Media Reaction Sao Paulo; March 10- 2009

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000134 SIPDIS STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD DEPT PASS USTR USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP XM XR XF BR SUBJECT: Media Reaction Sao Paulo; March 10- 2009 Media Reaction - Western Hemisphere: Cuba, governance Title- "Darkness at noon" in Cuba Editorial in center-right O Estado de S. Paulo (3-10) states: "....seven decades after the infamous Moscow Processes [purges] that allowed Josef Stalin to exterminate imaginary enemies of the Bolshevik elite, here the same pattern resurfaces on the unfortunate island of Castro, with the only difference being that in this case, the purged ones remain alive, bearing the humiliation of the farce they agreed to take part in to 'continue serving the Revolution'......in the Castro brothers gerontocracy there is nothing to be remodeled in politics or in economy. Because there is not a political life or a modern economy. We must await the death of the last of them [Castro brothers] to see what comes next." Title- Purges show new challenges to Cuban regime Editorial in business oriented Valor Economico (3-10) says: "....In Cuba internal problems also mirror external challenges. With Barack Obama's arrival to power in the archrival U.S. and his gestures of a change in U.S. relations with Cuba, Raul Castro will [probably] be in an uncommon position....- [to see] a proposal for peace and understanding [between Cuba and the U.S]. This is something absolutely encouraging, but equally dangerous for the Cuban bureaucrats, that they maintain a majority of their popularity thanks to the memories of the attempted Cuban invasion [Bay of Pigs], the odious economic embargo and the antagonistic political myopia from U.S presidents in relation to the island. This way, a "closure" of the regime, unveiled by the purging [of Cuban officials], would be a preparation for the dialogue with the U.S. and not a negation". WHITE