| THIS WEEK IN VENEZUELA | |
1978 April 21, 00:00 (Friday) | 1978CARACA03748_d |
CONFIDENTIAL | UNCLASSIFIED |
-- N/A or Blank -- | 8937 |
GS | TEXT ON MICROFILM,TEXT ONLINE |
-- N/A or Blank -- | TE - Telegram (cable) |
-- N/A or Blank -- ACTION ARA - Bureau of Inter-American Affairs | Electronic Telegrams |
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 | |
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SUMMARY: DIEGO ARRIA OUTLINES HIS CAMPAIGN STRATEGY.
OIL
PRODUCTION CONTINUES TO RECOVER. TEACHERS STRIKE SUSPENDED.
EEC OFFICE OPEN IN CARACAS. OFFSHORE DRILLING PROGRAM
ANNOUNCED. END SUMMARY.
1. DIEGO ARRIA OUTLINES HIS CAMPAIGN STRATEGY.
IN A LENGTHY INTERVIEW IN EL NACIONAL OF APRIL 19, DIEGO
ARRIA REITERATED HE WAS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND OUTLINED
HIS CAMPAIGN. ARRIA TOOK AN OPENING SHOT AT MACHINE POLITICS
(AD AND COPEI) CHARACTERIZING THEM AS USEFUL FOR THEIR PAST
CONTRIBUTION TO THE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF VENEZUELAN DEMOCRACY,
BUT NO LONGER CAPABLE OF PROVIDING A FOCUS OR METHODOLOGY
FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF CONTEMPORARY VENEZUELAN SOCONFIDENTIAL
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CIETY. HE FURTHER CRITICIZED THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND
RALLIES OF THE "OLD POLITICIANS" AND DISMISSED THEM AS
ANACHRONISTIC. THE DECEMBER ELECTIONS (AND HIS CANDIDACY)
HE EMPHASIZED WOULD OFFER TWO OPTIONS FOR VENEZUELAN SOCIETY: (A) THE TRADITIONAL OUTLOOK AND METHODS OF THE
OLD POLITICAL PARTIES AND CANDIDATES. (B) OR A NEW WAY OF
LOOLING AT VENEZUELA, ITS POSSIBILITIES, OPPORTUNITIES
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
AND INSTRUMENTS OF ACTION. ARRIA EMPHASIED HIS CAMPAIGN
WOULD SHUN POLITICAL RALLIES AND MACHINE POLITICS, RATHER
IT WOULD CONCENTRATE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA, TOGETHER
WITH PERSONAL APPEARANCES IN FORUMS AND "CONVERSATIONS
WITH ALL SECTORS OF VENEZUELAN SOCIET." HE CONCLUDED WITH WHAT WILL BE HIS CAMPAIGN SLOGAN SAYING " THE
HAPPINESS OF THE PEOPLE IS NOT THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF
THE GOVERNMENT, BUT THE DUTY OF EVERYONE--A COMMON CAUSE."
COMMENT/ ARRIA CONTINUED HIS POLITICAL STRIPTEASE, STOPPING SHORT OF ANNOUNCING THE STARTING DATE OF HIS FORMAL
CAMPAIGN. HE, HOWEVER, TOLD THE AMBASSADOR IT WOULD KICK
OFF IN MAY. END COMMENT.
2. OIL PRODUCTION CONTINUES TO RECOVER.
OIL PRODUCTION CONTINUES TO INCREASE GRADUALLY FROM ITS
NADIR IN EARLY FEBRUARY. AVERAGE PRODUCTION FOR THE YEAR
TO DATE IS 1.86 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY, ABOUT 17 PERCENT
BELOW THE 1977 YEAR END AVERAGE OF 2.24 MILLION. PRODUCTION
LEVELS OVER THE PAST MONTH HAVE BEEN IN THE 2.1 TO
2.2 MILLION BARREL PER DAY RANGE.
3. TEACHERS STRIKE SUSPENDED.
THE FEDERATION OF ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSORS OF INSTITUTES
AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGES (FAPICUV) IS SUSPENDING AN EIGHTDAY-OLD STRIKE AND PROPOSE TO RESUME NEGOTIATIONS WITH
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THE MINISTRY OF EDUCAION APRIL 21. TWENTY-THREE JUNIOR
AND TEACHER COLLEGES AND INSTITUTES WITH APPROXIMATELY
150,000 STUDENTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE STRIKE. MEDIATION EFFORTS BY THE CONFERDERATION OF VENEZUELAN WORKERS
(CTV) APPEAR TO HAVE BROUGH THE MINISTRY AND FAPICUV BACK
TO THE BARGAINING TABLE. ACCORDING TO A TRADE UNION
SOURCE, THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO OFFER A 20 PERCENT
PAY INCREASE RETROACTIVE TO SEPETMBER 30, 1978 BUT PAYABLE
ONLY AFTERJANUARY 1, 1979 UNDER THE NEW 1979 BUDGET. A
MAJOR STICKING POINT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS SO FAR HAS BEEN
THE GOVERNMENT'S INABILITY TO OFFER ANY SALARY INCREASE IN
1978 DUE TO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED BUDGET CUTS. FAPICUV, WHICH
HAS BEEN DEMANDING A 30 PERCENT INCREASE, UNDOUBTEDLY WILL
PRESS FOR MORE THAN 20 PERCENT INCLUDING SOME IMMEDIATE
INCREASE. NEVERTHELESS, CTV INTERVENTION HAS EASED A HARDENING CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES. VIOLENCE
ERUPTED ON APRIL 13. THE FIRST DAY OF THE STRIKE WHEN EIGHT
STUDENTS WERE INJURED BY ARMED GOONS AS STUDENTS STAGED AN
UNAUTHORIZED SYMPATHY STRIKE ON BEHALF OF THE TEACHERS.
