Media Reaction - G-20 Finance Ministers' Meeting; Western

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000156 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 - G-20 Finance Ministers' Meeting; Western Hemisphere: Venezuela, Chvez; Sao Paulo; March 17, 2009 Title- Lack of definitions in the G20 Editorial in center-right O Estado de S. Paulo (3-17) states: "Finance ministers from the G20 announced they are willing to do everything needed to fight the crisis and establish world economy growth but made few commitments as far as immediate action plans [in the preparation meeting that took place last weekend]....the deal related to the urgency of reinforcing the IMF's and other multilateral institution's cash was the most promising result of the meeting...." Title- Chavez expropriates opposition power in states Editorial in business oriented Valor Economico (3-17) says: "Since the opposition took over in five states and Caracas' city hall, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has been making systematic efforts to take away all the power they have....There are serious doubts whether Chavez will know how to face his challenges and re-orient the economy in an era of lower revenues and expenditures. The president wisely prefers pyrotechnics and, at some point, they will not be sufficient to block the emergence of a severe economic crisis, which might be very expensive to him." WHITE