VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #1391 1802132
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 292132Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9482
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0987

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001391 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA 
AMEMBASSY FOR PAO, IO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO CI VE
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - VENEZUELA'S UNSC CANDIDACY 
 
 
¶1. On June 29, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El 
Mercurio" (circ. 116,807) carried a column by international 
commentator Karin Ebensperger entitled, "Abuse of Power." 
 
¶2. "Chile must not support Venezuela's bid for the UNSC. The 
Council's role is to uphold world peace.  Hugo Chavez, far from 
contributing to peace in his own region, has created tensions by 
using his enormous petroleum revenues to intervene in others' 
electoral processes....  This is not about stigmatizing Chavez for 
looking for a different model with which to govern his country.  It 
is about asking ourselves if Venezuela, ruled by Chavez, would 
contribute to world peace.  Chavez has shown an enormous ambition to 
influence the region and no vocation to respect the sovereignty of 
others. International law and the United Nations have been created 
to limit power to prevent the trampling of weak nations by stronger 
ones.  That is what Chavez fails to realize: that by interfering in 
other countries he is...abusing power.  The rationale behind 
international law and international organizations is the avoidance 
of the proliferation of those of Chavez' ilk worldwide.... The 
prestige in which Chile is held for upholding international law is 
an achievement of all its governments throughout history, which is 
why supporting Venezuela for the Security Council does not fit." 
 
KELLY