VZCZCXYZ0026
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0159/01 0202012
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 202012Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3181
INFO RHMFIUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000159 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, 
WHA/EPSC 
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION A/S SHANNON STATEMENTS ON 
POPULIST GOVERNMENT HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT IRAN 
CHILEAN ELECTIONS MISSION IN HAITI 01/19/06 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Today's most important international stories include 
A/S Shannon's statements on populist governments; the 
Human Rights Watch annual report; the Brazilian and 
Argentine presidents' pledge to discuss issues raised 
by Uruguay and Paraguay; and Uruguayan President 
Tabare Vazquez's warning that his administration 
"won't be bullied," in his first public reaction to 
protests against two Uruguayan pulp mills that have 
sparked a dispute with Argentina. Leading "Clarin" 
carries an editorial on the UN peace mission in Haiti, 
and daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries another 
editorial on the exemplary Chilean elections. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES 
 
- "Now, populism 'is not necessarily bad' for the US" 
 
Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading 
"Clarin," comments (01/19) "Vis--vis the fear 
expressed by many in Washington of a 'populist wave' 
in Latin America, US Assistant Secretary for 
Hemispheric Affairs Tom Shannon said yesterday that 
'populism is not necessarily bad.' 
 
"In Washington, where Republican experts in Latin 
American issues tend to ideologize whatever happens in 
the region, Shannon decided that the only valid tool 
is reality. This is why, whether he is asked about 
Bolivia or Argentina, his statements tend to 
contradict what is being said around him. 
 
"Not long ago, shortly after US Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice took over, the US Department of State 
warned about 'the threat posed by populism' in the 
region, mainly referring to Hugo Chavez. Now, 
according to Shannon, what populism shows in Latin 
America 'is the incorporation' of new popular sectors 
to politics. And this is partly an outcome of 'a 
successful democratization in Latin America.' 
 
"... Regarding Morales' victory, Shannon has a 
positive assessment of it, '(Morales) obtained 54% of 
votes. This is an extraordinary event. It is a fact 
that we should admit and respect, and I expect that we 
can find some common interests.'" 
 
- "Similar although different" 
 
Ricardo Kirschbaum, general editor of leading 
"Clarin," writes (01/19) "The US diplomacy decided to 
take down the changes that occurred in the region. A/S 
Shannon's statements... are an example of an updated 
Washington discourse regarding some Latin American 
governments. 
 
"What is really new is Shannon's acknowledgment that 
populism is not necessarily bad but that it helps 
incorporate social sectors to democracy... 
 
 
"The USG official referred in this way to Evo Morales' 
landslide victory in Bolivian presidential elections. 
The US diplomacy will have to work based on this 
reality." 
 
- "Washington is denounced for use of torture" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," writes (01/19) "The 
government accused of the toughest charges from Human 
Rights Watch was not any one of the Third World but 
the US due to its double status as superpower and 
world parameter. 
 
"Furthermore, according to Kenneth Roth, executive 
director of Human Rights Watch, new evidence obtained 
in 2005 showed that torture and several illegal 
practices are the focus of the strategy adopted by the 
Bush administration ever since 2001 in order to 
struggle against terrorism, which undermines the 
global defense of human rights." 
 
- "Human Rights Watch criticizes the (Argentine) 
Government" 
 
 
Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading 
"Clarin," comments (01/19) "Yesterday, Human Rights 
Watch urged President Nestor Kirchner to abandon his 
judicial reform draft bill. Also, it criticized the 
way the Government is distributing official publicity 
among the media. 
 
"In its annual report, the organization also lashed 
out against the alleged intimidation phone calls made 
by the Argentine Government officials to journalists." 
 
- "It depends on Mahmoud" 
 
Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" 
carries an opinion piece by contributor James Neilson, 
who comments (01/19) "... Iran's rulers are not the 
kind of people you would like to see near a loaded 
pistol, let alone a nuclear bomb... 
 
"... It is at least feasible that some among Iran's 
current leaders may prefer divine glory to peaceful 
coexistence with the godless infidels. 
 
"In that case, the worst will happen, as it has so 
often in the past... Even a small nuclear war in the 
Middle East would be disastrous for just about 
everybody. Among other things, it would bring an 
abrupt end to the great economic boom the world has 
been enjoying for the last few years... And because it 
would involve the US, which has many troops in the 
area, it could easily spread to other parts of the 
planet." 
 
¶3. EDITORIALS 
 
- "Chile and a lesson for democracy" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" carries an editorial 
(01/19) "Chile has just given a lesson for democracy 
not only to the other Latin American countries but to 
quite a few developed countries... This election has 
confirmed the good health of Chilean Concertacion... 
 
"The consolidation of Chilean democracy reinforces a 
seemingly increasing trend in the Southern Cone 
(Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay) of betting on reforms 
that are aimed at recovering sustainable economic 
growth while taking into account social exclusion and 
marginality of large sectors of the people. Everything 
leads one to think that our neighboring country will 
pioneer this change in Latin America." 
 
- "The luck of the mission in Haiti" 
 
Leading "Clarin" editorializes (01/19) "Latin American 
countries are taking part in a rescue operation in 
Haiti. 
 
"... Latin American countries participating in this 
mission should not let it fail, because this would set 
a very bad precedent on the actual multilateral 
capabilities to guarantee peace and respect for human 
rights in a country in which they are really 
threatened." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
The Media Reaction Report reflects articles and 
opinions by the cited news media and do not 
necessarily reflect U.S. Embassy policy or views.  The 
Public Affairs Section does not independently verify 
information.  The report is intended for internal U.S. 
Government use only. 
 
GUTIERREZ