MEDIA REACTION -LUCIA PINOCHET

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000211

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA STATE
FORL/WHA, DRL, S/P

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PHUM PREL KJUS CI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION -LUCIA PINOCHET


1. On January 28-31 Santiago dailies had extensive coverage of Lucia
Pinochet's decision to withdraw her request for political asylum in
the United States. A significant part of that coverage focused on
describing the Arlington detention center in which Pinochet was
detained and highlighting that she received no special treatment.
Dailies also inferred that the reason for Pinochet's decision to
withdraw her request was precisely being treated as a "common
prisoner." The description of the center and treatment did not cast
the U.S. in a negative light. Only "La Tercera" (1/29) gave a
different angle by stating that the decision to revoke Lucia
Pinochet's visa had been a USG "political decision." January 31
dailies quote Lucia Pinochet's friend Giorgio Agostini saying that
Pinochet's asylum request stemmed from a suggestion by U.S.
immigration officials. There has been no editorial comment.


2. January 28, conservative, influential "El Mercurio" (circ.
116,807): After a two-day detention in U.S. territory, Lucia
Pinochet withdrew her request for political asylum.... In the
afternoon, Pinochet was transferred from an Arlington detention
center to testify before a Federal court judge. According to wire
stories, she was handcuffed.

Conservative, influential "El Mercurio" (circ. 116,807): General
Pinochet's eldest child was not granted special privileges in the
Arlington Detention Center.

January 29, conservative, influential "El Mercurio" (circ. 116,807):
The U.S. decision to revoke Lucia Pinochet's visa will complicate
her future entry into the U.S.--one of her favorite destinations and
a place in which she has commercial interests.


3. On January 28, conservative, independent "La Tercera" (circ.
102,000): Lucia Pinochet decides to return after a two-day stay in
an Arlington prison, where she slept in a five-square-meter cell and
was placed with other inmates.

Conservative, independent "La Tercera" (circ. 102,000): During her
stay at the Arlington Detention Center, a model prison, Lucia
Pinochet received the same treatment as other inmates. Upon
arriving to the center, she was medically examined and given prison
garb.

On January 29, conservative, independent "La Tercera" (circ.
102,000): Lucia Pinochet said her stay in the Arlington prison had
been a "nightmare." She had had to use the same uniform as other
inmates and was handcuffed when transferred to the immigration
court.

Conservative, independent "La Tercera" (circ. 102,000): Upon
arriving in the United States, Lucia Pinochet learned from Homeland
Security agents that her visa had been revoked and she could not
enter the U.S. This was a political decision of the Bush
administration. A day and several contacts with U.S Ambassador
Craig Kelly had to transpire for the government of Chile to
understand that Lucia Pinochet's asylum petition must be resolved in
accordance with U.S immigration law, placing the problem in the
judicial arena.


4. On January 30, conservative, afternoon "La Segunda" (circ.
31,834); conservative, independent "La Tercera" (circ. 102,000;
1/31); leading-popular "Las Ultimas Noticias" (circ. 136,377; 1/31):
Psychologist Giorgio Agostini visited Lucia Pinochet before she was
freed on bail. Agostini, a close friend of Pinochet's, said she
claimed U.S. immigration officials had suggested her asylum request.



5. On January 31, all dailies: Lucia Pinochet was freed after paying
a USD 6,000 bail. Pinochet was notified of the charges against her
during her detention in the military's Infantry School.

KELLY