Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANTIAGO715
2009-07-28 18:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Santiago
Cable title:
CHILE MEDIA REPORT - JULY 28
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UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000715
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 - JULY 28
Lead Story
----------
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000715
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 - JULY 28
Lead Story
--------------
1. The government has instructed the Undersecretary of Interior to
travel to the Region of Araucania to review in person the actions
taken by the police and local government authorities to confront the
illegal land occupations and other acts of violence headed by
radical indigenous Mapuche organizations (All dailies, 7/28).
U.S.-Related News
--------------
2. Editorial: "The U.S. House of Representatives approved some days
ago a draft bill to lower greenhouse gases 17% by 2020... The bill
could affect several nations, including Chile, because of what is
known as the 'coal print....' It would be prudent for private and
public actors to start taking note of these kinds of non-tariff
measures.... The bill could be the cause of some diplomatic
friction" (Business and financial Diario Financiero, 7/28).
3. Editorial entitled, "U.S.-China alliance": "President Obama held
yesterday the first strategic and economic dialogue of his
administration with China.... The President's speech, his vision on
cooperation among nations, and the strength of his domestic policies
are paving the way for the strategy he has designed. This is a good
sign for the global economy" (Business and financial daily
Estrategia, 7/28).
Presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera
--------------
4. Luis Ortiz-Quiroga, the attorney who defended presidential
candidate Sebastian Pinera in 1982 in a bank fraud case, says the
candidate never had the status of a fugitive. Pinera, as others
facing charges in this case, "did not avoid any judicial
requirement," said the attorney. Meanwhile, spokesperson Carolina
Toha stated the government's position: "We believe that something as
important as this must be clarified" (El Mercurio, 7/28).
5. Camilo Escalona (PS) spoke on behalf of "Concertacion" bloc
parties. He underscored that the fraud for which Pinera faced
charges involved US$240 million, "a sum that is big enough to
increase the suspicion that Mr. Pinera's fortune (today) has some
connection to that case," and enough to "invalidate" his candidacy
"for ethical reasons" (El Mercurio, 7/28).
6. Several Supreme Court justices said that it is accurate to say
that Sebastian Pinera was a fugitive of justice in 1982, because he
took action to elude the warrant of arrest. Supreme Court (SC)
Justice Milton Juica said Pinera went into hiding so that he could
not be notified of the charges, which would make him a fugitive. SC
Justice Jaime Rodriguez: "Mr. Pinera hid 24 days" and added, "There
is no law that says that an appeal annuls a warrant of arrest." But
former SC Justice Alberto Chaigneau disagrees. "When an individual
does not voluntarily present himself (to be notified) he is not a
fugitive. He is perhaps in contempt, but not a fugitive" (La Nacion,
government-owned, 7/28).
Salmon
--------------
7. The influential "The New York Times" published a new article on
the excessive use of antibiotics in Chilean salmon. The information
is based on a recent report release by Chile's Ministry of Economy
stating that the local industry "used almost 350 times more
antibiotics in 2008 than Norway." The report furthers the debate on
health standards of the local industry, which is already under close
scrutiny due to the outbreak of the Infection Salmon Anaemia (ISA)
virus (La Segunda, conservative, afternoon, 7/27).
Honduras
--------------
8. The United States ignored the request made on Sunday by ousted
Honduran President Zelaya, urging Washington to "sanction" the de
facto government of Roberto Micheletti. Washington told Zelaya that
he should first exhaust all the alternatives proposed by Oscar Arias
(La Tercera, 7/28).
9. Washington does not approve of the attempts made by ousted
President Zeleya to return to Honduras before striking an agreement
with Micheletti. Spokesperson Ian Kelly said Zelaya's attempts "do
not help" resolve the crisis (La Nacion, 7/28).
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 - JULY 28
Lead Story
--------------
1. The government has instructed the Undersecretary of Interior to
travel to the Region of Araucania to review in person the actions
taken by the police and local government authorities to confront the
illegal land occupations and other acts of violence headed by
radical indigenous Mapuche organizations (All dailies, 7/28).
U.S.-Related News
--------------
2. Editorial: "The U.S. House of Representatives approved some days
ago a draft bill to lower greenhouse gases 17% by 2020... The bill
could affect several nations, including Chile, because of what is
known as the 'coal print....' It would be prudent for private and
public actors to start taking note of these kinds of non-tariff
measures.... The bill could be the cause of some diplomatic
friction" (Business and financial Diario Financiero, 7/28).
3. Editorial entitled, "U.S.-China alliance": "President Obama held
yesterday the first strategic and economic dialogue of his
administration with China.... The President's speech, his vision on
cooperation among nations, and the strength of his domestic policies
are paving the way for the strategy he has designed. This is a good
sign for the global economy" (Business and financial daily
Estrategia, 7/28).
Presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera
--------------
4. Luis Ortiz-Quiroga, the attorney who defended presidential
candidate Sebastian Pinera in 1982 in a bank fraud case, says the
candidate never had the status of a fugitive. Pinera, as others
facing charges in this case, "did not avoid any judicial
requirement," said the attorney. Meanwhile, spokesperson Carolina
Toha stated the government's position: "We believe that something as
important as this must be clarified" (El Mercurio, 7/28).
5. Camilo Escalona (PS) spoke on behalf of "Concertacion" bloc
parties. He underscored that the fraud for which Pinera faced
charges involved US$240 million, "a sum that is big enough to
increase the suspicion that Mr. Pinera's fortune (today) has some
connection to that case," and enough to "invalidate" his candidacy
"for ethical reasons" (El Mercurio, 7/28).
6. Several Supreme Court justices said that it is accurate to say
that Sebastian Pinera was a fugitive of justice in 1982, because he
took action to elude the warrant of arrest. Supreme Court (SC)
Justice Milton Juica said Pinera went into hiding so that he could
not be notified of the charges, which would make him a fugitive. SC
Justice Jaime Rodriguez: "Mr. Pinera hid 24 days" and added, "There
is no law that says that an appeal annuls a warrant of arrest." But
former SC Justice Alberto Chaigneau disagrees. "When an individual
does not voluntarily present himself (to be notified) he is not a
fugitive. He is perhaps in contempt, but not a fugitive" (La Nacion,
government-owned, 7/28).
Salmon
--------------
7. The influential "The New York Times" published a new article on
the excessive use of antibiotics in Chilean salmon. The information
is based on a recent report release by Chile's Ministry of Economy
stating that the local industry "used almost 350 times more
antibiotics in 2008 than Norway." The report furthers the debate on
health standards of the local industry, which is already under close
scrutiny due to the outbreak of the Infection Salmon Anaemia (ISA)
virus (La Segunda, conservative, afternoon, 7/27).
Honduras
--------------
8. The United States ignored the request made on Sunday by ousted
Honduran President Zelaya, urging Washington to "sanction" the de
facto government of Roberto Micheletti. Washington told Zelaya that
he should first exhaust all the alternatives proposed by Oscar Arias
(La Tercera, 7/28).
9. Washington does not approve of the attempts made by ousted
President Zeleya to return to Honduras before striking an agreement
with Micheletti. Spokesperson Ian Kelly said Zelaya's attempts "do
not help" resolve the crisis (La Nacion, 7/28).
SIMONS