Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANTIAGO337
2009-04-09 17:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Santiago
Cable title:
CHILE MEDIA REPORT - APRIL 10
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UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000337
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 - APRIL 10
Leading Stories
---------------
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000337
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 - APRIL 10
Leading Stories
--------------
1. The Central Bank's consistent decrease of interest rates since
January has significantly lowered the costs of mortgage loans and
increased real estate sales by up to 50 percent.
U.S. - Related News
--------------
2. Foreign Affairs Minister Mariano Fernandez has requested to meet
with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as part of his farewell
activities as former Chilean ambassador to the United States. In
regard to a possible meeting between Presidents Bachelet and Obama,
Fernandez said yesterday that it would most likely take place in
Washington after the Summit of the Americans (Major dailies, 4/9).
3. Editorial: "The U.S. President's approach to U.S. allies with
greater humility... and a stronger focus on cooperation... gave the
trip [to Europe] a positive balance. By displaying charisma at
public events and citizen gatherings and taking part in important
agreements, the President was able to revoke to a large extent the
negative image of the United States inherited from his
predecessor.... Naturally, the goodwill with which he was greeted
does not mean that his hosts have forgotten their interests.... But
the fact that these differences are manifested in the context of the
desire for more dialogue and cooperation is positive.... Obama's
trip shows that although Washington is still by far the most
important international actor, it is no longer omnipotent... and
that today's distribution of power is inclined toward multilateral
solutions" (La Tercera, conservative, independent, circ, 101,000,
4/9)
4. Vth Region Investigations Police Prefect Julio Ibaez, said that
Jennifer Lizama, the woman allegedly induced into labor by strangers
outside her home in Pennsylvania to take her baby, had admitted she
had made up the story (El Mercurio, conservative, influential
newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000; La Tercera, 4/9).
Local politics
--------------
5. The Senate passed unanimously a norm that establishes that any
government official with assets of, or over, USD 20 million is
obligated to administer those assets through a blind trust (La
Tercera, 4/9).
Corruption
--------------
6. Think tank "Libertad y Desarrollo" conducted a survey on more
than 400 members of The National Business and Entrepreneurial
Directorate: 50.1 percent said they had encountered corruption first
hand, primarily in the form of influence peddling and bribes to win
government bids, obtain permits, or gain access to privileged
information. Government companies, municipalities, and the judiciary
are perceived as most corrupt (El Mercurio, 4/9).
SIMONS
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 - APRIL 10
Leading Stories
--------------
1. The Central Bank's consistent decrease of interest rates since
January has significantly lowered the costs of mortgage loans and
increased real estate sales by up to 50 percent.
U.S. - Related News
--------------
2. Foreign Affairs Minister Mariano Fernandez has requested to meet
with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as part of his farewell
activities as former Chilean ambassador to the United States. In
regard to a possible meeting between Presidents Bachelet and Obama,
Fernandez said yesterday that it would most likely take place in
Washington after the Summit of the Americans (Major dailies, 4/9).
3. Editorial: "The U.S. President's approach to U.S. allies with
greater humility... and a stronger focus on cooperation... gave the
trip [to Europe] a positive balance. By displaying charisma at
public events and citizen gatherings and taking part in important
agreements, the President was able to revoke to a large extent the
negative image of the United States inherited from his
predecessor.... Naturally, the goodwill with which he was greeted
does not mean that his hosts have forgotten their interests.... But
the fact that these differences are manifested in the context of the
desire for more dialogue and cooperation is positive.... Obama's
trip shows that although Washington is still by far the most
important international actor, it is no longer omnipotent... and
that today's distribution of power is inclined toward multilateral
solutions" (La Tercera, conservative, independent, circ, 101,000,
4/9)
4. Vth Region Investigations Police Prefect Julio Ibaez, said that
Jennifer Lizama, the woman allegedly induced into labor by strangers
outside her home in Pennsylvania to take her baby, had admitted she
had made up the story (El Mercurio, conservative, influential
newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000; La Tercera, 4/9).
Local politics
--------------
5. The Senate passed unanimously a norm that establishes that any
government official with assets of, or over, USD 20 million is
obligated to administer those assets through a blind trust (La
Tercera, 4/9).
Corruption
--------------
6. Think tank "Libertad y Desarrollo" conducted a survey on more
than 400 members of The National Business and Entrepreneurial
Directorate: 50.1 percent said they had encountered corruption first
hand, primarily in the form of influence peddling and bribes to win
government bids, obtain permits, or gain access to privileged
information. Government companies, municipalities, and the judiciary
are perceived as most corrupt (El Mercurio, 4/9).
SIMONS