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INFO RUCNMRC/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 BUENOS AIRES 001588 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/PDA FOR JOHN DICKSON, CHARLOTTE PETERSON 
IIP/WHA FOR PETER COZZENS, IIP/SV FOR MICHAEL BANDLER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL OEXC OIIP SCUL KPAO AR PGOV
SUBJECT: Public Diplomacy Best Practices: Countering 
Anti-Americanism in Argentina 
 
Ref:  Reftel:  (A) BA 000944; (B) BA 000533; (C) BA 001223; (D) BA 
001547; (E) BA 001544 
 
¶1. SUMMARY.  The level of anti-Americanism in Argentina is the 
highest in the Western Hemisphere. For the last two years, we have 
been working hard to reverse our negative image, making this the 
Mission's highest priority.  We believe we have found a formula for 
success through substantially increased media outreach, focused 
attention on youth, and augmented involvement with NGOs and 
community activities.  We share below some of our best lessons 
learned and most successful practices.  We hope other posts can 
share their best practices as well, as the United States faces 
similar anti-American attitudes in many Western Hemisphere countries 
and we have much to learn from each other.  To maximize success in 
all of these efforts, we need to keep the focus, in both Washington 
and in the field, on innovative public diplomacy.  To succeed, we 
will all need more, and more consistently available, resources 
devoted to these efforts.  END SUMMARY. 
 
The Challenge:  Anti-Americanism in Argentina 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. The level of anti-Americanism in Argentina is the highest in the 
Western Hemisphere, according to a wide range of opinion polls taken 
in recent years. The negative image of the U.S. stems in part from 
the perception that America is a self-interested superpower that 
acts unilaterally and at times belligerently on the world stage. Our 
high negatives bear important ancillary costs. A number of top 
government and political leaders, for example, have discovered there 
is gold domestically in publicly bashing the U.S. from time to time. 
 These outbursts have often resulted in stalling momentum gained in 
the bilateral relationship.  Just last December and January, the 
Mission endured the latest and most difficult iteration of this 
pattern. More troubling is the fact that our low approval ratings 
have persisted for six consecutive years (though we are beginning to 
see our numbers head north again). It had been clear to us that that 
anti-Americanism in Argentina could easily become reflexive and 
color not just how Argentines view our policies but also our 
culture, values, and the American people themselves. 
 
¶3.  To avoid such disastrous developments for long-term U.S. 
interests in the region's third most populous country, we decided to 
focus on building solid and intense relations with Argentina's media 
and on investing particularly in youth with our programs and 
outreach events.  While we believe the U.S. election process has had 
a tremendously positive effect on the U.S. image (as well as raising 
enormous local expectations for the new president), the previous 
prejudices continue to exist and need to be actively addressed.  In 
fact, we believe that our assertive outreach over the previous year 
has helped us maintain positive images of the U.S. and of the 
importance of bilateral relations in 2008 despite very severe public 
criticisms from the Government of Argentina. 
 
Media Outreach:  Close Relations and Regular Releases 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶4. Capitalizing on the excellent rapport we have developed with the 
Argentine media, we have been able to add a media component to 
almost every program we undertake.  We learned that the media 
outreach aspect of any public Embassy event is central to its 
success.  Especially since we have improved and expanded our 
relationship with television, radio and on-line media outlets, we 
have been able to introduce a huge multiplier effect to our media 
output.  We have also used our improving relationship with the media 
to bring together journalists, activities and themes we champion but 
are not directly involved in.  The result of this expanded media 
outreach has included strong, accurate coverage of Argentine efforts 
to combat trafficking in persons, the activities of the Mothers 
against Paco (a cocaine derivative-see para 17), and our programs to 
promote women's soccer, for example. 
 
¶5.  Our efforts to improve the Mission's relationship with the 
Argentine media showed concrete results during the "suitcase-gate" 
scandal and trial in Miami led to what some called the worst 
bilateral crisis in fifty years.  We were able to get our message 
out quickly and accurately because of the trust we had built up with 
the media.  As a result, we were able to counter actively the more 
egregious arguments being made by senior officials and GOA allies 
against the U.S. Government's handling of the case.  More broadly, 
we have been able to place op-eds and related materials in the 
leading media outlets' television/radio programs and newspapers on a 
regular basis. 
 
