VZCZCXYZ0028
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2378/01 3551804
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211804Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9954
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002378 
 
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
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; US-DIPLOMATIC SPAT; 12/21/07 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Major opinion stories today are related to the implications of the 
Antonini Wilson case and its impact on the US-Argentine bilateral 
relationship. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS 
 
- "Anger management II" 
 
Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" editorializes 
(12/21) "Too much has already been said on the issue of Guido 
Antonini Wilson's suitcase without an entire week of legislative 
work being wasted by the repudiation of the US by both houses of 
Congress on Wednesday. Why all this fuss about the 800,000 dollars 
in the Venezuelan's suitcase... when it is common knowledge that 
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has purchased five billion dollars 
worth of bonds to shore up the Kirchner administrations... - why 
should the US or anybody need to invent a smoking gun with that kind 
of bunker-buster lying around for all to see? Instead of elevating 
this cavalier movement of undeclared currency to an international 
conspiracy, it is high time to demote the claim that the money was a 
Cristina Kirchner campaign donation to what it really is: the 
affirmation of a very dodgy Miami Venezuelan... 
 
"President Cristina Kirchner herself said when first denouncing 
these 'garbage' tactics that they resembled 'one of those US TV 
series... in which you never know how much is true and how much a 
lie.' Why not admit that she herself could not immediately 
distinguish between the true and the false and that there is so much 
more that is false than true about the whole affair that it is not 
worth being made the basis of international policy... 
 
"Instead of wandering off on anti-imperialist tangents, President 
Cristina Kirchner needs to return to the basics of the Antonini 
Wilson case if her campaign promises of an institutionally improved 
version of the same model are to ring true - in other words, roll 
back this case to its origins in August when one man was caught with 
undeclared currency by correctly operating legal mechanisms (the 
Customs). After all, her husband managed to avoid any serious 
corruption scandals until the very last year of his presidency... - 
she can ill afford not to face up to corruption directly in her very 
first month." 
 
- "Answers without a fuse?" 
 
Ricardo Kirschbaum, leading "Clarin's" general editor, writes 
(12/21) "The suitcase scandal has abruptly changed the Argentine 
transition... 
 
"The Nestor Kirchner administration had to face so many conflicts 
that he acted without subtleties... In this new stage, we all expect 
that this way of doing politics will change for better... The 
promise of better institutional quality is attractive and badly 
necessary. 
 
"Nevertheless, the context has dramatically changed and the suitcase 
scandal (which implied such obvious operations that denying them is 
an insult to intelligence) has become a hot potato for the 
administration. So much so that the Government should rethink how it 
is handling the issue and what political level should act. In a less 
concentrated political system, those paying the cost would have been 
second-ranking government officials. 
 
"In this case, the confrontation was faced by the President and her 
Cabinet Chief, in addition to Nestor Kirchner, all of whom represent 
the highest political level. Once again, they acted for themselves 
and no 'fuses' were used. This is questionable." 
 
- "A symbol of impunity" 
 
Carlos Pagni, political columnist of daily-of-record 
"La Nacion," writes (12/21) "The statement made by a former 
government official that Guido Alejandro Antonini Wilson was at the 
(Argentine) Government's house two days after the Airport Police 
intercepted a suitcase filled with 800,000 dollars that he attempted 
to illegally introduce in the country has strong symbolic power for 
Cristina Kirchner. 
 
"In the event it is proved, the statement could transform her 
husband into a Antonini's host and could subliminally support 
allegations aired in Miami last week that those funds were intended 
for the official election campaign. 
 
"... The fact that Antonini could have served in August to support 
the deals Chavez signed with his Argentine counterpart... is the 
most scandalous piece of evidence of the impunity with which the 
character moved about for 48 hours after his crime was uncovered. 
 
"Public opinion, the ruling party and the opposition focused on 
finding out whether those funds were earmarked for the current 
president's election campaign. The interest in the issue is 
understandable, particularly that of the USG. Washington could find 
in this episode the joyful verification of its main allegation 
against Chavez - the fact that he usually interferes in the domestic 
affairs of several countries of the region... 
 
"... Antonini Wilson's visit is insufficient evidence that his money 
could have been intended for the president's election campaign. 
However, it is a significant indicator of the cult of impunity that 
some parts of the ruling party seemed to practice in this scandal as 
well as a signal of the information deprivation frequently inflicted 
by the Kirchners, which is hidden behind their obsession for 
controlling everything that is said and done in the country." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE