VZCZCXYZ0012
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMN #0101 0571938
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261938Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7982
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0108

UNCLAS MONTEVIDEO 000101 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL CU UY
SUBJECT: NO GOU COMMENT ON CASTRO CONFIRMATION 
 
REF: MONTEVIDEO 68 
 
¶1.  (U) While Raul Castro's confirmation as President of Cuba 
was reported prominently in the media, as of February 26, the 
GOU had not made an official statement.  Major dailies El 
Observador, El Pais, and Ultimas Noticias ran columns 
critical of the Castro "dynasty," and the lack of any move 
towards democracy.  The most prominent leftist newspaper, La 
Republica, came to Raul Castro's defense and called the 
transition "original, intelligent and non-traumatic." 
 
¶2.  (U) Key figures from the two major opposition parties 
registered their criticism of the Castro exchange.  Former 
president Jorge Batlle (Colorado Party), who broke diplomatic 
relations with Cuba in 2002, said he wished that "freedom be 
established in Cuba once and for all."  He also indicated 
that "Fidel Castro is not a dictator, but a murderer" 
alluding to the executions of regime opponents caught when 
trying to flee the country.  Meanwhile, Former President Luis 
Alberto Lacalle (Blanco Party), called him "one of the worst 
dictators in history has fallen."  He doubted whether Castro 
relinquishing power would actually "entail a benefit" for 
Cubans since, he said, after almost 50 years, "there are 
values that are deeply rooted into a society that doesn't 
know anything different from this socialist government." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) COMMENT: The GOU's silence till now is 
understandable.  Uruguayans place a very high premium on 
democracy and while some in the left-leaning Frente Amplio 
government may sympathize with Cuba's "revolution," the 
patently un-democratic transition is hard for them to 
applaud.  In addition, Cuba's most vocal backer in the GOU, 
Foreign Minister Gargano, is on the way out of office, 
departing March 1 (reftel). 
Baxter