MEDIA REACTION; VENEZUELAN REFERENDUM; AFTERMATH OF

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002295 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; VENEZUELAN REFERENDUM; AFTERMATH OF ANNAPOLIS PEACE CONFERENCE; 12/04/07 ¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT Today's leading international stories are focused on implications of Venezuelan Hugo Chavez's defeat last Sunday; and steps to build the 'peace construct' in the Middle East based on the Annapolis final declaration. ¶2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS - "Chavez in his labyrinth" Ricardo Roa, deputy general editor of leading "Clarin," writes (12/04) "When Chavez said that voting 'Yes' was voting for him and that voting 'No' meant voting against him, this was likely an exaggerated statement from someone who is prone to exaggeration... "According to this interpretation, the majority who rejected the constitutional amendment for indefinite re-election voted against Chavez. And if this time Venezuela had elected its president, Chavez should have had to leave power. "Neither of the two things is true - what has just happened is that Venezuelans set a limit on their president's domestic ambitions and put an end to the myth of his invincibility. It was a punishment against his personal project rather than against his management, which although deficient in many regards has improved the economic and social conditions of all... "What is apparent is that his permanent confrontational strategy and radicalized discourse did not work this time, both domestically and overseas - he has always confronted the US and in recent times he has argued with Brazilian lawmakers (whom he called 'Washington puppets,'),Zapatero and the King of Spain as well as with President Uribe... "Chavez only partially admitted his defeat - he promised to insist on the amendment without any changes whatsoever. He either says this not to lose power in his remaining four years of government or it is another of his exaggerated statements, which have started to become dangerous particularly for him." - "Venezuela said no" Daily-of-record "La Nacion" editorializes (12/04) "In fact, Hugo Chavez was defeated. He did not lose the presidency or an ordinary election but the referendum for a constitutional amendment, which was going to strengthen him even more... "The tight outcome of the referendum, in which a little over half of voters said no to Chavez's ambition of indefinite re-election and to the establishment of an economy based on 'socialist principles'... "The fact that Chavez has found an obstacle to his ambitions in his own country is healthy both for Venezuelan and Latin American democracy and institutions... "Through the referendum, the Venezuelan people... conveyed a sign of surfeit..." - "Washington does not hide its satisfaction vis-`-vis (Chavez's) defeat" Hugo Alconada Mon, daily-of-record "La Nacion's" Washington-based correspondent, writes (12/04) "With a smile she did not want and was not able to hide, Dana Perino, the White House's spokesperson welcomed yesterday the news of Venezuelan Hugo Chavez's defeat... "During her usual daily press conference, a smiling Perino said 'I think this result is a good omen for Venezuelan freedom.' Venezuelans have expressed their opinion, have voted against the reforms proposed by Chavez, and I believe this is a good sign for democracy.' "Perino, as well as other well-known voices in this capital city, considered the election as a challenge to oppression in Venezuela. Gordon Johndroe, National Security spokesperson, termed the 'No' triumph as a sign that 'the Venezuelan people want to continue living in freedom and democracy.'" - "Steps to build peace and confidence" Business-financial "El Cronista" carries an opinion piece by Agustin Romero, international analyst, who writes (12/04) "The Annapolis conference between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority ended with a final declaration that marked the beginning of a negotiating process. This month talks will kick off aimed at finally creating an independent Palestinian State before 2009. "The Annapolis conference had an undeclared double goal. One, getting out of the status quo in which Palestinians and Israelis were merged... Second, strengthening the weakened leaders that were harassed by their own domestic troubles... "The conference had two major achievements. On the one hand, the attendance of 49 delegations, including the 12 Arab nations that do not recognize Israel (such as Syria, which is formally still at war with Israel, and Saudi Arabia, which had never agreed to negotiate with the Jewish State. However, the most striking thing among attendees is that for the first time in history, international institutions like the WB, the IMF, the UN and the Arab League attended the conference. On the other hand, the conference made patent that, for now, the international community does not want to hold talks with Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. "Major challenges are: getting to know whether there is real willingness to achieve peace in the region or the parties just sought some international 'oxygen' as well as international credit in Annapolis; how the weakened leaders will manage to wage in parallel with domestic and foreign enemies; whether the 2008 agreement will definitely put an end to the Arab/Palestinian conflict or whether they should first deal with the creation of a Palestinian State and leave the remaining controversies for the future. "Perhaps, the formula to solve the sensitive and complicated issue of the Palestinian refugees could well be (acknowledging) the refugees' right to return... as long as Israel is the Jews' national homeland and the Palestinian territories (the future State of West Bank and Gaza) is the Palestinians' national homeland." To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires KELLY