¶6.  For over a year now, our mission has been issuing press 
releases, often several a day, to reflect an intensely active 
Embassy that is engaged with all segments of Argentine society.  The 
principal (but not sole) source of material for the press releases 
comes from the Ambassador's schedule and includes every event that 
can be portrayed for public consumption.  This includes traditional 
 
BUENOS AIR 00001588  002 OF 006 
 
 
public diplomacy events, such as the Ambassador's and other Mission 
officials' opening speeches at conferences, concerts, and art 
exhibits, but goes far beyond, to include the Ambassador's meetings 
with ministers, legislators, business and society leaders, and of 
course the Head of State.  We always make sure to secure the 
agreement of the non-Embassy participants to be mentioned or have 
their photo included in a press release following such encounters, 
as a basic courtesy.  To counter pervasive views of American 
indifference to Latin American poverty, social justice and 
engagement are emphasized in our press outreach, as the Ambassador 
engages in a heavy schedule to visit and engage with social 
development programs in Argentina, including Corporate Social 
Responsibility programs by U.S. firms.  Programs may or may not have 
USG funding or another U.S. connection, or may be programmed by the 
embassy as part of a visiting artist's tour. 
 
¶7.  When the Ambassador, the DCM, or other Mission personnel bring 
disadvantaged youngsters to attend concerts of internationally 
renowned U.S. rock stars, something the kids would not otherwise get 
to do, press releases are sent and/or photos posted on the website. 
Other embassy activities are publicized as well, such as the 
Military Group's humanitarian mission to an orphanage in Salta or 
senior officers' appearances at important events that advance 
Mission objectives, such as "Globe" School activities or science 
symposia.  We also act as a conduit between the media and worthy 
causes with which we may have no direct involvement.  In almost 
every case, even if the press attended the event, we send out a 
release for any media that might have missed it.  We arrange for 
photos to be taken at all relevant events, so virtually every 
release has a photograph.  Placements are common.  The result: the 
public is better informed about the Embassy's positive agenda, a 
great improvement on the past, in which the Argentine public had 
little idea of what the U.S. Embassy did (and they more easily 
believed "conspiracy theory"-based stories).  We have received much 
feedback expressing appreciation for our "hyper-activity." 
 
Youth Outreach: Music, Sports and Visits to the U.S 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶8.  One of Embassy Buenos Aires' major efforts during the last two 
years has been outreach to young people.  A key point of departure 
in this endeavor is a program focused on the happening Buenos Aires 
concert scene.  In cooperation with promoters and managers, we have 
arranged for young people from disadvantaged communities to attend 
concerts by top American artists and to meet the performers 
back-stage.  Young musicians also participated in master classes, 
some of which we helped organize.  In some instances, we were able 
to program the musicians to participate in community outreach 
events, such as visits to drug rehabilitation clinics.  Participants 
have included world-renowned acts like Ozomatli, Toto, Bela Fleck 
and the Flecktones, the Black-Eyed Peas, "reggaeton" stars Wisin and 
Yandel, and classical violinist star Joshua Bell. 
 
¶9.  Hip-hop band Ozomatli's program was especially noteworthy, as 
the band was able to connect with young audiences all over Buenos 
Aires and Cordoba.  The group managed seven appearances for groups 
of disadvantaged youth from public schools, soup kitchens, and drug 
rehabilitation centers.  Ozomatli's visit, which was widely and 
positively covered in the electronic and print media, including in 
left-leaning media often hostile to the United States, enhanced the 
Embassy's status as an engaged, forward-looking institution. 
Programs like Ozomatli's have allowed the Mission to reach beyond 
the usual audiences to critically important groups traditionally not 
included in our programs. 
 
