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R 061913Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0238
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
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RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0141
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0137
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UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001064
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: Santiago Nov. 6 Media Report
Lead story
1. Extensive coverage of the rampage at Fort Hood
that left 12 dead (All dailies, 11/6).
U.S.-Related News
2. Republican Senator Jim DeMint said he would lift the
block on Arturo Valenzuela and Tom Shannon's nominations now that
the Obama administration had agreed to recognize the November 29
election in Honduras (Conservative, influential El Mercurio, 11/6).
3. Jacob Scherr, head of the Natural Resources
Defense Council's international program, is in Chile invited by an
array of organizations that oppose the construction of several
hydroelectric plants in the Patagonia. Scherr met with local
environmental NGOs and with Minister of Energy Marcelo Tokman (El
Mercurio, 11/6).
4. Editorial: "A year after the victory that put
him in the White House, some could be hasty to conclude that the
Obama phenomenon is starting to wither away.... But the President
has ample popularity and there is no other political figure in the
United States that could match him. Tuesday's election, however, is
a warning ... that the high level of support that Obama maintains
does not transfer to others (La Segunda, 11/5).
Honduras
5. Only once the transitional National Unified
Government is established, Congress will decide on Zelaya's
reinstatement, said former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, member
of the Verification Commission in Honduras. "We want to be sure
that Micheletti will resign once the temporary government is in
place," he added (Government-owned La Nacion, 11/6).
6. "What we want is to take the first step in the
understanding that this must conclude with President Zelaya's
reinstatement and that it must be done before the election.... If
not, there will be questions about the legitimacy of the election,"
said Ricardo Lagos (Conservative, afternoon La Segunda, 11/5).
7. Virgilio Alvarez, of think tank
Flacso-Guatemala, said the United States has shown a "positive
change" in the crisis in Honduras, "because it has taken the
attitude of leaving the people of Honduras solve their disputes
amongst themselves" (La Nacion, 11/6).
8. Ricardo Lagos said the transitional government
in Honduras should be installed before the November 29 election,
"which is why we must work to ensure that the conditions for this
to occur." Lagos said the "final goal is for Zelaya to be
reinstated" (La Segunda, 11/6).
9. Manuel Zelaya's representative in the
Verification Commission said the agreement signed last week "has
failed" because the Micheletti government has not complied with the
deadline to install a National Unified Government (El Mercurio on
line, 11/6).
Regional Affairs
10. Brazilian O Estado do Sao Paulo said that
President Lula would propose that UNASUR countries sign a "non
-aggression pact" to decrease the tension created by the military
agreement recently signed by Colombia and the United States.
Brazil wants an assurance that other nations will not become
targets of a military aggression (Conservative, independent La
Tercera, 11/6).
Poll
11. A rumor on Twitter says the latest CEP (Centro de
Estudios Publicos) poll gives Sebastian Pinera 38 percent of the
votes, Eduardo Frei 27 percent, and Marco Enriquez Ominami 21
percent (On-line El Mostrador, 11/6).
12. Adimark GFK poll gives President Bachelet an
unprecedented 80% rate of approval (La Segunda, 11/5).
SIMONS