WikiLeaks: Spain rebutted Chávez-FARC ties in 2009

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs mistrusted the work of Venezuelan NGOs and was reluctant to concede that the arms seized from Colombian guerrilla had come from Venezuela and that there was a relationship between Caracas and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), according to cables leaked by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks.

“While the diplomatic corps in Venezuela seemed concerned about a close relationship between President Hugo Chávez and the FARC, and the increasing signs of Chávez’s authoritarianism in Venezuela’s internal affairs, the kingdom of Spain looked the other way,” Semana added.

A WikiLeaks cable said that in May 2009, during the Europe Day celebration in Caracas “US Charge d’Affaires John Caulfield participated in talks about the implications of the draft International Cooperation Law, which restricted international financing of NGOs in Venezuela. The Belgian Ambassador said that he was concerned about the law and the anti-democratic nature of President Chávez’s government, and said that the European Union Mission was taking the lead in opening a dialogue with the Venezuelan National Assembly members regarding the negative impact of the bill.”

According to Semana, Spanish Ambassador Dámaso de Lario dismissed the legislation as a domestic issue, and asserted that many Venezuelan NGOs were “political.” He agreed to further study the bill and said he might be willing to quietly inform his opinion to the Venezuelan authorities.”