VZCZCXYZ0011
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0869 3021109
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291109Z OCT 07
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7618
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8733
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8405
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2931

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000869 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD 
 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: VENEZUELA; SAO PAULO. 
 
¶1. Venezuela Begins To React 
 
An editorial in center-right national circulation daily O Estado de 
¶S. Paulo (10/27) maintained: "It's certain that in a few days the 
Venezuelan National Assembly will approve a reform aimed at 
establishing in that nation a regime that will submit all political, 
economic, social and cultural activities to the will of a single 
man. This is in fact the ultimate purpose of a reform tailored 
according to and for Hugo Chvez: to give an aspect of 
constitutional legitimacy to a dictatorship. But, one can also 
certainly notice that Hugo Chvez no longer has the support from all 
the Venezuelan society.... Significant portions of the population 
have realized that Chavism is not only a populist fashion or a 
legitimate alternative to many decades of political alternation in 
power of two corrupted parties, but a real and immediate threat to 
individual and political liberties.... The most visible 
demonstration so far was the students' march through Caracas streets 
last Tuesday.... The Chvez-controlled National Assembly will 
approve a constitution that will sacrifice freedom. But the street 
demonstrations show that from now on Chvez cannot continue 
pretending to be a democratic government. Only repression through 
police and military force will be able to avoid that his reign 
finishes before he will." 
 
¶2. Gift To Chvez 
 
Center-right O Estado de S. Paulo (10/28) editorialized: "The 
Brazilian government took another step towards presenting Mercosul 
to Venezuelan president Hugo Chvez and submitting Brazil's trade 
diplomacy to his interests and humor.... Those who accept Chvez's 
goals and methods as well as his militia as democratic, may also 
agree with them in Brazil and in the other nations of the region.... 
The conditions so far defined are only advantageous to Venezuela.... 
Chvez intends to have a Mercosul tailored according to his own 
conveniences, and he has never concealed this fact.  On the 
contrary, he has already made clear his intention to liquidate the 
old Mercosul and create a new one in accordance with his 
criteria.... Venezuela's entry in Mercosul will not bring any gain 
to Brazilian trade.... Venezuela's admittance in Mercosul involves 
very serious risks greater than the envisioned benefits.  It is 
still time to avoid it." 
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