to vote for the recall as originally voted for the elected official).
Art. 73 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated approbatory referenda from 15% to 30% of registered voters.
Art. 74 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated rescinding referenda from 10% to 30% of registered voters. In the case of law decrees, increased from 5% to 30% of registered voters.
Art. 82 - Protection of primary home from confiscation due to bankruptcy or other legal proceedings.
Art. 109 - Equal voting rights for professors, students, and employees in the election of university authorities.
Section IV. Functions of the State: State and local comptrollers appointed by national Comptroller General, political divisions determined on a national instead level.
Art. 163 - State comptrollers are to be appointed by the national Comptroller General, not the states, following a process in which organizations of popular power nominate candidates.
Art. 164 - State powers are specified in accordance with other articles of the reform. States can no longer organize the politico-territorial division of municipalities, but only coordinate these.
Art. 173 - Political divisions within municipalities are to be determined by a national law, instead of being in the power of the municipalities. The creation of such divisions is to attend to community initiative, with the objective being the de-concentration of municipal administration.
Art. 176 - The municipal comptroller is to be appointed by the national Comptroller General, not the municipalities, following the nomination of candidates by the organizations of popular power.
Section V. State organization: Councils of popular power participate in the nomination of members of the judiciary, citizen, and electoral powers, procedures for removing members of these branches specified more explicitly.
Art. 191 - National Assembly deputies who the president has called to serve in the executive may return to the National Assembly to finish their term in office once they stop working in the executive. Previously they lost their seat in the assembly.
Art. 264 - Specifies that Supreme Court judges are to be named by a majority of the National Assembly, instead of being left to a law. Also, in addition to civil society groups related to the law profession, representatives of the popular power are to participate in the nomination process.
Art. 265 - Supreme Court judges may be removed from office by a simple majority vote of the National Assembly, instead of a two-thirds majority and an accusation by the citizen power.
Art. 266 - Adds the ability of the Supreme Court to rule on the merits of court proceedings against members of the National Electoral Council, in addition to its ability to do so in the case of all other high-level government officials.
Art. 279 - Includes representatives of popular power councils for the nomination of Attorney General, Comptroller General, and Human Rights Defender. Also, specifies that each of these may be removed by a majority of the National Assembly, instead of leaving the issue to a separate law and a ruling from the Supreme Court.
Art. 289 - Adds to the Comptroller General's powers the ability to name state and municipal comptrollers.
Art. 293 - Removes the National Electoral Council's responsibility to preside over union elections.
Art. 295 - Inclusion of representatives from the Popular Power in the nomination process of members to the National Electoral Council. Specifies that members may be chosen by a majority of National Assembly members, instead of a two-thirds majority. Election of electoral council members is supposed to be staggered now, where three are elected and then halfway through their 7-year term, the other two are to be elected.
Art. 296 - Members of the National Electoral Council may be removed by a majority of National Assembly members, without the need of a prior ruling from the Supreme Court.
Section VIII. Constitutional exceptions: Right to information no longer guaranteed during state of emergency, emergencies to last as long as the conditions that caused it.
Art. 337 - Change in states of emergency, so that the right to information is no longer protected in such instances. Also, the right to due process is removed in favor of the right to defense, to no forced disappearance, to personal integrity, to be judged by one's natural judges, and not to be condemned to over 30 years imprisonment.
Art. 338 - States of alert, emergency, and of interior or exterior commotion are no longer limited to a maximum of 180 days, but are to last as long as conditions persist that motivated the state of exception.
Art. 339 - The Supreme Court's approval for states of exception is no longer necessary, only the approval of the National Assembly.
The following is an article-by-article summary of the changes being proposed to Venezuela's 1999 constitution. The summary is in no way official and should only be used as an aid in making sense of the proposed constitutional reform. The official reform text is quite long (31 pages), as it includes the full text of each to be changed article, even if only one sentence or word was changed in the article. Making out what, exactly, the changes are relative to the original 1999 constitution can thus be a sometimes time-consuming and difficult task.
Venezuelans will vote on the reform on December 2nd and will do so in two blocks. Block "A" includes President Chavez's original proposal, as amended by the National Assembly, which would change 33 articles out of the 350 articles in the constitution. Also included in block A are another 13 articles introduced by the National Assembly. Block "B" includes another 26 reform articles proposed by the National Assembly. Voters may vote "Yes" or "No" on each block.
