MEDIA REACTION ON THE INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000510

SIPDIS

FOR WHA/PDA, WHA/PPC, WHA/CEN, AND INL/LP
FOR IIP/G/WHA AND IIP/T/ES
EMBASSIES FOR PAOS, IOS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP SNAR PREL KPAO HO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON THE INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL
STRATEGY REPORT (INCSR),MARCH 7, 2005



1. On 3/5, the Tegucigalpa-based moderate daily "El Heraldo"
carried a half-page article entitled "Commended in anti-drug
fight by U.S. report" with the subheading "Minister Oscar Alvarez
says these results have cost blood, sweat and tears." It also
ran a statement by Minister of Public Security Alvarez, "We
appreciate the State Department acknowledging the work we've
done, because we don't have the logistics or the financial
resources to engage in a face-to-face fight against drug
trafficking, whereas drug traffickers have access to an unlimited
quantity of money, and yet we've been successful."


2. The San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily "Tiempo" on 3/5 ran an
EFE story entitled "State Department: Drug shipments through
Honduras have continued at an `alarming rate'" with the
subheading "Despite that, they acknowledge the government has
accomplished `great seizures' of marijuana and other assets
linked to drug trafficking."

Palmer