¶10.  American Public Diplomacy Envoy Michelle Kwan, the most 
successful figure skater in U.S. history, visited Argentina to give 
lectures on "Youth Leadership" in Buenos Aires, Parana, and Santa 
Fe, and participated in repeated and widely covered media events. 
Michelle met with members of the Special Olympics team, and spoke on 
leadership and the ingredients for success to both the young 
Argentine skaters and kids from low-income communities.  Kwan 
brought a message for young Argentines that practice and dedication 
pays off in the long run.  In one moving event, Kwan and the 
Ambassador visited a drug rehabilitation clinic in the western area 
of Greater Buenos Aires. She was introduced to an audience of 
approximately 70 youngsters, ages 13-21, and provided a stirring and 
convincing message of hope.  Representatives of a local firm were so 
moved by media stories about Kwan's presentation and visit that they 
offered to provide employment to those who "graduated" from the 
clinic.  Kwan's program was an example of the Embassy's efforts to 
show U.S. interest in assisting Argentines with serious problems, 
and to help bring about positive change. 
 
¶11.  Using opportunities such as the Youth Ambassadors and Teacher 
Ambassador Programs, Embassy Buenos Aires has been able to use the 
lure of foreign travel and the possibility of future study in the 
United States as a means to reach thousands of secondary school 
students and teachers from all over Argentina (reftel A).  Through 
 
BUENOS AIR 00001588  003 OF 006 
 
 
the Youth Ambassadors Program we send outstanding, but economically 
disadvantaged, Argentine high school students to the U.S. to expose 
them to U.S. society, culture, institutions, and citizens.  This 
program has received extensive media coverage and is now very well 
known here.  It has contributed to the increase in interest of 
Argentine students in studying English, participating in volunteer 
programs in their communities, and applying for future scholarships 
to study in the U.S.  The Teacher Ambassador Program allows us to 
send Argentine English teachers to Austin, Texas, for two weeks of 
training and interaction with American counterparts.  These 
opportunities to see the U.S. first-hand, which the Mission ensured 
were widely publicized, received positive press coverage throughout 
Argentina, and have brought considerable side benefits.  In one 
province, two enthused teacher ambassadors convinced the governor to 
organize a special committee on U.S. exchanges and offer new 
funding. 
 
Community Outreach 
------------------ 
 
¶12.  To counter the all-too-prevalent Argentine image of the U.S. as 
an uncaring hegemonic empire that cares little for disadvantaged 
communities or social justice, Embassy Buenos Aires has dramatically 
increased its efforts to show our society's compassionate side.  We 
have, for example, publicly highlighted the work of community-based 
NGOs, started our own Community Action Program (CAP), introduced a 
well-publicized award to an anti-trafficking-in-persons activist, 
and publicly recognized a slum-resident mother fighting drug 
addiction.  We have also involved the more than 500 U.S. firms in 
Argentina in a competition for awards in corporate social 
responsibility (CSR).  We organize visits to U.S. company CSR 
projects, and then publicize their good works (para 18). 
 
¶13.  In April 2008, the Buenos Aires NGO Fair (reftel B) brought 
together 60-plus NGO representatives from across Argentina at the 
Ambassador's residence to meet with 40 representatives from 
embassies, international and domestic companies, and foundations. 
The common goal was to form ties that would lead to socially 
beneficial projects and public-private partnerships. 
 
¶14.  Following two lively presentations on NGO development, the 
invitees participated in a two-hour Fair in which funding sources 
hosted booths, which were then visited by the NGOs.  Both the NGOs 
and business community were extremely happy with the event.  The 
Mission ensured that the Fair was widely and positively covered by 
the media, which helped show that the Embassy cares about the people 
of Argentina. 
 
¶15.  The Community Action Program (CAP) is designed to get the 
Ambassador and other Mission personnel out into the community 
(schools, charitable institutions, community organizations), where 
they make donations (books, computers, other materials), interact 
with young people, community leaders and journalists, and project a 
different image than the one most people expect of American 
diplomats.  In the last two years, the Ambassador has visited NGOs, 
public schools, and homeless shelters in many under-privileged areas 
of the city of Buenos Aires and the provinces, donating a total of 
approximately $23,000 in books, computers, appliances and 
educational materials.  Press releases are generated for visits when 
CAP recipients are amenable, and events have received wide radio, 
TV, and press coverage.  In all cases, photos and stories about the 
CAP donations are prominently displayed on the Embassy website. 
Feedback from elites and slum dwellers alike has been very 
positive--many have said they were impressed that we would even 
venture into these areas. 
 