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Reform Question: "Are you in agreement with the approval of the constitutional reform project, passed by the National Assembly, with the participation of the people, and based in the initiative of President Hugo Chavez, with its respective titles, chapters, and transitional, derogative, and final dispositions, distributed in the following blocks?"
[Articles in italics are those proposed by the National Assembly, non-italic articles were proposed by the President.]
Block A
Section II. Politico-Territorial Division of the Country: President may declare special military and development zones, citizens have a new "right to the city."
Art. 11 - Allows the President to decree special military regions for the defense of the nation. Also, it would allow him to name military authorities for these regions in a case of emergency.
Art. 16 - Allows the president to decree, with permission from the National Assembly, communal cities, maritime regions, federal territories, federal municipalities, island districts, federal provinces, federal cities, and functional districts. Also the president may name and remove national government authorities for these territorial divisions (these do not, however, supplant the existing elected authorities in these regions).
Art. 18 - Provides a new right, the right to the city, which says that all citizens have the right to equal access to the city's services or benefits. Also names Caracas, the capital as the "Cradle of Simon Bolivar, the Liberator, and Queen of the Warairarepano" [an indigenous name for the mountain range surrounding Caracas].
Section III. Citizen Rights and Duties: Voting age lowered to 16 years, gender parity in candidacies, creation of councils of popular power, social security fund for self-employed, reduction of workweek to 36 hours, recognition of Venezuelans of African descent, free university education, introduction of communal and social property.
Art. 64 - Lowers the minimum voting age from 18 to 16 years.
Art. 67 - Requires candidates for elected office to be set up in accordance with gender parity, reverses the prohibition against state financing of campaigns and parties, and prohibits foreign funding of political activity.
Art. 70 - Establishes that councils of popular power (of communities, workers, students, farmers, fishers, youth, women, etc.) are one of the main means for citizen participation in the government.
Art. 87 - Creates a social security fund for the self-employed, in order to guarantee them a pension, vacation pay, sick pay, etc.
Art. 90 - Reduction of the workweek from 44 hours to 36.
Art. 98 - Guarantees freedom for cultural creations, but without guaranteeing intellectual property.
Art. 100 - Recognition of Venezuelans of African descent, as part of Venezuelan culture to protect and promote (in addition to indigenous and European culture).
Art. 103 - Right to a free education expanded from high school to university.
Art. 112 - The state will promote a diversified and independent economic model, in which the interests of the community prevail over individual interests and that guarantee the social and material needs of the people. The state is no longer obliged to promote private enterprise.
Art. 113 - Monopolies are prohibited instead of merely being "not allowed." The state has the right to "reserve" the exploitation of natural resources or provision of services that are considered by the constitution or by a separate law to be strategic to the nation. Concessions granted to private parties must provide adequate benefits to the public.
Art. 115 - Introduces new forms of property, in addition to private property. The new forms are (1) public property, belonging to state bodies, (2) direct and indirect social property, belonging to the society in general, where indirect social property is administered by the state and direct is administered by particular communities, (3) collective property, which belongs to particular groups, (4) mixed property, which can be a combination of ownership of any of the previous five forms.
Section IV. Functions of the State: Creation of popular power based in direct democracy, recognition of missions for alleviating urgent needs, foreign policy to pursue a pluri-polar world, devolution of central, state, and municipal functions to the popular power, guaranteed revenues for the popular power.
Art. 136 - Creates the popular power, in addition to the municipal, state, and national powers. "The people are the depositories of sovereignty and exercise it directly via the popular power. This is not born of suffrage nor any election, but out of the condition of the human groups that are organized as the base of the population." The popular power is organized via communal councils, workers' councils, student councils, farmer councils, crafts councils, fisher councils, sports councils, youth councils, elderly councils, women's councils, disables persons' councils, and others indicated by law.
Art. 141 - The public administration is organized into traditional bureaucracies and missions, which have an ad-hoc character and are designed to address urgent needs of the population.
Art. 152 - Venezuela's foreign policy is directed towards creating a pluri-polar world, free of hegemonies of any imperialist, colonial, or neo-colonial power.
Art. 153 - Strengthening of the mandate to unify Latin America, so as to achieve what Simon Bolivar called, "A Nation of Republics."
Art. 156 - Specifies the powers of the national government, adding powers that are spelled out in earlier and in later articles in greater detail. New powers of the national government include the ordering of the territorial regime of states and municipalities, the creation and suspension of federal territories, the administration of branches of the national economy and their eventual transfer to social, collective, or mixed forms of property, and the promotion, organization, and registering of councils of the popular power.
