MEDIA REACTION - PRESIDENT BUSH'S TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000384 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, WHA/EPSC STATE FOR INR/IAA, PM, INL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC CI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - PRESIDENT BUSH'S TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA On March 7, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El Mercurio" (circ. 129,000) ran an editorial entitled "Chavez, Bush, and Latin America." Quotes: "The scenario of a (Hugo) Chavez with no counterweight seems to be changing. In the recent summit in Guyana and in the absence of Chavez, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Chile resolved to strengthen the Rio Group to focus it on the hemisphere's social agenda. "The initiative can be viewed with skepticism...but does show a decrease in rhetoric.... Another positive change...is President Bush's trip to the region. This is a sign of good will, but many believe it entails few important cooperation proposals and there is the issue of distrust over U.S. interventionism in the continent's political affairs, which has not disappeared. But Bush's initiative to develop alternative fuels...and educational programs are of great interest to countries such as Chile, which do not aspire to gaining financial assistance.... Those governments that represent their people and value their political and economic freedom must unite and assess what is realistically more appropriate for the region in the longer term and react by clearly moving away from Chavez.... At the same time the United States must launch a modern and comprehensive cooperation program to regain its leadership and show that it has renounced interventionism, is lifting barriers to agricultural products, and will reform an immigration policy that hurts millions in the continent." KELLY