MEDIA REACTION: BOLIVIA; IMMIGRATION

UNCLAS QUITO 002886 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, WHA, WHA/AND, WHA/PDA DIRONDCP FOR PA EMBASSIES FOR PAO/IO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL OPRC KIRC KPAO EC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: BOLIVIA; IMMIGRATION ¶1. "Evo or not Evo," a column (12/12) by Grace Jaramillo in Quito's leading centrist "El Comercio" (circ. 70,000) Quote: "Difficult, extreme dilemma. Bolivian democracy seemed to have been strengthened with the semi-parliamentary political scheme where no elected president could be sworn in without a guarantee of enough support to govern. This political reform seemed to be the most appropriate for the particular circumstances of political instability and regional divisions that have characterized Bolivia. . .Now, this visionary reform may have become a trap with unforeseeable consequences. "In this election, there is neither a middle position nor the possibility of bridging political positions that are so contradictory. . . Bolivia has crossed the threshold of democratic order, because for quite some its political class has failed to recognize the level of social inequity and marginalization. . . Such extreme marginalization has made Morales' reformist and anti-imperialistic rhetoric appealing for the poorest and has added to his followers. But it is not that simple, Evo does not have a clear plan to govern, his threat of nationalizing multinational companies is causing chills to the more moderate. . . Bolivia is walking on the edge of the abyss." ¶2. "Tear Down those Walls," an editorial (12/19) in Guayaquil's (and Ecuador's) leading center-right "El Universo" (circ. 140,000) Quote: "The WTO meeting in Hong Kong showed that industrialized nations desire for a world free of barriers for themselves, but with even higher walls for the rest. . . All European countries have toughened their legislations to make immigration from the Third World even more difficult and the US Congress just approved the building of a one thousand- kilometers long wall in various sections of its border with Mexico with the same goal . "Industrialized nations: tear down those new walls of shame!" ¶3. "The Third Wall," an editorial in Guayaquil's centrist "Expreso" (circ. 28,000) Quote: "Now the Congress of the US, the country that supports globalization, the one that places itself in the forefront of freedom for the people, the one that proclaims itself to be the example of internationalism, has just approved the President's plan to erect a "double wall" in some parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. . .The right wing in the US has celebrated [the proposal] with exaggerated enthusiasm - a dangerous attitude. . .Naturally, in Latin America there was a response of rejection towards the so-called law that criminalizes immigrants ." JEWELL