¶16.  We have been able to effect significant change with some of our 
efforts.  For example, the International Women of Courage (IWOC) 
Award presented this last year to Susana Trimarco de Veron (based on 
a Mission-drafted nomination) generated lasting change on the issue 
of Trafficking in Persons (TIP).  The IWOC award granted in 2007 to 
Susana Trimarco de Veron for her efforts to combat TIP could easily 
be considered the single most influential public diplomacy project 
of recent years in Argentina. 
 
¶17.  After the wave of favorable publicity that ensued after Ms. 
Trimarco received her award from Secretary Rice, plans to pass new 
anti-TIP legislation and better fight the problem moved forward 
quickly in Argentina.  We used traditional diplomacy to influence 
the government, keeping our public diplomacy on the issue very 
active.  Susana opened an internationally recognized foundation in 
her home province of Tucuman (which the Ambassador attended to 
bolster media attention), and the top soap opera on national 
television in 2008 was based on her story.  CNN International 
broadcast a piece across the globe that emphasized the award and 
Susana's relationship with the Embassy as key to the progress made 
in Argentina on the issue.  Other inspiring citizens have received 
increased public recognition and support as a result of Embassy 
media outreach and honors, such as Maria Rosa Gonzalez, a woman from 
 
BUENOS AIR 00001588  004 OF 006 
 
 
the slums who has waged an uphill but brave battle to help young 
people - including two of her own sons - addicted to "paco," a 
cocaine-derivative similar to (and as devastatingly pernicious as) 
crack. 
 
Commercial Public Diplomacy 
--------------------------- 
 
¶18. Embassy Buenos Aires also visibly supports corporate social 
responsibility.  U.S. companies are important contributors to the 
Argentine economy, with more than 500 U.S. firms active in the 
country.  Embassy Buenos Aires has worked hard to highlight the 
positive CSR efforts U.S. companies have initiated to help support 
communities in an attempt to demonstrate our commercial ties and the 
positive impact US firm have nationally and locally. The 
Ambassador's schedule regularly includes events to highlight good 
corporate citizenship, which we emphasize in our regular press 
releases, including visits to children's meal centers in slum areas. 
 To call more public attention to the good works of U.S. firms, the 
Embassy conducted its inaugural CSR Awards event in December 2007, 
in which the Ambassador honored the Embassy's five nominations for 
the Secretary of State's Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE).  The 
event took place at the Ambassador's residence and was attended by 
numerous public and private officials, business contacts, and, of 
course, prominent members of the media.  A second edition of this 
event is planned for the 2008 nominees. 
 
Cultural Programs 
----------------- 
 
¶19.  Thanks in part to Embassy-provided media coverage, Speaker Tom 
Wolfe was treated like a rock star during his May 2008 visit to 
Buenos Aires (reftel C).  The well-known writer put the United 
States at the center of the city's leading cultural and popular 
event of the year - the Buenos Aires International Book Fair, an 
event that attracts more than 1.2 million people.  Wolfe drew the 
largest audience for any event during the three-week fair.  In 
speeches at the Book Fair, literary fora, in press conferences and 
multiple television interviews, he urged journalism students and 
editors to fulfill their democratic responsibility to focus on 
reporting the truth.  Thanks to a carefully planned and executed 
program and press schedule, his positive message about journalism 
and U.S. culture dominated the cultural scene for weeks.  Coverage 
of Wolfe's activities in Buenos Aires reached millions of Argentines 
through broad newspaper, wire service, and television coverage.  But 
to make sure we reached other audiences, we also invited an 
Argentine-U.S. NASA astronaut to Book Fair events and hosted more 
than 500 for a U.S. Big Band music concert. 
 
2008 Elections Events 
--------------------- 
 
¶20.  We try to use contemporary events that have the potential to 
capture the Argentine public's imagination to tell our country's 
story.  This year's case in point is the just-concluded presidential 
elections, which the Argentine media covered obsessively.  We used 
the presidential campaigns to develop a number of different events 
that had broad public appeal (reftel D) 
 
¶21.  In an event that attracted international television news 
coverage, the Buenos Aires Consular Section invented a surefire 
"best practice" this year when it came up with the idea of giving 
Amcits a way to physically cast their absentee ballots at the U.S. 
Embassy during a "Voting Party" the morning of October 8.  Amcits 
had a chance to spend quality time with their Ambassador, drink 
Starbucks coffee, and eat American food.  Jazz music, red, white, 
and blue decorations, and wonderful weather made for the festive 
atmosphere.  The Ambassador and DCM cast their ballots to a drum 
roll.  The event attracted over 800 Amcits and 21 media outlets, 
international and local.  Amcits participated in dozens of 
interviews about their democratic expression. 
 
