VZCZCXYZ0026
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0837/01 1201632
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301632Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7994
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000837 
 
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; VENEZUELA AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION; TIES 
BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL; US-ARGENTINE MILITARY EXERCISES; 
CRISTINA KIRCHNER'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON; 04/30/07; BUENOS AIRES 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Weekend international stories cover the closure of RCTV in 
Venezuela; reinvigorated ties between Argentina and Brazil; the 
upcoming US-Argentine naval exercises; and Argentine First Lady 
Cristina Kirchner's trip to Washington. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS 
 
- "Chavez and freedom of expression" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" (04/30) editorializes "The Chavez 
administration's suppression of Venezuela's freedom of expression 
and information... has been demonstrated by increasingly serious 
actions, threats and incidents... 
 
".. Chavez, who controls all branches of government, has personally 
decided to close Radio Caracas Television... based on the fact that 
the private channel has promoted coups d'etat and political 
destabilization during recent years... 
 
"Regarding freedom of expression in the region, Gonzalo Marroquin, 
head of the IAPA Press Freedom Committee, said that 'Venezuela has 
become the country that has suffered most attacks from the 
government against the media and journalists... While Chavez claims 
that there is freedom of information and expression in his 
country..., this is not true given the high degree of intolerance 
and self-censorship due to fear of retaliation.' 
 
"... In a democratic society, the existence of sound private media, 
which are independent from political and economic power, is vital. 
The case of RCTV should not be construed as an isolated event, but 
rather part of the framework of a Venezuela that urgently needs to 
strengthen genuine democratic pluralism, for which freedom of 
expression is an indispensable condition." 
 
- "Argentina, Brazil and the region" 
 
Ricardo Kirschbaum, general editor of leading "Clarin," writes 
(04/29) "Frequent recent contacts between the presidents of 
Argentina and Brazil is an expression of the good state of bilateral 
ties... 
 
"... Venezuela has inserted itself to this understanding betwen 
Lula and Kirchner. Both Kirchner and Lula have good ties with 
Chavez. 
 
"On the energy issue, Kirchner and Lula make up a tandem that is 
determined to undertake common initiatives, while Chavez, who has a 
broad and generous relationship with Fidel Castro, agrees with some 
of those ideas and disagrees with others. 
 
"Argentina and Brazil have strengthened their partnership and make 
up a powerful reference point in the region and beyond, including 
Calderon's Mexico, which they seek to incorporate.." 
 
- "Military exercises with the US are resumed" 
 
Daniel Gallo, political columnist of daily-of-record "La Nacion," 
writes (04/29) "After almost six years, military exercises with the 
US will resume in Argentina. While ties betweens the military of 
both countries were maintained through military exercises abroad, 
US-Argentine combined exercises were not conducted due to the US 
request for troop immunities, which was not granted by Argentina. 
 
"After negotiations held during recent months, Washington agreed to 
perform an operation without asking for full immunities, and this is 
why the UNITAS naval exercise will be carried out next week. 
 
"The last time Argentina carried out a military exercise with the US 
was in September 2001, just as the September 11 attacks were 
happening... 
 
"The world has since changed. And in 2003, when the Eagle III air 
exercise was to be performed, the US asked for immunities, a demand 
that was made to all of the countries involved. Argentina refused to 
grant them on the basis that Washington did not recognized the 
International Criminal Court. 
 
"In spite of this refusal, US troops, airplanes and ships entered 
the country for the 2005 Mar del Plata Summit of the Americas to 
protect every movement of President George W. Bush. 
 
"This antecedent and the good ties between the military of the two 
countries were considered when planning a military exercise without 
the full immunity requested by Washington." 
 
 
 
- "A short visit to Washington" 
 
Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading "Clarin," 
writes (04/29) "Cristina Kirchner's strategy with the Jewish 
community is very much like that of Carlos Menem with American 
Cubans in Miami. According to Marc Jones, an expert in Argentina who 
frequently gives advice to the USG on Argentina, 'the Jewish 
community, like the Cuban, is a good channel to open doors to 
Washington and can serve Cristina well if the Democrats win the 
presidential elections.' 'In my opinion, this is what explains 
Cristina's trip to Washington, but there could be some surprises.' 
 
"In fact, Cristina's trip to the US will be very different from the 
ones she recently made to France, Ecuador, Venezuela and Mexico, 
where she met with presidents and government officials.. 
 
"In Washington, she will only attend a single event - the Gala 
Dinner at the American Jewish Committee's Annual Assembly. 
 
"... It is not a secret for anyone in Washington that following 
Chavez's anti-Bush rally in Argentina while Bush was in Uruguay, 
ties between the USG and the Argentine Government were totally 
frozen. According to a US source, while there have been diplomatic 
efforts from both embassies to ease the tension, 'the US Department 
of State's top brass, and particularly the White House, does not 
want to hear about Argentina.' 
 
"... Then, what is the purpose of Cristina's trip to Washington? If 
the purpose is to use the Jewish community in order to keep doors 
open with Washington, the strategy could meet up with some 
problems. 
 
"The Jewish community is very grateful for the request by 
Argentina's judiciary for international warrants for the capture of 
former Iranian government officials, but there is also much distrust 
over ties between Kirchner and Chavez. The American Jewish Committee 
is one of Washington's most ferocious anti-Chavez lobbies. 
 
"Cristina's strategy does not take into account that US annoyance 
with Chavez is bipartisan." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE