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### Viewing cable 09SANJOSE959, COSTA RICA: VENEZUELA'S "PEACE BASE" CAUSES CONTROVERSY

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09SANJOSE959 | 2009-11-20 17:21 | 2011-04-18 20:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy San Jose

`

    VZCZCXYZ0009
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHSJ #0959/01 3241721
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 201721Z NOV 09
    FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0046
    INFO WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
    RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
    RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS

` `

    UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000959

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS
    DEPT FOR WHA/CEN

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PGOV PREL VE CS
    SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: VENEZUELA'S "PEACE BASE" CAUSES CONTROVERSY

    ¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The Venezuelan government's establishment in
    late September of an anti-US "Peace Base" in San Jose is causing
    continuing controversy in Costa Rica, and proving to be a large
    public relations misstep for the GBRV.  The "Peace Base", which is
    billed as Hugo Chavez's response to the US - Colombia Defense
    Cooperation Agreement, appears to be little more than an
    attention-getting  title for a discussion forum.   That said, it
    has riled Costa Ricans who pride themselves on a history of
    pacifism and consider the US a close ally.  To date the GOCR has
    criticized but tolerated Chavez's newest initiative, and the MFA is
    waiting for an "official explanation" from the Venezuelan Embassy
    as to the purpose of the "Peace Base". End Summary.

    ---------------------------------------------

    PEACE BASE IN A COUNTRY OF PEACE

    ---------------------------------------------

    ¶2. (SBU) Venezuela's Ambassador to Costa Rica, Nestor Pineda Prada,
    officially opened the "Peace Base" in the Venezuelan Embassy on
    September 30, to create a forum to discuss the "militaristic threat
    that advances the American empire...under the guise of the war on
    drugs."  The "Peace Base" came after the opening of similar fora in
    Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico and Nicaragua, with a center in Panama
    scheduled to open in the coming months.

    ¶3. (SBU) However many Costa Ricans, whose government abolished its
    military in 1948 and whose country often provides a refuge in an
    otherwise turbulent region, were perceptibly offended by the
    Venezuelan initiative.  Pineda's public statement that "many Costa
    Ricans had told (him) that they would like a Chavez in Costa Rica,"
    also struck a sour note.  Costa Rican President and Nobel Peace
    Laureate Oscar Arias blasted the center, stating that "one can
    learn how to play baseball from Venezuela, but they can't teach us
    anything about peace."  A Facebook group immediately sprung up
    named "No to the Peace Base in Costa Rica", quickly attracting over
    2,300 members.  And Minister of the Presidency (and the President's
    brother) Rodrigo Arias questioned whether the "Peace Base" violated
    the Vienna Convention, ordering the MFA to "examine in detail the
    implications of (the) initiative."

    -------------------

    MFA RESPONSE

    -------------------

    ¶4. (SBU) Yet the tough talk by Costa Rican officials has led to
    little action by the GOCR.  The MFA has sent a diplomatic note to
    the Venezuelan Embassy asking for more information about the "Peace
    Base", and says that it is closely monitoring the program.  Foreign
    Minister Bruno Stagno has called on the GRBV to change the name of
    the initiative, deeming "Peace Base" inappropriate in "a country of
    peace."  But the GOCR has not called on the GBRV to cancel the
    program, or officially stated that it violates the Vienna
    Convention.  An MFA official privately told us that their options
    for regulating the program seemed limited, as the GBRV has not
    established any new physical building for the "Peace Base", and it
    currently exists only as a loose forum that occasionally meets at
    the Venezuelan Embassy.

    -----------------------------------------

    THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PROBLEM

    -----------------------------------------

    ¶5. (SBU) The strong condemnation by Costa Rican officials and

    negative reaction by the public over the "Peace Base" initiative
    seem to have taken the Venezuelans by surprise.  The last
    significant "Peace Base" meeting was held in mid-October, with
    roughly fifty attendees.  Since then the GBRV, in a weak attempt to
    deflect criticism, has made the dubious claim that the "Peace Base"
    in Costa Rica was not directed by Caracas, but instead was an
    initiative of Ambassador Pineda.

    -----------------------------------

    COMMENT: A GRBV MISSTEP

    -----------------------------------

    ¶6.  (SBU) One of the GBRV's primary missteps in launching their
    "Peace Base" was as simple as the name itself.  If they had named
    their program anything else the reaction of Costa Ricans, who
    proudly guard their reputation as the "most" peaceful country in
    the region, would have been much less severe.  Additionally, the
    activist, aggressive approach of GRBV Ambassador Pineda since his
    arrival in 2008, and his vituperative public comments about the US,
    have generally not gone over well with the Costa Ricans.

    ¶7. (SBU)  Just Prior to Pineda's announcement of the "Peace Base",
    post combined efforts wit the Colombian embassy to put out an op-ed
    piece in the popular newspaper "The Nation" (copied to the
    diplomatic community), based on WHA guidance, to explain the actual
    basis and facts regarding the CDA with Colombia.  That piece was
    well received by the MFA and others, and our subsequent follow-up
    with President Arias on the occasion of the visit of Southcom
    Deputy Civilian Commander Ambassador Trivelli prompted Arias to
    immediately instruct the MFA to look in the "Peace Bases."

    ¶8. (SBU) That said, the harsh words of a month ago have generally
    led to a 'wait and see' approach on the part of the GOCR.  While
    Venezuelans have been very quiet since the strong GOCR reaction,
    this issue could easily come to the forefront again, especially as
    Costa Rica moves into full campaign-mode ahead of the February 2010
    national elections.
    BRENNAN

`