Media Report January 5

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000008 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 5 Leading Story ¶1. In an attempt to reach an agreement with the mining workers on strike, Chile's state-owned copper mine authorities increased its initial offer by improving its wage and benefit proposal. Former President Frei's Death ¶2. The two physicians who are facing homicide charges in the death of former President Eduardo Frei Montalva turned themselves in yesterday as a result of the Supreme Court's vote against their appeals. The Court's ruling, which confirmed the indictment of doctors Patricio Silva and Pedro de Valdivia, opens the next stage in the Frei case: determining whether President Frei Montalva was in fact poisoned; who is responsible; and the modus operandi of the six individuals charged by Judge Alejandro Madrid. (Conservative, newspaper-of-record El Mercurio 1/5) U.S. Cultural Ambassadors ¶3. American dance company Step Afrika will perform in Chile, January 6-12, as part of the activities planned in the Teatro a Mil Festival. The U.S. Embassy-sponsored troupe will debut in Chile under the rhythm of their drums and bodies, and traces of South African gumboot and Zulu dances. (El Mercurio 1/5) Air Security ¶4. As of yesterday, all air passengers bound to the United States, and who are citizens of the 14 countries listed as "sponsors of terrorism," will have to face exhaustive controls -both of their luggage and bodies-in all airports around the world, reported TSA authorities. (Conservative, independent La Tercera 1/5) ¶5. In their determination to strengthen air security, U.S. Transportation authorities began to closely examine international passengers. In spite of criticisms raised by civil rights advocates, searches include the use of scanners with the capability of "undressing" individuals. (El Mercurio 1/5) Latin America ¶6. Opinion column by Juan Emilio Cheyre, Catholic University of Chile's' Director of the Center for International Studies, entitled "Successful, but Fragmented" "Last year revealed one of the paradoxes in our region: economic progress occurs while it continues politically fragmented. The initial goal in this column was to provide a global vision about Latin America but it is impossible: there is no "one" Latin America, which became especially evident in 2009. Latin America no longer may be divided between left and right blocks. Its political fragmentation is based on the various visions about our globalized world; and the differences between those who view the United States as an enemy, while others regard it as a partner... My good wishes for the year: to balance economic maturity and defeat political fragmentation... We need to stop giving Chavez prominence by valuing Lula, and taking advantage of the synergies of those (countries) with politically different regimes but who are successful and share common visions, such as Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil, among others. We need to play a stronger role in cooperative foreign policy and avoid bringing forward old antagonisms." (La Tercera 1/5) SIMONS