MEDIA REACTION ON THE VISIT OF SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002622 SIPDIS FOR WHA/PD (OHILTON),WHA/CEN (TKELLY),PA (CHAYDEN),PM, EFIN 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