THE MINISTRY LATER THREATENED TO IMPOSE THE UNPOPULAR
PRESIDENTIAL INSTRUCTION 35 ON THE STRIKING TEACHERS. THE
INSTRUCTION ISSUED LAST FALL PROVIDES FOR SUSPENSION OF
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
PAY AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST STRIKING PUBLIC SERVANTS,
INCLUDING TEACHERS. COMMENT: THE TRETURN OF THE
TEACHERS TO THE BARGAINING TABLE SUGGESTS THAT A COMPROMISE SOLUTION MAY BE NEAR. THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ANXIOUS TO AVOID FURTHER DISRUPTION OF THE NATION'S EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM IN THE FIANAL TERM OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND
DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. THE RULING ACCION DEMOCRATICA PARTY HAS SUBSTANTIAL REPRESENTATION IN FAPICUV
WHICH WILL ALSO BE UNDER INSTRUCTIONS TO COOL THE
CONFRONATION. END COMMENT.
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ACTION ARA-14
INFO OCT-01 EUR-12 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-05 H-01
INR-10 L-03 NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 SP-02 SS-15
ICA-11 DOE-15 SOE-02 AID-05 EB-08 TRSE-00 COME-00
SIL-01 LAB-04 HA-05 OMB-01 DLOS-09 OES-07 /137 W
------------------026388 230123Z /63
R 211642Z APR 78
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2014
INFO AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
USCINCLANT NORFOLK VA
USCINCO QUARRY HEIGHTS
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 2 OF 2 CARACAS 3748
4. EEC OFFICE OPENEDIN CARACAS.
A DELEGATION FROM THE EEC'S LATIN AMERICAN DIVISION HEADED
BY WILHELM HAFERKAMP, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE EEC, VISITED
CARACAS DURING THE WEEK OF APRIL 17-21 TO INAUGUARTE THE
ORAGANIZATIONS NEW LATIN AMERICAN OFFICE IN CARACAS.
HAFERKAMP MET BRIEFLY WITH PRESIDENT PEREZ. IN COMMENTS
TO THE LOCAL PRESS, HAFERKAMP CITED THE DEMOCRATIC CHARACTER
OF VENEZUELA'S GOVERNMENT AND ITS RESPECT FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS, AS WELL AS ITS GROWING ROLE IN LATIN AMERICA AND
THE WORLD IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AS REASONS FOR LOCATING
THEIR REGIONAL OFFICE IN CARACAS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS
OFFICE, ACCORDING TO HAFERKAMP, WOULD BE TO STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMIC TIES BETWEEN THE LATIN AMERICA AND
EUROPEAN COUNTIRES, AS WELL AS WELL AS THOSE BETWEEN THE EEC AND
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
LATIN AMERICAN ECONMIC INTEGRATION ORGANIZATIONS, PARTICULARLY THE ANDEAN PACT AND SELA. COMMENT: ALTHOUGH NOT
MENTIONED DIRECTLY BY HAFERKAMP, THE FACT THAT COMPANIES
FROM SEVERAL EEC COUNTRIES ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN VERY
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LARGE INDUSTRIAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN VENEZUELA
WAS A FACTOR IN LOCATING THE REGIONAL EEC OFFICE HERE.
IN ADDITION, VENEZUELA'S HUMAN RIGHTS REPUTATION WAS ALSO
A MAJOR CONSIDERATION IN THE DECISION. END COMMENT.
5. OFFSHORE DRILLING PROGRAM ANNOUNCED.
PETROLEOS DE VENEZUELA PRESIDENT ALFONSO RAVARD ANNOUNCED OIL
INDUSTRY'S PLANS TO BEGIN OFF-SHORE DRILLING FOR LIGHT CRUDE
AS EARLY AS AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. THREE OF THE OPERATING
COMPANIES, LAGOVAN, MARAVEN, AND CVP ARE REVIEWING BIDS
BY 19 FOREIGN CONTRACTORS, INCLUDING 12 US FIRMS, TO
SUPPLY THREE OFFSHORE RIGS. DIRLLING WILL TAKE PLACE OFF
THE ORINOCO RIVER DELTA SOUTH OF TRINIDAD AND IN TWO AREAS
EAST OF CARACAS. THE TULFO TRISTE AND ENSENADA DE LA
VELA. WHILE MOST OF VENEZUELA'S PETROLEUM IS PRODUCED
FROM WELLS IN LAKE MARACAIBO, TRUE OFFSHORE EXPLORATION
HAS BEEN LIMITED TO A FEW WELLS DRILLED IN 1974 IN THE
ENSENADA DE LA VELA.
6. OTHER REPORTING INCLUDED (CARACAS 3679) FONMIN
CONSALVI DISCUSSES LOS CONFERENCE, (CARACAS 3715) VENEZUELA
PRAISES PASSAGE OF CANAL TREATIES, (CARCAS 3618)
AIFLD COUNTRY APPENDICES TO REGIONAL CONTRACT (CARACAS
3583) EX-PRESIDENT CALDER REQUEST MEETING WITH PRESIDENT
CARTER, (CARACAS 3559) MAC DISASTER RELIEF AIRFIELD
SUITABILITY SURVEY, (CARACAS 3620 INTERAGENCY TASK
FORCE TO DEVELOP A NATIONAL EXPORT POLICY,(CARACAS
3599) MAJOR PROJECTS: AMUAY REFINERY, (CARACAS 3597)
IMPORT PROHIBITATIONS/TEXTILES , (CARACAS 3585) CIVAIR: PROBLEMS
WITH VENEZUELA (CARACAS 3637) COUNTRY COMMERCIAL
PROGRAM 2ND QTR 1978.
VAKY
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Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
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Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
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