¶22.  All top local electronic media carried the story throughout the 
day, as did the print press the following morning.  Thanks to 
Ambassador Wayne's good humor vis-a-vis a hard-hitting local 
political satire show, we continue to receive good coverage from 
this tough customer and, in this case extended public exposure of 
the event later in the week to non-traditional and younger 
audiences.  The event reached millions across the globe as well, 
because CNN International broadcast a piece on the event that played 
around the world. 
 
¶23.  Embassy Buenos Aires' election night event (reftel E) also drew 
wide, positive media coverage, in part because post made it easy for 
the electronic media to attend the event and report it live.  The 
election night party attracted the widest and most positive media 
coverage of any Embassy event held in Argentina in recent memory. 
The celebration of democracy at its best included a straw poll by 
Argentine citizens, remarks by the CDA, a mock debate by 
 
BUENOS AIR 00001588  005 OF 006 
 
 
(well-informed Argentine graduate students posing as) Obama and 
McCain, and contests to guess various electoral outcomes.  The 
impact in Argentine television, radio, Internet, and press media was 
substantial, allowing us to transmit a message of optimism about 
American democracy and the future of the bilateral relationship to 
an estimated potential audience of 10 million Argentines. 
 
¶24.  Our election outreach efforts involved all Embassy sections. 
Our Election Speaker Program totaled 43 presentations on U.S. 
Elections at universities, high schools, NGOs and bi-national 
centers throughout Argentina to over 2,000 Argentines, mostly 
students.  Many of the presentations were covered by local media, 
which carried our message to a much wider audience.  Twenty-three 
FSOs and other embassy staff participated in the program. 
 
English Teaching 
---------------- 
 
¶25. We decided to make English teaching a priority area because it 
will have a long-term positive impact for Argentina's young people 
and, we believe, on their attitudes towards the U.S. (reftel A).  We 
decided to target poorer students with good grades and an interest 
in English.  Named after an Argentine and a U.S. Educator who worked 
together in the 1800s, the Sarmiento-Mann program provides small 
grants to enable students from public high schools to study English 
at bi-national centers throughout Argentina.  The program began with 
60 scholarships at five centers (in 2007), growing in 2008 to 160 
scholarships in nine centers.  In the coming year, Post will invest 
250,000 dollars in ECA funding to expand the program to provinces 
throughout all of Argentina.  To focus public attention on the 
program, the Ambassador, DCM, PAO and other Mission personnel often 
make appearances with young Sarmiento-Mann scholars during their 
travel through Argentina, discussing the virtues of the program with 
the local media.  We team this program with our Youth Ambassador and 
Teacher Ambassador programs and draw ties between them all and 
opportunities offered by the Fulbright Program. 
 
DOD-led Embassy Outreach Activities 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶26.  While many other posts in WHA have more opportunities to 
utilize DOD efforts than we do in Argentina, we look for 
opportunities to chip away at prejudices against the U.S. military 
and militaries in general, given the bad memories from Argentina's 
military government that still prevail here.  In October, for 
example, the Defense Attach's Office conducted a Humanitarian 
Airlift Mission to deliver clothing, toys, and money to the small 
indigenous town of Santa Victoria del Este, in the extreme northeast 
region of Salta, a few miles from the Paraguay/Bolivia/Argentina 
border.  The donations were made to an order of Catholic missionary 
nuns called the "Hermanas Franciscanas Misioneras de Santa Teresa 
del Este," who work day and night providing food and shelter to the 
numerous transient indigenous of the area.  A special DOD flight 
brought a monetary donation to repair radio equipment the nuns use 
to broadcast public service announcements, educational information, 
and spiritual support to the surrounding population.  In another 
case, a visiting U.S. ship delivered an ambulance as a gift from a 
U.S. Rotary Club to a rural Argentina town.  In a third case, the 
Milgroup bought furnishings for a new anti-drug NGO in one of the 
capital's most dangerous districts. 
 
