Reich rejects calls for apology - U.S. criticized for its handling of Chavez crisis

Miami Herald ^ | April 23, 2002 | TIM JOHNSON tjohnson@krwashington.com

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON - Otto Reich, the top Bush administration official for Latin America affairs, on Monday sharply rejected suggestions that Washington should apologize for its handling of the Venezuelan crisis, despite continuing criticism from a variety of sources.

''Apologies for what?'' asked Reich, the assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere. ``If it's shown we made a mistake, I'll apologize.''

Reich, a former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela who now ranks as the senior U.S. diplomat to the Americas, said the Bush administration's categorical April 12 statement that President Hugo Chávez had resigned Venezuela's presidency ``reflected the best information that we had at the time.''

''What we have here is typical Monday morning quarterbacking by people who are ill-informed,'' Reich said in a telephone interview in which he offered some details of his own actions during the two days that Chávez was ousted and until his return April 14. ``I pay absolutely no attention to people who say that we didn't respect democracy.''

Reich, a Cuban-born political appointee of President Bush, was perhaps the lead figure among a handful of key advisors who managed the crisis for the White House. Key Democratic senators suggest the handling was inept. Reich's most prominent critic, Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, complained last week that he needs ``adult supervision.''

`FORSAKING STAND'

The tenor of complaints, which have ricocheted around the hemisphere, suggests that the Bush administration forsook a principled stand on democracy in order to see the fall of Chávez, a populist who is friendly with Cuban leader Fidel Castro, in a nation that is a key supplier of crude oil to U.S. consumers.

''It's very negative for American foreign policy,'' said Howard Wiarda, a senior scholar on Latin America at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington. ``Mr. Chávez is now back in power knowing full well a lot of the details about how the U.S. operated against him. I assume he has a long memory and a sharp knife.''

FREQUENT MEETINGS

For weeks, beginning in late January, Reich met with a wide range of Venezuelan politicians, business owners, journalists and diplomats, a State Department official said.

A partial list includes both pro- and anti-Chávez labor leaders; Luis E. Giusti, a former head of the state oil company; Democratic Action party politicians; Caracas Mayor Alfredo Peña, a former Chávez acolyte-turned-opponent; El Universal newspaper publisher Andrés Mata; and pro-Chávez members of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party.

Reich and other senior officials adamantly say no one ever gave a thumbs-up to any Venezuelan for toppling Chávez through illegal means.

The crisis boiled over on April 12, when Reich and several other senior officials collaborated on a statement that State Department spokesman Philip Reeker issued about noon. The statement blamed the Chávez government for ordering the armed forces to fire on tens of thousands of peaceful civilian protesters outside the presidential palace a day earlier. It also condemned the government for shutting down TV stations.

''The results of these provocations are: Chávez resigned the presidency. Before resigning, he dismissed the vice president and the Cabinet. A transition civilian government has promised early elections,'' the Reeker statement read.

At the White House, spokesman Ari Fleischer issued similar remarks that seemed to offer no remorse at Chávez's apparent ouster.

Reich said the State Department heard from multiple sources that Chávez had resigned, a charge that Chávez later rejected, saying he was coerced and put under arrest.

Reich, asked if he later regretted the statement, said: ``No! Exclamation mark!''

Later, he backpedaled slightly, saying the statement might have seemed ''categorical,'' but that the information obtained by the State Department warranted it.

''Look, we're not perfect,'' he said.

During Friday and Saturday, Reich said he spoke with a variety of contacts in Venezuela, the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuelan friends in the United States, and twice with Gustavo Cisneros, a powerful Venezuelan media tycoon with interests around the hemisphere and deep knowledge of the political players in his nation. He said he never spoke with Pedro Carmona, the businessman tapped as head of the civil-military regime.

`TIES NOT BROKEN'

Reich said the U.S. government never formally recognized the interim regime, a step that he claimed the Rio Group, an alliance of Latin and Caribbean nations, virtually took by demanding that Carmona call speedy elections. He said Washington has little to do to repair the relationship with Venezuela.

''How does the Bush administration put the relationship back on track? It's already back on track. We didn't break the relationship,'' Reich said.

