<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, May 18, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Comedian Gilberto Gonzalez has told TalCual that his controversial sketch was with the prior permission of  USA Embassy officialsTrue to form, the opposition has applauded the antics of US Ambassador Charles Shapiro and the puppet show at his residence to commemorate International Press Freedom Day. 

Coordinadora Democratica (CD)  media committee has issued a communique, stating that the way to change a President is not by criticizing an Ambassador or silencing an artist but through a recall referendum, which is a constitutional right. 

It criticizes the statement of Executive Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel as "pathetic ... Rangel and national and international opinion know that Chavez Frias doesn't need anyone's help to play the fool ... he has done it in innumerable occasions in Venezuela and abroad ... deserving condemnation." 

The communique calls on people to pay attention to Ambassador Shapiro's words on the lack of press freedom in Venezuela with alleged attacks on more than 200, killing 1 and physically assaulting 80. 

Opposition international analyst, Elsa Cardoso admits she does not agree with the show at the Ambassador's residence but says Vice President Rangel  should have been more diplomatic.

According to the expert, the government's stance is an angry reaction to the Ambassador's defense of Venezuela's print & broadcast media and freedom of expression ... "the Cuban Ambassador has also interfered in Venezuela's internal affairs."

Meanwhile, pro-government National Assembly (AN)  deputies are looking for a freebie to travel to Washington to complain about the incident. 

Podemos president, Ismael Garcia says a commission will travel to lodge a formal complaint at the Organization of American States (OAS) HQ and at the US Senate,  arguing that Ambassador Shapiro must be held responsible for his actions and the US government should clarify its position on the matter. Garcia says the USA is one of Venezuela's principal trading partners and political allies.

Talcual afternoon tabloid has thrown doubt on Ambassador Shapiro's confirmation that he was unaware of the show's content, claiming that Embassy officials vetted the contents of the comedian's act beforehand ... it is normal procedure at any Embassy.

Who's telling the truth:

Comedian Gilberto Gonzalez has assured opposition-led TalCual newspaper that his controversial sketch in which he parodied radio personality Marta Colomina with a dummy of President Hugo Chavez Frias was performed with the customary prior approval of US Embassy officials at US Ambassador Charles Shapiro's official residence.

The US Caracas Embassy press lackeys have, however, hastened to issue a Spanish-language release which backpedals considerably on the comedian's and the opposition media's version of events.  The Embassy claims it did not have prior knowledge of the sketch and does not "censor" what its guests have to say.  In retrospect the Embassy apologists say the sketch was in "bad taste" because of its political content...

You the reader must decide...

Embassy Row

    Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who threatens political opponents and represses the press, now feels threatened by a puppet show at the U.S. Embassy.

    Vice President Jose Vincente Rangel, in a news conference yesterday, denounced U.S. Ambassador Charles Shapiro, who hosted a reception Tuesday for International Press Freedom Day where he criticized government intimidation of the Venezuelan press.

    However, a hand puppet in a red beret, Mr. Chavez' trademark, is what really upset the government. A male comedian dressed as the popular female broadcaster Marta Colomina performed on stage with the puppet.

    "What we have here is an irresponsible U.S. ambassador," Mr. Rangel told reporters in the capital, Caracas.

    News reports said he called the puppet show a sign of provocation from the Bush administration, which has been highly critical of the left-wing Mr. Chavez.

    One diplomat said the comedian embarrassed Mr. Shapiro, who did not know in advance that the performer would ridicule Mr. Chavez.

    The embassy would not reply to Mr. Rangel but referred reporters to the ambassador's remarks posted on the embassy Web site, embajadausa.org.ve.

    "The situation in Venezuela is worrisome," Mr. Shapiro said, referring to attacks on 80 reporters in the past year. Some were attacked with guns and knives, he said.

    "The people responsible for these attacks have yet to be identified," he said. "There is no excuse to justify violence against reporters, editors or owners. ...

    "Freedom of the press in Venezuela has deteriorated over the past year and it is everyone's responsibility to guarantee that the situation be remedied."

    Mr. Shapiro conceded that he had been upset with the Venezuelan press when it criticized the United States without seeking comment from the embassy.

    However, he added, "You cannot allow debate and criticism to become mechanisms of pressure or intimidation."

    • Call Embassy Row at 202/636-3297, fax 202/832-7278 or e-mail jmorrison@washingtontimes.com.     

Pravda20:02 2003-05-16

Russia and Venezuela share common positions on key international issues, Russian foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said in the wake of the talks with his Venezuelan counterpart, Roy Chaderton.

"Russia and Venezuela are closely cooperating on the international arena in dealing with all the key issues, our positions coincide totally or partially," Ivanov emphasized.

Chaderton, too, confirmed his Russian counterpart's statement. "I try to recall at least one issue on which we do not see eye to eye, but I fail," he admitted.

According to Ivanov, the sides discussed the Iraq and Middle East situation as seen through the prism of a stronger UN role, stressing the importance of international problems' settlement on the basis of due respect for international law.

According to the minister, Moscow is interested in the enhancement of economic cooperation with Venezuela. "In this connection, we attach additional importance to the upcoming September sitting of the Enlarged Commission for Trade and Economic Issues," Ivanov said.

