Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SANSALVADOR3002
2005-11-04 19:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy San Salvador
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION, OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 3: Millennium

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SAN SALVADOR 003002

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, WHA/CEN, WHA/PDA, R
AMEMBASSIES FOR PAS, POL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR ES KPAO MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION, OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 3: Millennium
Challenge Account, Valerie Plame Affair, Venezuela, Summit
of the Americas


"Governance and the Millennium Challenge Account"

On Sunday, October 30, former Salvadoran Ambassador to
Washington Ernesto Rivas Gallont wrote in moderate La Prensa
Grfica (circ. 110,000):

"November 8, 2005 is an important date for El Salvador. [.]
If the board of directors of the Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) finds El Salvador eligible to receive aid,
then our government will present the MCC with a proposal for
specific programs.

There are three selection criteria for the MCC: Ruling
justly, encouraging economic freedom and investing in
people. In the graphs published by the MCC [.] El Salvador
approves some indicators and flunks others.

This novel program of external aid is an initiative for the
less fortunate countries within the sphere of U.S. influence
to implement constructive reforms. [.] It aspires to provide
hope and opportunities to those who need it the most, but
only after their governments prove that their policies and
institutions can really stimulate sustainable economic
growth."


"Teetering in the White House and its repercussions"

On Monday, October 31, moderate El Mundo's (circ. 40,000)
main editorial read:

"Vice President Cheney's Chief of Staff Lewis `Scooter'
Libby was forced to resign when he faced an investigation by
Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald [.] which makes us
suspect that big dark clouds are hanging over the future of
the Bush Administration, which is already going through many
problems that are whipping his second term with greater
strength than the recent hurricanes."


"Hugo Chavez is an animal who keeps tripping over the same
stone"

On Wednesday, November 2, columnist Ivo Priamo Alvarenga
wrote on moderate La Prensa Grfica (circ. 110,000):

"(Tripping over the same stone) That is what Hugo Chavez is
doing. [.] It's obvious in his agrarian reform.[.] The bad
thing is although other democratic, rational, and within-
reach solutions exist, Chavez reverts to expropriation and
subsidies supported by the State. Exactly the same thing was
done in the 60s, 70s, even the 80s: wasting billions of
dollars without "releasing" the farmers, nor providing
agriculture with justice, production or productivity.

His wish of turning Venezuela into another Cuba and, like
Castro, staying in power the next 45 years, happens through
eliminating the half of the population that opposes him.
According to Chvez, the Cuban people live in a "sea of
happiness". In fact, half the Cubans have looked for
r
happiness at sea. That is its aim for half of Venezuela --
to send to into exile or to jail."


"Hard-to-reach regional understanding"

On Thursday, November 3, the main editorial in moderate La
Prensa Grfica (circ. 110,000) read:

"The world of the present and the future is the world of
great trade blocks. The market takes the place of the
ideologies; but politics and ideology remain there, almost
always as obstacles, until the new international order, so
necessary and so evasive, becomes real and effective.

Provided the necessary guarantees, free trade suits
everyone. Market intervention comes from the powerful
interests (that see) the mess as always more profitable.
Also, lately, the political map in Latin America is changing
with a resurgence of the left, and you can hardly ever tell
where it's going.

That is the atmosphere in which the Summit of the Americas
will be held. And the FTAA initiative, led by the United
States, seems to be the scapegoat. The fight between the
United States and Venezuela, that carries much drama,
strains the mood in all these meetings. Meanwhile, the
problems are there, waiting for viable and responsible ideas
and solutions.
In addition there is the load of historical distortions that
paradoxically have regained some strength, such as the Cuba
issue.
It is essential to inject more rationality to relations in
the hemisphere. The trend of the times is toward regional
globalization, and all the artificial delays are very
costly."

BARCLAY