CHILE MEDIA REPORT - JANUARY 21

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000062

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 - JANUARY 21

Press Summary
January 21, 2009

Leading Stories
--------------

1. Chilean dailies prominently featured the Inauguration ceremony
of President Barack Obama. All newspapers highlighted the event
with front-page headlines, photos, and excerpts of the President's
inaugural address.

U.S. -Related News
--------------

2. The front-page headlines read: "The Charismatic 44th President
of the United States: Barack Obama's Challenges, Strength, and
Commitment" (El Mercurio, conservative, influential
newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000, 1/21); "Obama Calls for Unity
and Promises U.S. New Leadership in the World" (La Tercera,
conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 1/21); "Euphoric Beginning
of High Expectation Obama Era" (La Nacion, government-owned,
editorially independent, circ. 4,200, 1/21); "Obama Presents Severe
Diagnoses of the Crisis; World Stocks Markets Close with Sharp
Drops" (Diario Financiero, business and financial, circ. 30,000,
1/21); "Obama Promises Bold and Fast Economic Measures" (Estrategia,
business and financial daily, circ. 30,000, 1/21); "Malia and Sasha
Obama Overtake the White House" (Las Ultimas Noticias, popular,
circ. 120,000, 1/21); "The World Expects 'SuperObama' "(La Segunda,
conservative, afternoon daily, circ. 33,000, 1/20)


3. Chileans in the political and intellectual arena witnessed the
Inauguration Ceremony at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in
Santiago. Ambassador Paul Simons hosted a luncheon to celebrate the
44th President of the United States. Approximately 70 guests
watched Obama take the Oath of Office on flat-screens distributed
throughout the room. Minister of Public Works Sergio Bitar,
economist Ignacio Walker, Socialist Party Senator Jaime Gazmuri,
economist Sergio Melnick, and Christian Democratic Party Vice
President Ximena Rincon commented on the inauguration (El Mercurio,
1/21).


4. In an interview with Radio Cooperativa, the U.S. Ambassador to
Chile expressed his expectation that Barack Obama will deepen U.S
relations with Chile during his Administration (Radio Cooperativa's
on-line website, 1/21).


5. The new Administration stands out in cyberspace. Just after
giving President Obama's remarks, the text was posted on the web.
Instantaneously, the White House's website was renewed with a
message promising more participation, transparency and communication
(El Mercurio, 1/21).


6. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet sent a letter to U.S.
President Barack Obama stating her confidence that the relationship
with Chile will continue moving forward along the path of "respect,
collaboration and mutual trust." President Bachelet wrote, "This
crossroads requires leadership and convictions such as the ones you
represent. We wish to support those efforts to reach solutions that
help realign a new process of global development." (La Tercera,
1/21). In remarks at the Presidential Palace, President Bachelet
commented that she had sent Barack Obama a letter wishing him the
best and said that: "We all know that this is a gigantic challenge
for the next Administration, which influences the World. I believe
that there are millions of people around the globe who wish Barack
Obama succeeds in his job as President during the current
circumstances.... Obama has awakened great hope among the American
people and also millions of people around the world at a very
difficult time in the United States" (La Segunda, conservative,
afternoon daily, circ. 33,000, 1/20).

Editorials
--------------

7. "President Obama: Impending Changes" "His speech, avidly
expected by analysts and filled with hopefulness for fellow
citizens, showed with patriotic eloquence the vision with which he
will face the future.... Possibly, Obama will be the one to
inaugurate an era of greater state participation in economic
decisions. This places an enormous challenge on his government,
because such a pendular change could bring along many problems" (El
Mercurio, 1/21).


8. "The Obama Era" "The true hope is that Obama will fulfill his
commitment of changing the way the world's fate is affected, by --
as he stated yesterday -- putting an end to selfish demands and
false promises, worn out recriminations and dogmas that have drowned
our policies for so long" (Estrategia, business and financial daily,
circ. 30,000).


9. "Obama's Inauguration" "The paradox is that on few occasions a
leader assumes amidst such willingness to make things succeed. Only
Kennedy's inauguration had awakened so many expectations" (La
Nacion, 1/21).


10. "Obama Makes History" "Obama's foreign and defense policies
should change with regard to Bush's, with new emphasis in diplomacy
and multilateralism, beyond some dramatic measures like the closing
of the prison in Guantanamo.... Oddly enough, and unlike in other
regions of the world, in Latin America neither the new Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton at her testimony at the Senate, nor Obama
himself, have generated higher expectations with the exception of a
willingness to dialogue with Hugo Chavez and a decision to relax
restrictions on trips and remittances to Cuba. In Chile's case,
with which (the U.S.) has achieved a good bilateral relationship,
this should continue and project (further)" (La Segunda, 1/20).

SIMONS