Chaderton, in turn, told the media people that Caracas is looking forward to the Venezuelan energy minister's visit to Moscow slated for June. "We have a scope of common goals and interests with Russia in this sphere," he stressed. Venezuela's vice president is also due to visit Moscow in September.

Chaderton emphasized that Moscow and Caracas "have every reason to look into the future considering the commonality of interests." "This is my third visit to Russia, and I would like to plan the fourth, the fifth and even the sixth today," Chaderton joked.

ALEXANDRA OLSON, Associated Press Writer Thursday, May 15, 2003
(05-15) 17:08 PDT CARACAS, Venezuela (<a href=www.sfgate.com>AP) --

Venezuela on Thursday accused the American ambassador of acting "irresponsibly" by hosting a conference on press freedoms during which foes of Hugo Chavez made fun of the president.

Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said Venezuela would not allow the incident to further damage already rocky relations with the United States.

Ambassador Charles Shapiro hosted a gathering of Venezuelan journalism associations and unions at his residence Tuesday.

At the meeting, Shapiro expressed concern about "deteriorating press freedoms" in Venezuela, citing unpunished attacks on dozens of journalists last year. Also during the meeting, a humorist disguised as a prominent anti-Chavez journalist held up a puppet of Chavez and ridiculed the president.

"What is the purpose of putting on this show? Offend the government? Offend the president? I think it's the Venezuelan people who were offended," Rangel said.

Rangel said Venezuela would consider the event an act of "personal irresponsibility" on Shapiro's part. But he urged the United States to explain Shapiro's behavior, saying Venezuela couldn't dismiss the possibility that Washington was deliberately trying to provoke Chavez's government.

In a statement released Thursday, the U.S. embassy said it "regretted that some people felt offended" by the event.

The humorist's presentation "seemed to us in bad taste because of its political content," the statement said. "The embassy does not know in advance nor does it censure what its guests are going to say, whether it's an invited speaker or humorist."

"The words of Ambassador Shapiro, and no one else's, express the point of view of the United States embassy," it added.

Relations between the United States and Venezuela have often been tense during Chavez's four-year government.

In 2001, the Venezuelan leader criticized civilian casualties in the U.S.-led attack on Afghanistan. The leftist former paratrooper has irked Washington by strengthening ties with Cuba and Libya. In 2000, he became the first head of state to visit then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein after the 1991 Gulf War.

Relations also suffered after the United States initially blamed Chavez for his own downfall during an April 2002 coup that briefly ousted the Venezuelan president from office. Washington belatedly condemned the coup.

The United States is also uncomfortable with Chavez's criticism of the U.S.-led efforts to establish a free trade zone stretching from Alaska to the southern tip of South America.

Thu May 15, 2003 08:04 PM ET By Pascal Fletcher

CARACAS, Venezuela (<a href=reuters.com>Reuters) - Venezuela's government on Thursday sharply criticized U.S. Ambassador Charles Shapiro for hosting an event at his official Caracas residence during which an impersonator used a puppet to ridicule President Hugo Chavez.

Senior Venezuelan officials heaped criticism on the ambassador, calling him irresponsible. But they made clear they did not want the incident to affect ties with Washington.

The U.S. embassy issued a statement saying "We regret if anyone felt offended." But it added the ambassador could not be held responsible for what any of his guests had said or done.

Venezuela, the world's No. 5 petroleum exporter, is a leading supplier of oil to the United States.

Relations between the Bush administration and the government of left-winger Chavez have been strained on several occasions in the past and the Venezuelan leader has fiercely criticized U.S. policies such as the invasion of Iraq.

Some members of Chavez's government have accused the United States of supporting a coup that briefly toppled the Venezuelan president last year but Washington has repeatedly denied this.

"What we have here is an irresponsible U.S. ambassador," Venezuelan Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel told a news conference. In a sharp public rebuke of the U.S. envoy, he said the incident could be interpreted as "a provocation."

"WITCHES' SABBATH"

Shapiro hosted an event at his residence on Tuesday marking International Press Freedom Day during which he expressed concern over what he said were growing threats against press freedom in Venezuela.

The event was broadcast on local television and was attended by several anti-Chavez media personalities. It ended with the appearance of a male comedian dressed as a Venezuelan female media broadcaster and carrying a large puppet wearing a red beret representing the Venezuelan president.

"As a citizen and diplomat, I am surprised and horrified by this media witches' sabbath held at the home (of the ambassador) of a friendly country in Caracas," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Roy Chaderton said in a statement from Russia, where he was visiting.

The U.S. embassy statement said: "Part of the (comedian's) presentation seemed in bad taste to us because of its political content." But it stressed that the ambassador in his speech had spoken about the importance of press freedom in a democracy.

Foes of Chavez accuse him of ruling like a dictator and of trying to install Cuba-style communism, including seeking to restrict freedom of expression by media hostile to him.

Pro-government deputies at the National Assembly drafted a motion calling on the ambassador to make a public apology for what they called his "unfriendly action."

Since being elected in 1998, former paratrooper Chavez has irritated the United States by strengthening Venezuela's relations with states viewed as hostile by Washington, such as communist Cuba, Iran, Libya and Iraq, and by condemning the U.S. military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.