Art. 157 - The national assembly may attribute to the bodies of the popular power, in addition to those of the federal district, the states, and the municipalities, issues that are of national government competency, so as to promote a participatory and active democracy (instead of promoting decentralization, as was originally stated here).
Art. 158 - The state will promote the active participation of the people, restoring power to the population (instead of decentralizing the state).
Art. 167 - States' incomes are increased from 20% to 25% of the national budget, where 5% is to be dedicated to the financing of each state's communal councils.
Art. 168 - Municipalities are obligated to include in their activities the participation of councils of popular power.
Art. 184 - Decentralization of power, by its transfer from state and municipal level to the communal level, will include the participation of communities in the management of public enterprises. Also, communal councils are defined as the executive arm of direct democratic citizen assemblies, which elect and at any time may revoke the mandates of the communal council members.
Art. 185 - The national government council is no longer presided over by the Vice-President, but by the President. Its members are the President, Vice-President(s), Ministers, and Governors. Participation of mayors and of civil society groups is optional now. Previously the federal governmental council (as it was called) was responsible for coordinating policies on all governmental levels. Now it is an advisory body for the formulation of the national development plan.
Section V. Organization of the State: President may name secondary vice-presidents as needed, presidential term extended and limit on reelection removed, may re-organize internal politico-territorial boundaries, and promotes all military officers.
Art. 225 - The president may designate the number of secondary vice-presidents he or she deems necessary. Previously there was only one Vice-President.
Art. 230 - Presidential term is extended from six to seven years. The two consecutive term limit on presidential reelection is removed.
Art. 236 - New presidential powers as specified in other sections of the reform are listed here, which include the ordering and management of the country's internal political boundaries, the creation and suspension of federal territories, setting the number and naming of secondary vice-presidents (in addition to the first vice-president), promote all officers of the armed forces, and administrate international reserves in coordination with the Central Bank.
Art. 251 - Adds detail to the functioning of the State Council, which advises the president on all matters.
Art. 252 - Composition of the State Council changed to include the heads of each branch of government: executive, judiciary, legislature, citizen power, and electoral power. The president may include representatives of the popular power and others as needed. Previously the council included five representatives designated by the president, one by the National Assembly, one by the judiciary, and one by the state governors.
Art. 272 - Removal of the requirement for the state to create an autonomous penitentiary system and places the entire system under the administration of a ministry instead of states and municipalities. Also, removes the option of privatizing the country's penitentiary system.
Section VI. Socio-Economic System: Weakening of the role of private enterprise in the economic system, possible better treatment of national businesses over foreign ones, no privatization any part of the national oil industry, taxation of idle agricultural land, removal of central bank autonomy.
Art. 299 - The socio-economic regimen of the country is based on socialist (among other) principles. Instead of stipulating that the state promotes development with the help of private initiative, it is to do so with community, social, and personal initiative.
Art. 300 - Rewording of how publicly owned enterprises should be created, to be regionalized and in favor of a "socialist economy", instead of "decentralized."
Art. 301 - Removal of the requirement that foreign businesses receive the same treatment as national businesses, stating that national businesses may receive better treatment.
Art. 302 - Strengthening of the state's right to exploit the country's mineral resources, especially all those related to oil and gas.
Art. 303 - Removal of the permission to privatize subsidiaries of the country's state oil industry that operate within the country.
Art. 305 - If necessary, the state may take over agricultural production in order to guarantee alimentary security and sovereignty.
Art. 307 - Strengthening of the prohibition against latifundios (large and idle landed estates) and creation of a tax on productive agricultural land that is idle. Landowners who engage in the ecological destruction of their land may be expropriated.
Art. 318 - Removal of the Central Bank's autonomy and foreign reserves to be administrated by the Central Bank together with the President.
Art. 320 - The state must defend the economic and monetary stability of the country. Removal of statements on the bank's autonomy.
Art. 321 - Removal of the requirement to set up a macro-economic stabilization fund. Instead, every year the President and the Central Bank establish the level of reserves necessary for the national economy and all "excess reserves" are assigned to a special development and investment fund.
Section VII. National Security: Armed forces to be anti-imperialist, reserves to become a militia.
Art. 328 - Armed forces of Venezuela renamed to "Bolivarian Armed Force." Specification that the military is "patriotic, popular, and anti-imperialist" at the service of the Venezuelan people and never at the service of an oligarchy or of a foreign imperial power, whose professionals are not activists in any political party (modified from the prohibition against all political activity by members of the military).
Art. 329 - Addition of the term "Bolivarian" to each of the branches of the military and renaming of the reserves to "National Bolivarian Militia."
