MEDIA REACTION: BOLIVIA; QUITO

UNCLAS QUITO 002903

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; QUITO


1. "Latin American Trend," an editorial (12/20) in
Guayaquil's (and Ecuador's) leading center-right "El
Universo" (circ. 140,000)

Quote: "Ten years ago, Bolivia was showcased by the
IMF and the World Bank as the model, the recommended
recipe from the Washington Consensus. the Bolivians
radically transformed their economy, adapting it to
the neo-liberal model.The experiment worked. but only
for a while.

"Now let's return to the present.We don't know how
Bolivia's immediate future will unfold. We wish her
the best. But her example corroborates for us that
while the region has finally abandoned the free
market model, it doesn't yet know in which direction
to go, and considers at times proposals whose value
is not yet known."


2. "The Bolivian Surprise," an editorial (12/20) in
Quito's leading center-right "El Comercio" (circ.
70,000)

Quote: ".In the face of a radically changed
panorama, the analyses and predictions should focus
on the possibilities of governability by a regime
that was legitimately born by a great popular demand.
In this context, the extreme psychosis that
predominates in the State Department and the opinions
that are inscribed in the religion of rightist
ideology are just too much. Instead, we should be
focusing on the three basic challenges facing the
future Bolivian president: energy policy, foreign
relations, and the complex relationship with [the
province of] Santa Cruz de la Sierra ...

"With regard to foreign policy, the alliance with the
government of Venezuela, the elections in Peru, and
the institutional destiny of Ecuador will be the crux
that will outline the hard and firm attitude of the
U.S., which, thanks to the fact that we no longer
live in the era of the Cold War, shouldn't turn out
like the experience of Salvador Allende.

"Finally.the separatist or autonomist tendency in
regards to the province of Santa Cruz de la Sierra,
in extreme moments, will create a complex challenge
for this untested administration; it should be aware
of the distance that exists between the government
and the constant insurgency."

JEWELL