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