TFHA01: La Paz Media Engagement on Haiti

UNCLAS LA PAZ 000102 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC PREL PGOV HA BL SUBJECT: TFHA01: La Paz Media Engagement on Haiti REF: STATE 5277 ¶1. (U) Summary. Reporting in Bolivia on the U.S. response to the earthquake in Haiti has been generally balanced in the independent media outlets, while state-run media outlets have focused their coverage on GOB criticism and suspicions of U.S. efforts. Embassy La Paz has taken multiple steps to inform the independent media in Bolivia of the facts about the U.S. response to this disaster. While our actions have had an impact, inflammatory rhetoric on the part of President Evo Morales and Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera against the U.S. military presence in Haiti has also drawn significant attention in both the state-run and independent media. End Summary. ¶2. (U) On January 18, Bolivian Vice President Garcia Linera accompanied a Bolivian Air Force cargo plane that delivered humanitarian assistance to Port-au-Prince. In comments to the press while on the ground in Haiti and upon his return to Bolivia on January 19, he claimed that the United States was taking advantage of the disaster to occupy Haiti militarily. Among other accusations, he made the claim that, "The U.S. military presence, in its bases and now its camouflaged appearance in Haiti, is an aggression against the continent." He also said that, "we did not see a single U.S. soldier lift a rock or piece of cement." On January 20, this same accusation was echoed by President Evo Morales who called the U.S. relief effort a military occupation of Haiti that he considers, "unjust, inhumane, and opportunistic." Morales then said that Bolivia would ask the UN to convene an emergency meeting to reject the US "occupation." ¶3. (U) In light of these and previous statements attacking the intentions of the U.S., we have been engaged since the beginning of the crisis with all major independent media outlets to provide them with updated and translated information about the U.S. effort in Haiti. Embassy La Paz has issued four press releases on January 13, 14, 18, and 19 and reached out to owners/editors/reporters, providing statements by President Obama and Secretary Clinton and facts about the U.S. efforts. Elements of these press releases have been used by many outlets, including the La Paz dailies La Raz'n (cir. 30,000),La Prensa (cir. 5,000), and El Diario (cir. 3,000). Embassy La Paz has also circulated public-domain photos of the U.S. relief effort with translated subtitles, which have been used by El Diario on January 15 and 20. We have also set up three interviews with two national radio networks, Radio Panamericana and Radio Fides, and with the highest-rated television station, Unitel, with the Director of the Media Hub of the Americas who is currently in Haiti and who can report on the situation on the ground. These efforts have succeeded in giving the independent press a fuller picture of the US assistance, as reflected in their reporting. ¶4. (U) Major independent Bolivian media outlets have generally given balanced news coverage to the U.S. response to the earthquake in Haiti, highlighting both positive stories about, and criticisms of, U.S. efforts. All independent television stations have included positive images of U.S. search and rescue teams and U.S. military personnel in Haiti, but have also aired the negative comments made by President Morales and Vice President Garcia Linera. Topics that have received positive coverage include the immediate response of the U.S. to make the airport in Port-au-Prince operational, President Obama's initial pledge of $100 million, the Secretary's visit to Haiti over the weekend, the work of American search and rescue teams, and the efforts by the U.S. military to deliver humanitarian aid. Criticisms by the GOB and others of poor management of the airport, the slow distribution of humanitarian aid, and the accusations of a U.S. military occupation of Haiti have also been reported. ¶5. (U) Editorials and commentaries in the major independent media outlets have also been balanced. La Paz daily La Raz????n's (cir. 30,000) main editorial on Sunday January 17 was entitled, "Signs of Hope" and commented positively about the successful international cooperation demonstrated in the relief effort. Father Eduardo Perez, an influential radio host on the national radio network Fides, has commented favorably about the ongoing U.S. efforts, highlighting especially the U.S. military's efforts to make the airport in Port-au-Prince functional. Cochabamba daily Opinion (cir. 3,000),on the other hand, published an editorial on Saturday, January 16 that was critical of the U.S. and European countries saying, "Natural disasters cannot be foreseen or avoided, but behind the tragedy in Port-au-Prince there is a historic background for which colonization must take some responsibility." ¶6. (U) As opposed to the balanced reporting of the independent media outlets, the Bolivian state-owned media outlets have been incessantly negative in their coverage of the U.S. The state-run television station, Bolivia TV, has focused its coverage on the international and domestic criticism of the U.S. military presence, has aired one-sided news reports produced by Telesur, and has coincided their coverage of Haiti with the re-airing of a documentary entitled "The Flight of the Eagle," which presents multiple conspiracy theories about the purported nefarious role of the U.S. in Bolivia. The government-owned daily Cambio (cir. 3,000),has printed articles entitled, "Haiti demands aid and doctors, not more U.S. soldiers", "The U.S. sends the military to Haiti and unleashes controversy", and "Chaos in the airport controlled by the U.S.", among others. Cambio's editorials have echoed the position of the GOB, one of which said, "As discredited as the power of the United States is, at least in Latin America, those that are really in control of the businesses and the arsenals of the White House have found the right moment to launch a strategy that will allow them to recuperate territory in the region and to direct, not only what will come to be called and what the world will know as 'humanitarian aid', but also the politics and economy of a country crushed by decades of misery and political instability." ¶7. (SBU) Comment. Given that the negative rhetoric from high-ranking officials within the GOB is likely to continue, all media outlets will continue to report on these criticisms. The government-owned press outlets will continue to amplify the GOB message and any engagement with them will be ineffectual. We will continue to engage the independent media with clear and factual messages about the U.S. effort in Haiti to ensure that balanced reporting continues in the independent media. End comment. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED Creamer