Cablegate: Chile Media Report - May 7

VZCZCXYZ0017
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0438 1271812
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071812Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4915
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 3964
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2416
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1483
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0897
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 2089
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 6172
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4394
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 2357
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000438

SIPDIS

STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV ECON PREL SNAR EFIN CI
SUBJECT: CHILE MEDIA REPORT - MAY 7

Leading Stories
----------------
1. The National Scholastic Test for fourth graders shows an overall
increase in language skills, but not in math. Dailies continue to
report on the decision of Senator Fernando Flores -- a former
Allende government official and military regime political prisoner
-- to join the campaign of right-wing candidate Sebastian Pinera.

U.S.-Related News
-----------------
2. The USTR's decision to keep Chile on its Priority Watch List,
"does not show the true level of IPR protection in Chile, and
reflects the pressure that specific groups -- such as pharmaceutical
companies -- are applying and reflects how multinationals defend
themselves from local producers," said National Corporation for
Development and Production (CORFO) Executive Vice President Carlos
Alvarez (El Mercurio, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record,
circ. 129,000, 5/7).

3. A State of Georgia delegation offered a seminar at the
Manufacturers Exporting Association (Asexma) to promote the
advantages of the state as a port of entry for new businesses (La
Segunda, conservative, afternoon, circ. 33,000, 5/6).

4. Sixty-two year old American John Oliver Melliken was referred to
the regional hospital in Concepcion to be tested for the AH1N1 flu
(La Segunda, 5/6).

5. Total Wine exports in March, in terms of value, increased 3.5%,
and 41.9% to the United States (La Tercera, conservative,
independent, circ. 101,000, 5/7).

6. The government announced a set of measures of financial and tax
incentives for the private sector to help them maintain at least
100,000 jobs. The plan, which also increases state and private
funding for unemployment insurance, was the outcome of talks between
the Executive Office, the Confederation of Production and Commerce
(CPC), and the Central Workers' Union (CUT)(La Tercera, 5/7).

Poll
----
7. Adimark poll gives Bachelet a 67% rate of approval, the highest
since she took office in 2006. The government has a 53.6% rate of
approval. Finance Minister Andres Velasco is the highest-rated
cabinet member with 66.8% (La Tercera, conservative, independent
(circ. 101,000), 5/7).
SIMONS

© Scoop Media