Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BUENOSAIRES1156
2006-05-22 16:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION US IMMIGRATION BILL;

Tags:  KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0010
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1156/01 1421652
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221652Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4620
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001156 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC,
WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION US IMMIGRATION BILL;
VENEZUELA; MERCOSUR; IMF; ITALY 05/19/06

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001156

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC,
WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION US IMMIGRATION BILL;
VENEZUELA; MERCOSUR; IMF; ITALY 05/19/06


1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Today's leading international stories include US
President George W. Bush requesting additional funds
from the US Congress for the construction of fences
and temporary troop deployment on the US-Mexican
border; Venezuela's scam invasion of the US, intended
to train its military forces and community for a
supposed war with the US; the future of Mercosur; the
appointment of John Lipsky, VP, JP Morgan Bank, to
replace Anne Krueger at the IMF; and the implications
of the outcome of Italian elections.


2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES

- "Bush asks for more funds for the fence on the US-
Mexican border"

Conservative "La Prensa" reports (05/19) "Yesterday,
US President George W. Bush promoted his immigration
reform plan in Arizona and supported the construction
of fences in some parts of the US-Mexican border. For
this purpose, he asked for almost two additional
billion dollars from the US Congress. He is also
planning to use this money to temporarily deploy
National Guard troops.

"... Bush's trip coincided with an intense debate at
the US Senate to reach consensus about the most
ambitious immigration reform in the last twenty
years."

- "Venezuela's scam invasion of the US"

Business-financial "Ambito Financiero" reports (05/19)
"Hugo Chavez had at last the invasion he imagines day
after day. Of course, it was fictitious, only an
exercise to train Venezuelan military forces and
community for a supposed war with the US.

"... 4,000 Venezuelans, military and civilians,
participated in the operation called Patriotic Armed
Overall Defense Operation in the Paraguana peninsula,
two days after Caracas denounced Washington to be
preparing an attack against Venezuela."

- "Venezuela is mistrustful about the US"

Leading "Clarin" reports (05/19) "According to the
Venezuelan Ambassador to Washington, Bernardo Alvarez,
the US is politicizing issues such as the struggle
against drugs and terrorism as part of its actions
against Venezuela, all of which 'has already been
seen' in some other cases, and has led to a military
invasion.

"Alvarez pointed out that after a meeting with US
Assistant Secretary Thomas Shannon in March, which was
intended to pave the way for a fluent dialogue between
Caracas and Washington, the US has, instead, deepened
its campaign against Venezuela."

- "The 'little Davos' summit and the end of Mercosur"

Daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries an op-ed piece by
Juan Manuel Forn, VP, Board of Molinos Rio de la
Plata, who writes (05/19) "Just a few weeks ago, the
Latin American meeting of the World Economic Forum,
called 'the Little Davos summit', was held in Sao
Pablo.

"Businessmen of the region were able to listen to the
opinions of prestigious bankers and economists about
what is happening in the region and the world, as well
as those of important businessmen from other
countries... They discussed globalization and regional
integration or, rather, disintegration.

"... Mercosur seems to have passed directly from its
childhood to its old age in just a few years of
enforcement in between. This did not happen only due
to its own shortfalls but because the world has
changed at an unthinkable speed. Globalization turned
many regional blocs obsolete at least with their
current rules and configuration."

- "A banker will succeed Anne Krueger at the IMF top

brass"

Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading
"Clarin," comments (05/19) "With a declining prestige,
yesterday some new faces appeared at the IMF. IMF
Managing Director Rodrigo Rato named the successor of
'Iron Lady' Anne Krueger. It will be the current VP of
the JP Morgan Investment Bank and former IMF official,
John Lipsky.

"Rato also announced the creation of a committee that
will analyze how the IMF can do to win more money in
order to make up for the financial gap in its budget
caused by the advanced payment of the debts of Brazil,
Argentina and Uruguay..."


3. EDITORIALS

- "Italy's political renewal"

An editorial in leading "Clarin" reads (05/19) "The
presentation of the new Italian government, led by
Romano Prodi, and the election of Giorgio Napolitano
open a new stage in the Italian policy.

"... After more than one decade of right-wing
majorities..., the balance is inclined toward the left
wing. Both ideological trends are deeply rooted in the
Italian society and history.

"... The election of Giorgio Napolitano, a former
communist, as president of Italy summarizes this
historic evolution."

To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires

GUTIERREZ