MEDIA REACTION ON THE VISIT OF SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002614

SIPDIS

FOR WHA/PD (OHILTON),WHA/CEN (TKELLY),PA (CHAYDEN),PM, AND INL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP PREL KPAO PGOV HO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON THE VISIT OF SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN
POWELL TO HONDURAS, NOVEMBER 4, 2003



1. Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" carried a front
page photo of the press event at Casa Presidencial featuring
Secretary Powell, President Maduro, the Honduran Minister of

SIPDIS
Foreign Affairs Leonidas Rosa Bautista and Ambassador Larry
Palmer with the headline "The U.S. does not commit itself to
donate helicopters". The paper carried two articles entitled "The
U.S. doesn't promise to donate helicopters" and "The U.S. will be
pleased to get any kind of help from Central America in Iraq".
It also included an editorial entitled "Powell".


2. Tegucigalpa-based conservative daily "El Heraldo" carried a
front page photo of Secretary Powell, President Maduro and
Ambassador Palmer with the headline "Powell expresses
appreciation for our presence in Iraq" with the subheading
"Announces funds of five billion dollars for poor countries", and
"Nicaragua doesn't agree to destroy all its missiles". The paper
also included a two-page report of the visit with the headlines
"Powell left our country pleased", "Maduro: Our troops will be in
Iraq as long as they're necessary", and "Powell: You should fight
corruption".


3. San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily "Tiempo" carried a front
page photo of Secretary Powell and President Maduro shaking hand
in Casa Presidencial with the headline "Maduro: We have a good
marriage with the U.S." with the subheadings "On the Honduran
request for helicopters to combat narcotrafficking, Powell said
that it's a complex issue and this kind of equipment is
expensive", and "The Popular Resistance disagrees with the visit
of Colin Powell". The paper included a two-page report of the
visit with the headlines "Maduro said to Powell: the Honduran
troops will remain in Iraq", and "Demonstrators called Powell a
fascist and a terrorist".


4. San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily "La Prensa" carried a front
page photo of Secretary Powell, President Maduro and Ambassador
Palmer with the headline "Powell didn't make a commitment" with
the subheading "He thanked Honduras for the sending of troops to
Iraq, but he didn't promise help to fight drug trafficking". The
paper included a full-page report entitled "Powell impressed, but
didn't promise aid".

Palmer