VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0338 0581816
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271816Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1078
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1290

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000338 
 
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 FOREIGN POLICY 
 
On February 26, conservative, afternoon "La Segunda" (circ. 33,000) 
carried an editorial entitled "Always Chavez."  Quote: 
 
"Chavez's active foreign policy, dominated by his animosity toward 
the United States, is acquiring a military element that entails 
great risk for the region. With the argument of a possible U.S. 
military invasion, similar to the one that Fidel Castro has 
announced for the last 40 years, the Venezuelan leader is set on 
strengthening his military capability....  All countries must look 
closely at the implications of Chavez's decision to buy weapons.... 
But what must awaken even more concern is the gradual militarization 
of the population through the creation of paramilitary groups and 
the rigorous ideological control of the armed forces by the Chavez's 
regime....  In fact, Venezuela's progress toward a totalitarian 
society, embedded with political controls that prevent disagreement 
and worst yet, its inclination to export the model with the 
subsequent consequences, is even more serious than the waste of 
resources that wealth from oil permits." 
 
KELLY