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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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