REAGAN TO NAME CONTROVERSIAL OFFICIAL FOR VENEZUELA POST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000201080034-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 34
• Publication Date: January 16, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP90-00965R000201080034-7
MIAMI HERALD
mi .~_Mr S~
16 January 1986
Reagan to name controversial of f icia or
Venezuela post Mound the Americas
Reich.
Reich says the efforts have improved the perception
there of the administration's Central America policy.
By ALFONSO CHARDY While Reich's efforts have helped administration
Herald Washington Bureau policies, they have also drawn fire from White Huse
WASHINGTON - President critics, some of whom reportedly urged the
Reagan said Wednesday he would Venezuelan government earlier this year to reject
nominate Otto J. Reich, the State , Reich.
Department's coordinator of public ? In May, the first reports surfaced in Washington
diplomacy for Latin America and that the White House was eyeing Reich for the
the Caribbean, as U.S. ambassador ambassadorship in Caracas to replace George Landau,
to Venezuela. who retired from the Foreign Service July 1.
The announcement came after U.S. liberals immediately announced their Inten-
months of speculation amid re- tion to derail the Reich nomination, saying the
ports that Venezuela had rejected appointment signaled that Washington would pres-
the appointment. sure Venezuela to cooperate more actively with U.S.
At the center of Venezuelan policy against Nicaragua.
concerns is Reich's leadership of a In August, a leading Caracas newspaper, El
controversial government program Universal
quoted unidentified Forei
Mi
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designed to undermine support for the Nicaraguan sources as saying the Venezuelan government of
government. Venezuela is one of four countries President Jaime Lusinchi had notified the State
involved in the Contadora peace process aimed at Department of its "disagreement" with Reagan's
easing, tensions between the United States and choice.
Nicaragua. U.S. officials deny that Caracas opposed Reich's
At a recent farewell party for Reich, friends and nomination, but they acknowledged that Venezuelan
co-workers gave him a~ T-shirt that proclaimed him officials did make "inquiries" about Reich.
"Propaganda Minister." While meant as a joke, it
aptly characterized the task that the Cuban-born "After close consultations with the Venezuelan
1 government, all their concerns were cleared up and
Reich, 40, has been performing over the last 2/z they will receive (Reich] as ambassador," one U.S.
years. official said.
Reich, whose nomination must still be approved "It's a tremendous honor to represent the United
by the U.S. Senate, says his job has been fourfold: to States anywhere, but especially in one of the leading
educate the American public about a policy they often democracies in the hemisphere," Reich said of the
find bewildering; to emphasize the best of that policy; nomination. "I'm looking forward to going to
and to muster support for it and counter public Venezuela. It's a country that shows that there is
relations efforts by the Sandinistas, the Salvadoran hope for democracy and self-determination in the
rebels and American liberals. developing world."
To carry out the iob, Reich's 20-member staff For Reich, who arrived as a refugee from Cuba 25
often selective yl decl~fies - some say leaks - years ago with $5 in his pocket, the ambassadorship
intelligence information about the Sandinistas or the is a high point of his public service career.
Salvadoran rebels that tends to support U.S, claims From 1975 to 1976, he served as Miami's
that they pose a threat to .ecurlty. community development coordinator. Then he moved
In a recent interview, Reich said his program was to Washington to head an office for the Council of the
a success. He said recent public opinion polls showed Americas, a group representing multinational corpo-
increased support among Americans for Reagan's rations with business interests in the hemisphere.
policies. He backed Reagan's campaign in 1980. And, in
Besides disseminating information in the United 1981, Reich was named deputy director for Latin
States, Reich frequently has traveled to Western America at the State Department's Agency for
Europe to brief government officials and reporters. International Development. In 1982 he was given
ambassadorial rank to become coordinator of the
public diplomacy bureau.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP90-00965R000201080034-7