CHILE MEDIA REPORT - MARCH 3

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000191 SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV ECON PREL SNAR EFIN CI SUBJECT: CHILE MEDIA REPORT - MARCH 3 Leading Stories -------------- ¶1. Dow Jones industrial average dropped to its lowest level in twelve years, affecting stock markets worldwide. Chile's Central Bank anticipates lowering interest rate for a third consecutive time. U.S.-Related News -------------- ¶2. Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Obama's principal defense advisor, will arrive in Santiago as part of a tour to Latin America (El Mercurio, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000, 3/3). ¶3. In a press availability, Bachelet said that President Obama had "committed his country's return to the progressive network and to sending a high-level representative" to the Progressive Governance Summit on March 27 and 28 (La Segunda, conservative, afternoon, circ. 33,000, 3/2). ¶4. Column by Eugenio Tironi entitled, "Radicals": "The United States with Obama will differ significantly from Bush's tenure. It will still be capitalist... but will experience radical mutations, because the preceding model... was killed by the fanatics.... At a time in which the world faces radical challenges, the expectation is that there must be radical solutions.... This is not the time to continue doing things as always, sweeten the debate or postpone difficult decisions.... It's the time to put all issues on the discussion table, where many concepts that seemed impossible to rebut will be questioned.... Those who are not willing to play by these rules might as well move to another planet (El Mercurio, 3/3). Chilean Students Murdered in Florida -------------- ¶5. The first hearing against Danny Baker, the man who shot and killed two Chilean students in Pensacola last Thursday, has been scheduled for April 21. The families of the two deceased students have begun the paperwork to repatriate the bodies to Chile (all dailies, 3/3). Venezuela -------------- ¶6. Chile could run -- again -- against Venezuela for a seat at the UNHRC this year. The official candidates thus far are Eduardo Vio (Chile),Diego Garcia Sayan (Peru),Manuel Ventura (Costa Rica),and Albert Perez (Uruguay). The election is scheduled for June (La Segunda, 3/3). Local Politics -------------- ¶7. The presidents of the Concertacion coalition parties yesterday agreed to change the rules of the bloc's upcoming primary. The agreement stipulates that a candidate who receives less than 20% of the votes must withdraw (La Tercera, conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 3/3). ¶8. President Bachelet invited presidential candidate Eduardo Frei to the Progressive Governance Summit on March 27 and 28 (El Mercurio, 3/3). SIMONS