CHILE MEDIA REPORT - APRIL 14

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000344 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 14 Leading Stories -------------- ¶1. As part of an agreement with the Economic Prosecutor's Office, pharmacy chain FASA will be fined US$1 million for collusion with other pharmaceutical chains to hike prices. The agreement excludes FASA from further charges. Dailies also highlighted that the Health Ministry traced the recent outbreak of the listerioris bacteria to dried chicken and pork products produced by "Elaboradora de Alimemtos Donihue," which only sells its products in Santiago. U.S.-Related News -------------- ¶2. La Moneda is waiting for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to respond to Chile's date proposal for Presidents Obama and Bachelet to meet (La Nacion, government-owned, editorially independent, circ. 4,200, 4/14). ¶3. Foreign Affairs Minister Fernandez will meet today in Washington with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss a Bachelet visit with President Obama (El Mercurio, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000, 4/14). ¶4. Wal-Mart is patenting an array of brands with the Intellectual Property Rights National Institute (INAPI) in anticipation of changes to local laws that would allow supermarkets to sell pharmaceutical products (El Mercurio, 4/14). Summit of the Americas - Cuba -------------- ¶5. Attention at the Summit of the Americas will focus on U.S. resolutions -- "signs" -- toward the region. In that context, OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza said that the U.S. decision to allow Cuban-Americans to travel to the island and to lift restrictions on remittances is one of those "signs" (La Tercera, conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 4/14). ¶6. In addition to ending restrictions on remittances and Cuban-American travel to Cuba, President Obama also authorized U.S. telecommunications companies to offer cell phone and television services in Cuba. Some say these announcements mark the beginning of the end of the embargo. Obama, on the other hand, is confident that his recent decisions will mark a difference with regard to the Bush administration and show that he is willing to open channels of communication with Cuba (La Tercera, 4/14). ¶7. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D),one of the representatives who met recently in Havana with Fidel and Raul Castro, commented on the meeting: "He asked us how he could help Obama and said he was willing to reciprocate Washington's gestures to turn the relationship around.... Raul Castro sent the same message: They want to have normal ties, willing to open channels of communications. They want President Obama to succeed" (La Tercera, 4/14). ¶8. Cuban historian Jesus Arboleya (and Arcis University-invitee) said President Obama shifted his policy on Cuba to restore the damaged prestige of the U.S. government. This shift was a response to pressure from the Cuban-American community and the global business community, which needs new markets in times of crisis (La Nacion, 4/14). ¶9. Chilean entrepreneur in Cuba Max Marambio said Obama's announcement "is a step in the right direction that reflecting the way the winds are blowing." However, he noted the announcements have no relation to the embargo. He added that a resolution relevant to lifting the embargo would be to allow all Americas to travel to Cuba, without any restrictions (La Segunda, conservative, afternoon, circ. 33,000, 4/13). ¶10. Cuban Ambassador to Chile Ileana Diaz-Arguelles said Obama's resolutions: "Are just a part of the criminal policy that today the entire world rejects, which is the blockade on Cuba" (La Nacion, 4/14). ¶11. In his efforts at rapprochement with the Latino world, President Obama surprised everyone by lifting restrictions on remittances and travel to Cuba by Cuban Americans. Yesterday, in yet another step in the same direction, National Security Council advisor Dan Restrepo gave the first bilingual press conference at the White House, explaining that the end of the restrictions were intended to "extend a hand to the people of Cuba and support them in their desire to freely determine the future of their country" (La Nacion, 4/14). Sports Diplomacy -------------- ¶12. Extensive coverage of the SOUTHCOM baseball clinics with more than 60 children and the team's games against adult baseball squads in San Antonio and Santiago. The U.S. team is in Chile as part of their "Partnership Tour 2009" to promote the practice of baseball (Community dailies El Lider, 4/10-13; Proa Regional, 4/12). Human Rights -------------- ¶13. U.N. Special Rapporteur for Indigenous Affairs, James Anaya, met in Chile with government and judiciary officials and with over 100 Mapuche representatives in Santiago, Temuco, and Iquique. At the end of his visit, Anaya issued a positive report about the government's policies, highlighting the ratification of the ILO's Convention Nr. 169, the Senate's vote to legislate for the constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples, and the special provisions for indigenous communities in the new education law. ¶14. The Mapuche community was not satisfied with the report, claiming Anaya failed to review whether the suggestions made by the previous rapporteur in 2003 had been fulfilled. The community leaders were especially unhappy with Anaya's statement, that he "condemns the use of violence as a means of protest, even if it is related to legitimate claims" of the Mapuche people. The report also expressed concerns over alleged discrimination and mistreatment of indigenous communities during police operations in indigenous localities (El Mercurio, 4/14). SIMONS