Section VIII. Constitutional changes: Signature requirements increased for citizen-initiated referenda to modify the constitution.
Art. 341 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments from 15% to 20% of registered voters.
Art. 342 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated constitutional reforms from 15% to 25% of registered voters.
Art. 348 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated constitutional assembly from 15% to 30% of registered voters.
Block "B"
Section III. Citizen Rights and Duties: Non-discrimination based on sexual orientation and health, increase in signature requirements for citizen-initiated referenda, primary home protected from expropriation.
Art. 21 - Inclusion of prohibition against discrimination based on sexual orientation and on health.
Art. 71 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated consultative referenda from 10% to 20% of registered voters.
Art. 72 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated recall referenda from 20% to 30% of registered voters. Also, voter participation set at minimum 40% (previously no minimum was set, other than that at least as many had to vote for the recall as originally voted for the elected official).
Art. 73 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated approbatory referenda from 15% to 30% of registered voters.
Art. 74 - Increase in the signature requirement for citizen-initiated rescinding referenda from 10% to 30% of registered voters. In the case of law decrees, increased from 5% to 30% of registered voters.
Art. 82 - Protection of primary home from confiscation due to bankruptcy or other legal proceedings.
Art. 109 - Equal voting rights for professors, students, and employees in the election of university authorities.
Section IV. Functions of the State: State and local comptrollers appointed by national Comptroller General, political divisions determined on a national instead level.
Art. 163 - State comptrollers are to be appointed by the national Comptroller General, not the states, following a process in which organizations of popular power nominate candidates.
Art. 164 - State powers are specified in accordance with other articles of the reform. States can no longer organize the politico-territorial division of municipalities, but only coordinate these.
Art. 173 - Political divisions within municipalities are to be determined by a national law, instead of being in the power of the municipalities. The creation of such divisions is to attend to community initiative, with the objective being the de-concentration of municipal administration.
Art. 176 - The municipal comptroller is to be appointed by the national Comptroller General, not the municipalities, following the nomination of candidates by the organizations of popular power.
Section V. State organization: Councils of popular power participate in the nomination of members of the judiciary, citizen, and electoral powers, procedures for removing members of these branches specified more explicitly.
Art. 191 - National Assembly deputies who the president has called to serve in the executive may return to the National Assembly to finish their term in office once they stop working in the executive. Previously they lost their seat in the assembly.
Art. 264 - Specifies that Supreme Court judges are to be named by a majority of the National Assembly, instead of being left to a law. Also, in addition to civil society groups related to the law profession, representatives of the popular power are to participate in the nomination process.
Art. 265 - Supreme Court judges may be removed from office by a simple majority vote of the National Assembly, instead of a two-thirds majority and an accusation by the citizen power.
Art. 266 - Adds the ability of the Supreme Court to rule on the merits of court proceedings against members of the National Electoral Council, in addition to its ability to do so in the case of all other high-level government officials.
Art. 279 - Includes representatives of popular power councils for the nomination of Attorney General, Comptroller General, and Human Rights Defender. Also, specifies that each of these may be removed by a majority of the National Assembly, instead of leaving the issue to a separate law and a ruling from the Supreme Court.
Art. 289 - Adds to the Comptroller General's powers the ability to name state and municipal comptrollers.
Art. 293 - Removes the National Electoral Council's responsibility to preside over union elections.
Art. 295 - Inclusion of representatives from the Popular Power in the nomination process of members to the National Electoral Council. Specifies that members may be chosen by a majority of National Assembly members, instead of a two-thirds majority. Election of electoral council members is supposed to be staggered now, where three are elected and then halfway through their 7-year term, the other two are to be elected.
Art. 296 - Members of the National Electoral Council may be removed by a majority of National Assembly members, without the need of a prior ruling from the Supreme Court.
Section VIII. Constitutional exceptions: Right to information no longer guaranteed during state of emergency, emergencies to last as long as the conditions that caused it.
Art. 337 - Change in states of emergency, so that the right to information is no longer protected in such instances. Also, the right to due process is removed in favor of the right to defense, to no forced disappearance, to personal integrity, to be judged by one's natural judges, and not to be condemned to over 30 years imprisonment.
Art. 338 - States of alert, emergency, and of interior or exterior commotion are no longer limited to a maximum of 180 days, but are to last as long as conditions persist that motivated the state of exception.
Art. 339 - The Supreme Court's approval for states of exception is no longer necessary, only the approval of the National Assembly.
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