MEDIA REACTION - VENEZUELA GOVERNANCE, RELATIONS WITH THE

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000932 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 GOVERNANCE, RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. On May 4, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El Mercurio" (circ. 116,807) ran an editorial entitled, "Uncertainty in Latin America." Quotes: "Protected by his oil prosperity and as part of his rivalry with the United States, Hugo Chavez has tried to take a protagonist role in the region. His political and economic intervention has caused confrontations with successive governments, culminating in interference with Lima's and Bogota's commercial accords with Washington, and interference in Peru's electoral process, which has resulted in the withdrawal of Peru's ambassador to Caracas. Chavez seeks to expand his ideological axis in Peru...via Ollanta Humala's candidacy and has gained at least the neutrality of Presidents Lula and Kirchner through his association with Mercosur and by (offering) a secure gas supply.... Venezuela has also presented a challenging candidacy to the UN Security Council and Chavez makes attacks on U.S. President George Bush a pillar of his rhetoric. "It is necessary to wait for and work toward a drawing down and moderation of these processes. The situation should tend to stabilize. Chile's diplomacy must assist discreetly without taking inappropriate leading roles and must exert extreme caution in bilateral accords, its behavior in the Organization of American States or other regional entities and try to improve relations with each country individually." KELLY