VZCZCXYZ0003
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSO #0350 1841015
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021015Z JUL 08
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8364
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 9498
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8777
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 3126
UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000350
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 ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: COLOMBIA
Uribe's Adventure
Editorial in liberal Folha de S.Paulo (7/02) says: "President of
Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, is facing political-juridical difficulties
although his popular prestige continues to be high. It is exactly
this mixture that worries. ... In an attempt to suppress the scandal
[ex-Senator Yidis Medina vote buying scandal], the government
launches the idea of convoking a referendum, which authorizes the
repetition of the 2006 presidential contest. This would be a way to
recover legitimacy. The logic of the proposal is precarious.
Nobody questions Uribe's victory; what is contested is the legality
of his candidacy. It seems frightening to take such decision to the
streets, especially in a context in which the Executive and
Judiciary are in a dispute and the Legislative is going through an
unprecedented credibility crisis. The measure sounds even more
dangerous when one has known for some time that Uribe is flirting
with the idea of a third mandate."
White