Reich said he met with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Luis Dávila last Friday and that the ''the lines of communication'' are open, he said.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The tenor of complaints, which have ricocheted around the hemisphere, suggests that the Bush administration forsook a principled stand on democracy in order to see the fall of Chávez, a populist who is friendly with Cuban leader Fidel Castro, in a nation that is a key supplier of crude oil to U.S. consumers.

No, the media is confused - or purposely misleading - for months, Bush and his administration have been very vocal about Hugo Chavez's understanding of democracy. If the media hasn't been paying attention - or don't care - Hugo Chavez has started governing by decree. Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

[Coop]

Key Democratic senators suggest the handling was inept. Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, complained last week that he needs ``adult supervision.''

Gee. Wonder how these "key Dems" felt about Reich during his confirmation hearing?

[miamimark]

President refuses

to OK extradition

SANTO DOMINGO · The Dominican president said he would not authorize the extradition request for former Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Peréz, who is wanted in his home country on corruption charges.

"I will not sign that extradition [request]. The Dominican Republic owes gratitude to Carlos Andrés Peréz, who has been just to the Dominican Republic," President Hipólito Mejía said Sunday in a television interview.

Under Dominican law, the president has final say on who is extradited.

Venezuela petitioned the United States and Dominican Republic for the extradition of Peréz and his wife, Cecilia Matos, who are accused in Venezuela of corruption and illegal enrichment.

Peréz, who has a home in both countries, has been in the United States since January. Venezuelan prosecutors have charged Peréz and his wife with failing to disclose five joint bank accounts in New York while Peréz was president from 1989 to 1993.

Peréz, who was impeached in 1993 on other corruption charges, has denied the current allegations.

[monday]

"Reich's most prominent critic, Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, complained last week that he needs ``adult supervision.''

Christoper Dodd is a communist, what else would you expect?

[=Intervention=]

If there's anyone who needs adult supervision it's the porkers and the America-haters like Mr. Dodd.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Gee. Wonder how these "key Dems" felt about Reich during his confirmation hearing?

Dodd blocked any chance of Reich having a hearing, just kept smearing him.
As a nominee, Reich couldn't respond. Bush finally gave Reich a Christmas recess appt.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Venezuela petitioned the United States and Dominican Republic for the extradition of Peréz and his wife, Cecilia Matos, who are accused in Venezuela of corruption and illegal enrichment.

Chavez would like to get his hands on Perez, wouldn't he?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Christoper Dodd is a communist, what else would you expect?

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

America-haters like Mr. Dodd.

Christopher I-never-met-a-commie-I-didn't-love Dodd.

[miamimark]

Newsweek slanderous, says Cisneros exec - 2002-04-23 - South Florida Business Journal

South Florida Business Journal -- Broward Edition - April 23, 2002
http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2002/04/22/daily26.html

 
10:26 EDT Tuesday 

Newsweek slanderous, says Cisneros exec

A top executive of Miami's privately held media conglomerate, the Cisneros Group of Companies, has come out swinging against a Newsweek article claiming Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gustavo A. Cisneros played a role in an attempted coup d'etat against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Steven Bandel, company president and chief operating officer, called the Newsweek statements false, slanderous and damaging. According to the company, an article titled "Venezuela: The Coup Failed And The Fallout Goes On," said Cisneros acted as the vortex of the failed coup.

"The Cisneros Group has submitted a letter requesting that Newsweek immediately retract the accusations, which we consider slanderous," said Bandel.

Bandel, who called the article inaccurate and slanderous, said the company intended to take additional action to defend the reputation and honor of the company chairman and chief executive officer.

Newsweek has not yet issued a statement in response to Bandel's allegations.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Apparently Newsweek didn't supply any back up information for their theories. I guess they're following Lyndon Johnson's lead...."Hell, I know he's not guilty, I just wanted to hear him deny it!"

[olliemb]

Senator Dodd refused to consider Mr. REich and that is why he was a recess appointment. Dodd hates Reich b/c of ?? something that happened during BUsh I administration. Talking about adult supervision--sounds like Mr. Dodd needs to sit in the corner--"nanabubu, adult supervision is necessary" whined Senator Dodd.