Media Report January 7

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000014 SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL SNAR EFIN CI SUBJECT: Media Report January 7 Former President Frei's Death ¶1. The work relationship between toxicologist Laura B????rgel and former President Eduardo Frei Montalva's son, Jorge Frei Ruiz Tagle, has become a new source of controversy. Reportedly, this could cause the dismissal of Dr. B????rgel from the case since she has certified the thesis about his poisoning. Today, Attorney Luis Valentin Ferrada will file a petition on behalf of his client, Dr. Patricio Silva - one of the individuals charged for homicide in the Frei case- requesting further inquiries and objecting Dr. Borgel's work. (Conservative, independent La Tercera, 1/7) Chile-U.S. ¶2. Twenty MBA students from Texas Christian University's Neely School of Business visited the facilities of El Mercurio in Santiago. (Conservative, newspaper-of-record El Mercurio, 1/7) Human Rights ¶3. In an unprecedented action in the twenty years of the Concertacion's Administration, and on behalf of "the Chilean society", Under Secretary of the Interior Patricio Rosende will file 24 lawsuits on crimes against humanity. This is the first time that the Ministry of the Interior's Human Rights Program will file a suit for such crimes. It is also the first occasion in which it is conducted on behalf of the victims who are typified as "political executes" instead of detainees-disappeared. These new court cases would involve prosecuting former military or civilian agents who have not been involved in proceedings yet. (Government-owned, editorially independent La Nacion, 1/7) Local ¶4. Justice Milton Juica was sworn in as new President of the Supreme Court. He replaced outgoing Justice Urbano Marin. (El Mercurio, 1/7) ¶5. Jacqueline Weinstein was sworn in as new Minister of State Property. She replaced Romy Schmidt who assumed as Director of the new Human Rights Memorial Museum. (El Mercurio, 1/7) ¶6. The Chilean Customs Service Employees Association's began its second day on strike. The work stoppage is disrupting the normal flow of travelers and goods through land, port, and air terminals throughout the country. The employees' main requests are to increase the number of positions to enlarge their workforce and modernization of the Service. (El Mercurio, 1/7) SIMONS