VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0130 0231202
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231202Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0803
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1243

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000130 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL VE CI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - CHAVEZ'S SOCIALIST REVOLUTION 
 
¶1. On January 22, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El 
Mercurio" (circ. 129,000) ran an editorial entitled "Risks in 
Bolivia."  Quote: 
 
"Morales' means of advancing his controversial electoral promises 
are preventing him from capitalizing on the auspicious conditions 
under which he assumed office....  The international community is 
starting to get worried about Bolivia's precariousness and 
repercussions [of that instability] across its borders...(those 
developments and) its growing dependence on the Venezuelan 
government...are of some concern to our country...." 
 
¶2. On January 20, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El 
Mercurio" (circ. 129,000) ran an opinion column by former Foreign 
Minister and Ambassador Hernan Felipe Errazuriz entitled "It Is What 
It Is."  Quote: 
 
"Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, Rafael Correa and Daniel Ortega seek to 
establish 'Twenty-First Century Socialism'....  With the neighboring 
'socialisms', confusion and risks are increasing....  We should not 
be concerned by (Evo) Morales and (Chilean Foreign Minister 
Alejandro Foxley's) jogging and Chavez' stroking the President. 
Those are the tricks of the trade.  What should be a matter of 
concern is that our foreign policy could be mistakenly confused with 
that of an uncertain and retrograde Latin America." 
 
KELLY