MEDIA REACTION - CHAVEZ'S SOCIALIST REVOLUTION

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000130

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 - CHAVEZ'S SOCIALIST REVOLUTION


1. On January 22, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El
Mercurio" (circ. 129,000) ran an editorial entitled "Risks in
Bolivia." Quote:

"Morales' means of advancing his controversial electoral promises
are preventing him from capitalizing on the auspicious conditions
under which he assumed office.... The international community is
starting to get worried about Bolivia's precariousness and
repercussions [of that instability] across its borders...(those
developments and) its growing dependence on the Venezuelan
government...are of some concern to our country...."


2. On January 20, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El
Mercurio" (circ. 129,000) ran an opinion column by former Foreign
Minister and Ambassador Hernan Felipe Errazuriz entitled "It Is What
It Is." Quote:

"Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, Rafael Correa and Daniel Ortega seek to
establish 'Twenty-First Century Socialism'.... With the neighboring
'socialisms', confusion and risks are increasing.... We should not
be concerned by (Evo) Morales and (Chilean Foreign Minister
Alejandro Foxley's) jogging and Chavez' stroking the President.
Those are the tricks of the trade. What should be a matter of
concern is that our foreign policy could be mistakenly confused with
that of an uncertain and retrograde Latin America."

KELLY