CHILE MEDIA REPORT -- MAY 26

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000492

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 -- MAY 26

Leading Stories
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1. A 27-year old anarchist died when an explosive device in his
backpack detonated. Dailies ran extensive coverage of the incident
itself, the funeral, and the investigation opened by the police on
the possible ties with terrorist organizations abroad. Dailies also
report that Health Authorities have confirmed 86 cases of AH1N1
nationwide. 78% of cases are individuals under 20 year of age.

U.S.-Related News
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2. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger confirmed his
attendance at the Americas Competitiveness Forum in Santiago on
September 27. Reportedly, the Executive Office is also making
arrangements for a high-ranking Obama administration official to
attend (El Mercurio, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record,
circ. 129,000, 5/25).


3. Frin The Hague, President Bachelet said Cuba should reenter the
Organization of American States (OAS). "We firmly believe that the
Cold War is over and that now is the time for reintegration beyond
differences," she said. Bachelet also noted the steps taken by the
United States toward the island. She also highlighted that the
Obama administration "has created a great moment" for relations with
Latin America, noting the President, Vice President Joe Biden, and
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "have the political will to
advance relations on the American continent" (La Nacion,
government-owned, editorially independent, circ, 4,200, 5/26).


4. U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons attended the fiftieth anniversary
ceremony of National Park Torres del Paine in Magallanes, southern
Chile. The Ambassador underscored "the very strong ties" of the
United States with Torres del Paine and the Karukinka Park in Tierra
del Fuego, adding that it would be interesting for President Obama
to visit the region to see all that is being done to promote
conservation. Simons also spoke to an audience of more than 150
people at Magallanes University on "The First 100 day of the Obama
administration." He stressed the "very strong commitment" of the
new administration with this hemisphere and in its bilateral ties
with Chile (Regional daily La Prensa Austral, 5/25).


5. U.S. company Duda Farms announced that it will begin to import
Chilean Navel oranges in June (Estrategia, business and financial
daily, circ. 30,000, 5/26).


6. Dutch Under Secretary of Defense Jack de Vries informed his
parliament of the sale of F16s to Chile, which is the first step to
conclude the deal (El Mercurio, 5/26).

ICC
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7. Last week the Senate and the House approved the constitutional
reform whereby Chile accepts the jurisdiction of the International
Criminal Court (ICC). La Nacion (5/25) editorialized: "A country
such as ours, which suffered massive and systematic human rights
violations, could not continue to be outside the ICC. Congress, and
especially the right, has repaired a task that had been pending for
a decade" (La Nacion, 5/25).

Terrorism
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8. A 27 year-old individual died when an explosive device in his
backpack detonated. He was identified as Mauricio Morales from the
anarchist movement "Okupa." A security camera of a private business
caught the explosion that occurred a few meters from the Prison
Guard Academy and a preschool. It also confirmed the participation
of another individual, which the police have already identified.
The police searched the house where Morales lived with other
"Okupas," and found black powder and containers with other chemicals
used to build explosives. Morales was on the Public Ministry's list
of suspects for the 90 bombings that have shook Santiago since 2004.
Morales' funeral took place on Sunday amid heavy police
surveillance of the hooded individuals attending (All dailies,
5/25-5/26).
SIMONS