¶27.  In addition to social outreach, we have used ship visits to 
great PD effect.  In May, Ambassador Wayne escorted senior officials 
from the Ministry of Defense, Armed Forces, and Congress to visit 
the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.  Included in the group 
were the President of the Chamber of Deputies' Defense Commission, 
the Chief of Staff of the Navy, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, 
the Under Secretary of Technical Military Affairs from the Ministry 
of Defense, and the mayors of two nearby coastal towns, Bahia Blanca 
and Punta Alta.  The group flew 150 nautical miles out, and landed 
on the aircraft carrier using one of the carrier's transport 
aircraft.  While on board the George Washington, the Ambassador and 
his guests observed an ongoing exercise with the Argentine Navy 
which included Argentine ships and aircraft.  Additionally, the 
group was given an air demonstration by the various aircraft aboard 
the carrier and received a briefing from the Carrier Strike Group 
commander.  The Argentine television and newspaper journalists who 
accompanied the visit to the carrier broadcast and printed 
extensive, positive stories on the visit, focusing on the 
cooperation between the U.S. and Argentine navies occasioned by the 
carrier visit.  The Argentine officials and journalists who came on 
the trip have since had consistently positive interaction with the 
Embassy. 
 
Stating the Obvious 
------------------- 
 
¶28.  All of the above mentioned 2008 Embassy programs have been 
successful because they have been driven by very clear guiding 
 
BUENOS AIR 00001588  006 OF 006 
 
 
principles: 
 
--  Never stray from a positive agenda.  All messages focus on the 
positive side of the issue.  Messages are designed to convey the 
utmost respect and friendship, regardless of how difficult the issue 
or deep the disagreement may be. 
 
--  Listen to the audience, identify common positive values, and 
tailor messages to those values to maximize receptivity.  Messages 
need to be shaped so that what is intended by the sender is heard by 
the receiver.  For example, press releases about U.S. democracy 
focus on what the Argentine audience most prizes about our political 
system -- our strong, stable institutions -- with less emphasis on 
the freedom U.S. citizens value relatively more.  Programs should 
focus on the social issues that are of concern to the audience. 
Supporting local "heroes" earns a warm reception and non-USG 
"Champions" often bring added credibility to a theme. 
 
--  Respect the press, uphold press freedom principles, and respond 
to queries with the best answer available.  Building trust takes 
time and effort.  Transparency and open, regular communication are 
powerful democratic messages and an open embassy is perceived by 
journalists to be a friendly embassy.  At the same time, 
disagreement is something that democracies uphold, so it is 
important to offer to talk things through while accepting the 
journalist's right to disagree.  Always strictly enforce and 
repeatedly remind journalists about ground rules.  Be clear on the 
price paid when violations occur, and exact that price when they do 
occur. 
 
--  Use all sources available, from rock stars and sports heroes to 
Nobel Prize winners and U.S. companies, to carry the positive agenda 
forward.  If you can be part of a local coalition, working for a 
U.S. priority, you will have a better chance of succeeding. 
 
--  Be active and be seen. 
 
What Next? 
---------- 
 
¶29.  Post has no higher priority than combating the high levels of 
anti-Americanism in Argentina.  As this cable indicates, we are 
already contesting these insidious attitudes on several fronts.  At 
the same time, we recognize that there are many other innovative 
public diplomacy strategies that could work here, and we hope that 
other missions will also share their best practices. 
 
¶30.  We will continue to reach out to Argentine society on a number 
of fronts.  For example, we plan to expand our efforts to bring the 
Argentine media and worthwhile causes together, regardless of the 
extent of our contribution to or day-to-day involvement in the 
organization.  In this way, we will provide added value as the 
conduit between the media and causes that deserve media attention. 
We will also increase our use of "sports diplomacy" in this 
sports-crazy country.  We plan to greatly increase our English 
teaching program, especially in the provinces of Argentina, which 
have traditionally not benefited from such programs.  Finally, we 
hope to sharply expand our use of video technology to make our 
website and other outreach efforts better targeted and more 
appealing to Argentine audiences. 
 
WAYNE