MEDIA REACTION - VENEZUELA'S UNSC CANDIDACY

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001391 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA AMEMBASSY FOR PAO, IO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO CI VE SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - VENEZUELA'S UNSC CANDIDACY ¶1. On June 29, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El Mercurio" (circ. 116,807) carried a column by international commentator Karin Ebensperger entitled, "Abuse of Power." ¶2. "Chile must not support Venezuela's bid for the UNSC. The Council's role is to uphold world peace. Hugo Chavez, far from contributing to peace in his own region, has created tensions by using his enormous petroleum revenues to intervene in others' electoral processes.... This is not about stigmatizing Chavez for looking for a different model with which to govern his country. It is about asking ourselves if Venezuela, ruled by Chavez, would contribute to world peace. Chavez has shown an enormous ambition to influence the region and no vocation to respect the sovereignty of others. International law and the United Nations have been created to limit power to prevent the trampling of weak nations by stronger ones. That is what Chavez fails to realize: that by interfering in other countries he is...abusing power. The rationale behind international law and international organizations is the avoidance of the proliferation of those of Chavez' ilk worldwide.... The prestige in which Chile is held for upholding international law is an achievement of all its governments throughout history, which is why supporting Venezuela for the Security Council does not fit." KELLY