Venezuelan intelligence agencies are treating Jews as potential spies for the United States and Israel. It seems the death of anti-Semite Hugo Chavez did little to improve the fortunes of Venezuelan Jews.
The deterioration of the economic situation, rise in crime and lack of personal security following the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on March 5 have led many to fear an outbreak of violent anti-Semitic acts directed by the government to use Jews as scapegoats.
Among the leaked documents from SEBIN, the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service of Venezuela, some of which are marked “secret,” are recommendations to establish − in addition to the official spying activity − “a network of informers and collaborators” from among “the patriotic loyal citizens,” who will provide ongoing information on memes of the Jewish community and their activities. Such agents will receive, if they excel at their jobs, the title of “honorary officers” of the secret service.
Another document, from the counterintelligence branch bearing the title “Events of Rosh Hashanah 2010 of the Jewish Community,” contains the recommendation: “According to the instructions of the branch head and by presenting the matter as part of our need to provide security for synagogues with these addresses ... The participants should be documented and filmed for the purposes of the branch.”