VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSG #1008 3191811
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141811Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3962
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 3626
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2170
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1133
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0527
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1840
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 5797
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4095
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 1979
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001008
SIPDIS
STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV OPRC PREL PGOV CI
SUBJECT: CHILE MEDIA REPORT - NOVEMBER 14
FRONT PAGE NEWS
---------------
1. THE HEALTH MINISTRY INFORMED THAT THE OFFICIAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR HIV BUT HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THEIR
STATUS BY THE RESPECTIVE HOSPITALS IS 512; THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC
WORKS (MOP) NATIONAL HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR AND OTHER MOP
OFFICIALS WERE ARRESTED YESTERDAY IN CONNECTION TO AN INVESTIGATION
OF A $5 BILLION-PESO FRAUD.
U.S.-RELATED NEWS
-----------------
2. JUDGE ELIANA QUEZADA ISSUED A REQUEST TO QUESTION FORMER NAVY
AGENT OSCAR CORREA WHO NOW RESIDES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE JUDGE
WANTS TO DETERMINE THE PARTICIPATION OF NAVAL FISCAL ENRIQUE MOLINA
IN DETENTION CENTERS DURING THE MILITARY REGIME. THE INVESTIGATION
HAS SHOWN THAT MOLINA NOT ONLY DIRECTED THE ACTIONS OF A SPECIAL
TEAM AT THESE CENTERS, BUT ALSO WITNESSED TORTURE SESSIONS (LA
NACION, GOVERNMENT-OWNED, EDITORIALLY INDEPENDENT, CIRC. 4,200).
3. RUMORS ARE THAT BARACK OBAMA COULD APPOINT ROBERT
KENNEDY, JR., HEAD OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA).
KENNEDY HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SEVERAL HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS -- THE HYDROAYSEN
PROJECT -- IN SOUTHERN CHILE AND HIS APPOINTMENT COULD RESULT IN
STRONGER WHITE HOUSE INFLUENCE ON THIS SUBJECT. (QUE PASA MAGAZINE,
CONSERVATIVE NEWS WEEKLY, CIRC. 101,000).
4. ARTICLE BY CHILEAN AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATIONS,
HERALDO MUNOZ:
"AMERICANS MADE HISTORY ON NOVEMBER 4.... HE (OBAMA) WON NOT
JUST BECAUSE HE WAS THE CANDIDATE OF AFRO- AMERICANS, BUT BECAUSE HE
REPRESENTS THE 'YOUTUBE' GENERATION, LATINOS, THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE
WAR IN IRAQ, THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM THE MORTGAGE CRISIS, THOSE
WHO DON'T HAVE GOOD MEDICAL INSURANCE, AND THOSE WHO ASPIRE TO MORE
AND BETTER OPPORTUNITIES.... OBAMA'S 'HONEYMOON' WITH THE WORLD WILL
BE LONG, BECAUSE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY... WAS HOPING TO SEE IN
THE WHITE HOUSE A PRESIDENT WITH THE ABILITY TO PERCEIVE GLOBAL
OPPORTUNITIES RATHER THAN JUST THREATS AND ONE WHO UNDERSTOOD THAT
WE LIVE IN A INTERDEPENDENT WORLD WHERE MAJOR CHALLENGES... CAN ONLY
BE RESOLVED THROUGH COOPERATION AND MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATION."
(CAPITAL MAGAZINE, MONTHLY BUSINESS PUBLICATION, CIRC. 18,000).
5. COLUMN BY DEFENSE JOURNALIST RAUL SOHR, "THE CLOSING
OF GUANTANAMO MARKS THE END OF A CYCLE OF ABUSE."
"ONE OF THE FIRST PROMISES THAT BARACK OBAMA WILL FULFILL WHEN
HE TAKES OFFICE WILL BE TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO. HE WILL ALSO CLOSE THE
CIA'S SECRET PRISONS.... THIS WILL BE THE END OF MANY VIOLATIONS
COMMITTED DURING GEORGE W. BUSH'S EIGHT YEARS IN OFFICE.... TODAY,
SEVEN YEARS LATER... OBAMA PROMISES TO CONCLUDE ONE OF THE MOST
DEGRADING PERIODS OF U.S. HISTORY AND ONE WHICH DIMINISHED THE MORAL
STATURE OF THE UNITED STATES." (LA NACION)
REGIONAL AFFAIRS
----------------
6. PRESIDENT MICHELE BACHELET MET YESTERDAY WITH FORMER ARGENTINE
PRESIDENT NESTOR KIRCHNER. THE MEETING OCCURS AMID THE PROBLEMS
THAT THE UNION OF SOUTH AMERICAN NATIONS, UNASUR, IS FACING TO FIND
AN EXECUTIVE SECRETARY. ECUADOR PROPOSED KIRCHNER AND BOLIVIA PABLO
SOLON, BUT NEITHER HAVE THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF THE 12
MEMBER-NATIONS (LA NACION).
SIMONS