Santiago Oct. 27 Media Report

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001018 SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL SNAR EFIN CI SUBJECT: Santiago Oct. 27 Media Report Lead Story ¶1. After three months of negotiation, the Ministers of the Environment and Finance signed an agreement with the heads of the political alliances in Congress to speed up the project that creates a ministry and regulatory agency for the environment. Senator Pablo Longueira (USI) labeled the agreement "historical" in that it will guarantee improved environmental policies based on technical criteria (Conservative, influential El Mercurio, 10/27). U.S.-Related News ¶2. Ximena Hartsock, reappointed by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty parks and recreation acting director for the next six months: "I'll work as a volunteer if it (the council) withholds my salary" (Conservative, afternoon La Segunda, 10/26). Environment ¶3. International Energy Agency officials presented in Santiago last week the report, "Chile: Energy Review Policy 2009." The document highlights Chile's unique potential for developing renewable energy and encourages the government to continue diversifying fuels and suppliers to increase energy safety, complete long-term energy policies, and reorganize the energy sector. With regard to the latter, the report underscores the importance of creating an energy ministry and independent entities to control distribution centers to guarantee impartial decisions. It also emphasizes the need to convey private investors a clear message by setting a framework that assures that long-term investments are based on cost-benefit analysis (El Mercurio, 10/27). Indigenous Affairs ¶4. Seventeen-year old Mapuche community member Leonardo Esteban arrived to the hospital with a shotgun to his leg, accompanied by his attorney and mother. The police were looking for Leonardo for his presumed participation in burning two trucks in the Region of Araucania on October 20 with a group of hooded individuals and in the subsequent clashes with the police. Leonardo claims he was injured during a rabbit hunt (El Mercurio, 10/27). ¶5. Undersecretary of Interior Patricio Rosende admitted that the government is concerned over high-caliber ammunition found during police raids in the Region of Araucania over the weekend (El Mercurio, 10/27). ¶6. The Intendente (regional administrator) of the Bio Bio Region, Jaime Toha, is mediating between forestry Miminco, the National Indigenous Council, and indigenous communities that have illegally occupied land in Tirua, in the heart of the Mapuche conflict. The forestry company said it would only sell land if the government acquires the commitment that it will be used for productive activities and not just handed to Mapuche communities with an unspecified purpose (El Mercurio, 10/27). Uruguay ¶7. Editorial: "(Although) Mujica has a radical past, boasts about his humble origins, and shows a more leftist inclination, in his campaign he has tried to appear as more moderate.... The moderation that Uruguay's political sector as a whole has shown lately has clearly had an impact.... This would also explain in part the results of the two plebiscites held on Sunday in Uruguay.... Both results were a defeat for the far left and confirm that Uruguay's political axis ... is still largely anchored in the center" (El Mercurio, 10/27). ¶8. Editorial: "Beyond the final results in Uruguay's election, developments in that country thus far give us an idea of a trend in Latin American countries outside the Bolivarian (Venezuelan) sphere.... They confirm the strength of the democratic left with very popular leaders (Lula in Brazil, Bachelet in Chile, Vazquez in Uruguay) and that the right is gaining significant support, as is the case with Jose Serra in Brazil and Sebastian Pinera in Chile, where both have good chances of winning in their respective countries" (La Tercera, 10/27) SIMONS