CHAVEZ UNDER FIRE IN URUGUAY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 001001

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/BSC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR KPAO VE UY
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ UNDER FIRE IN URUGUAY

Classified By: Ambassador Frank Baxter, for reasons 1.4(b)
and (d)

Summary
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1. (C) SUMMARY: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been
a favorite subject of the media and political columnists in
Uruguay, who more often than not highlight his faults. This
was exemplified by a flurry of recent articles and editorials
that have cast Chavez in a negative light. Several articles,
editorials and op-eds in leading dailies have been very
critical of Chavez, as he moves to consolidate his power in
Venezuela. This discourse, combined with the popular
reaction to the Spanish King's public reprimand of Chavez -
popularized through political parodies on TV and in print and
a cacophony of cell phone ring tones - have beleaguered
Chavez' image in Uruguay, with some already commenting that
Chavez has begun to self-destruct. With this overwhelmingly
critical media coverage and negative public reaction to
Chavez's antics and anti-democratic moves, opinion-makers in
Latin America are beginning to make headway in changing the
public perception of Chavez. We believe that for the U.S. to
wade into the public discussion at this stage would be
counter-productive, as it would change the focus of this
homegrown anti-Chavez offensive into a U.S. vs. Chavez fight.
END SUMMARY.

Press Largely Critical of Chavez
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2. (SBU) In an editorial entitled "Totalitarian Reform,"
leading daily El Pais on November 5 called President Chavez'
constitutional reform a "grave attack on liberty and
democracy (against this) continent." A November 15 editorial
about the Chavez/King of Spain spat in Santiago called the
Venezuelan leader "the principal chatterbox of
banana-republic governance" and commented on how Latin
America's serious leaders were tired of receiving political
lectures from him. Finally, El Pais noted that the phrase
"why don't you just shut up" had been incorporated into the
political lexicon in Spain and Uruguay, thanks to Chavez.


3. (SBU) Coverage of Chavez in centrist "Ultimas Noticias"
showed the face of an angry President Chavez, plus articles
of rioting students in Caracas. The headlines read "Chavez
Threatens Spanish Investment," and "Chavez Accused of Arming
Groups to Silence (student) Protesters." Centrist El
Observador's headlines read "Chavez Attacks the King of
Spain," and called the Ibero-American Summit "The Conference
of Rudeness," owing to the Venezuelan leader's attacks on
former Spanish Prime Minister Aznar, rather than the King's
admonishment of Chavez. El Observador noted that Chavez's
behavior has isolated Venezuela internationally.


4. (SBU) Only the Communist newspaper "La Juventud" and the
leftist daily "La Republica" felt the need to defend Chavez
after the brouhaha in Santiago, with a string of editorials
denouncing Spain and its colonial role in Latin America. The
good news is that the USG was largely left out of the debate.
Other articles in these dailies draw on Fidel Castro's vocal
support for his Venezuelan ally.

Chavez Supporter Laments "Media Bias"
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5. (SBU) Even Chavez's friends have felt the need to come
to his defense from the lop-sided press coverage. Foreign
Minister Reinaldo Gargano, President of the Socialist Party
and a strong Chavez supporter, lamented the "lack of
democracy in recent media coverage" during a November 22
seminar sponsored by the Socialist Party. He opined that
"the media controls information about Venezuela -
information, which on account of the media being managed by
the (political) right, falsely characterizes Venezuela."

Comment: Not the Time to Pile On
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6. (C) COMMENT: As Gargano's statements demonstrate,
Chavez is not without supporters in Uruguay, but we are
pleased to observe a steady line of commentary and media
coverage that confronts head-on the myth of Chavez as
defender of the region's poor and a regional leader seeking
to unify Latin America. In general, we observe that more
Chavez press coverage means more negative coverage in the
centrist newspapers (which represent the majority of
readership) and a tougher spin job for the leftists. While
it may be tempting to wade into the public debate while
Chavez is on the defensive, that tactic would be likely more
harmful than good, akin to throwing him a lifeline. Chavez
and his ilk are renowned for their ability to twist any
criticism from the U.S. for their own propaganda. Piling on
at this time would be malapropos, at least in Uruguay.
Rather, Post is inclined to continue our efforts to
accentuate the positives of our relationship with Latin
America, and Uruguay in particular, and let the media, and
many opinion leaders, continue taking on Chavez on their own.
END COMMENT.
Baxter