MEDIA REACTION - VENEZUELA, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 002515 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL VE CI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - VENEZUELA, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ¶1. On September 5, conservative, independent "La Tercera" (circ. 101,000) ran an editorial entitled "Latin America and the Election in Venezuela." Quote: "The Venezuelan election concludes a year of elections -- ten -- in Latin America, all of them in a context marked clearly by two axis, a dichotomy largely the product of Chavez' foreign policy.... The Venezuelan President has actively tried to project his 'Bolivarian revolution' to the region...but judging from the results in several elections, this goal has not had the strength or scopes that Chavez or his opponents expected.... Chavez has had less success finding acceptance for his ideas. For example, in Peru, the former nationalist candidate that strongly identified with Chavez discovered the affiliation hurt his chances.... In Mexico, the candidate supported by Chavez also lost.... In Ecuador and Nicaragua, both leftists, the candidates initially were close to Chavez, but the Ecuadorian stepped back in the final stage of the campaign and improved his standing in the polls.... In sum, the region does not seem to be moving in the direction that Chavez hopes it would.... His victory is the expression of the will of a majority of Venezuelans. However, we would hope to find greater harmony with what appears to be the dominant sentiment in the region, and that is a rejection of confrontational speeches and old-time anti-Americanism. Both of these elements distract from the task of finding ways to come out of underdevelopment and to integrate Latin America in the phenomenon of globalization." ¶2. On December 5, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El Mercurio" (circ. 129,000) ran an editorial entitled "Chavez Reelected." Quote: "The repercussions of his (Chavez') reelection go beyond Venezuela's borders. His plans are to continue promoting his set of ideas in the continent and have shown no limits or respect for the sovereignty of other states.... The Venezuelan President has gained influence in South America, and the region has moved farther away from the Untied States, which by the way has been focusing its priorities in other continents for some time. But there also has been the emergence of an organized opposition to Chavez and greater concern in the international community with the course of democracy in Venezuela." KELLY