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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV ECON PREL SNAR EFIN CI
SUBJECT:  CHILE MEDIA REPORT - JANUARY 21 
 
Press Summary 
January 21, 2009 
 
Leading Stories 
--------------- 
¶1.  Chilean dailies prominently featured the Inauguration ceremony 
of President Barack Obama.  All newspapers highlighted the event 
with front-page headlines, photos, and excerpts of the President's 
inaugural address. 
 
U.S. -Related News 
------------------ 
¶2.  The front-page headlines read: "The Charismatic 44th President 
of the United States:  Barack Obama's Challenges, Strength, and 
Commitment" (El Mercurio, conservative, influential 
newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000, 1/21); "Obama Calls for Unity 
and Promises U.S. New Leadership in the World" (La Tercera, 
conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 1/21); "Euphoric Beginning 
of High Expectation Obama Era" (La Nacion, government-owned, 
editorially independent, circ. 4,200, 1/21); "Obama Presents Severe 
Diagnoses of the Crisis; World Stocks Markets Close with Sharp 
Drops" (Diario Financiero, business and financial, circ. 30,000, 
1/21); "Obama Promises Bold and Fast Economic Measures" (Estrategia, 
business and financial daily, circ. 30,000, 1/21); "Malia and Sasha 
Obama Overtake the White House" (Las Ultimas Noticias, popular, 
circ. 120,000, 1/21); "The World Expects 'SuperObama' "(La Segunda, 
conservative, afternoon daily, circ. 33,000, 1/20) 
 
¶3.  Chileans in the political and intellectual arena witnessed the 
Inauguration Ceremony at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in 
Santiago.  Ambassador Paul Simons hosted a luncheon to celebrate the 
44th President of the United States.  Approximately 70 guests 
watched Obama take the Oath of Office on flat-screens distributed 
throughout the room.  Minister of Public Works Sergio Bitar, 
economist Ignacio Walker, Socialist Party Senator Jaime Gazmuri, 
economist Sergio Melnick, and Christian Democratic Party Vice 
President Ximena Rincon commented on the inauguration (El Mercurio, 
1/21). 
 
¶4.  In an interview with Radio Cooperativa, the U.S. Ambassador to 
Chile expressed his expectation that Barack Obama will deepen U.S 
relations with Chile during his Administration (Radio Cooperativa's 
on-line website, 1/21). 
 
¶5.  The new Administration stands out in cyberspace.  Just after 
giving President Obama's remarks, the text was posted on the web. 
Instantaneously, the White House's website was renewed with a 
message promising more participation, transparency and communication 
(El Mercurio, 1/21). 
 
¶6.  Chilean President Michelle Bachelet sent a letter to U.S. 
President Barack Obama stating her confidence that the relationship 
with Chile will continue moving forward along the path of "respect, 
collaboration and mutual trust."  President Bachelet wrote, "This 
crossroads requires leadership and convictions such as the ones you 
represent. We wish to support those efforts to reach solutions that 
help realign a new process of global development." (La Tercera, 
1/21).  In remarks at the Presidential Palace, President Bachelet 
commented that she had sent Barack Obama a letter wishing him the 
best and said that:  "We all know that this is a gigantic challenge 
for the next Administration, which influences the World.  I believe 
that there are millions of people around the globe who wish Barack 
Obama succeeds in his job as President during the current 
circumstances....  Obama has awakened great hope among the American 
people and also millions of people around the world at a very 
difficult time in the United States" (La Segunda, conservative, 
afternoon daily, circ. 33,000, 1/20). 
 
Editorials 
---------- 
¶7.  "President Obama:  Impending Changes"  "His speech, avidly 
expected by analysts and filled with hopefulness for fellow 
citizens, showed with patriotic eloquence the vision with which he 
will face the future....  Possibly, Obama will be the one to 
inaugurate an era of greater state participation in economic 
decisions.  This places an enormous challenge on his government, 
because such a pendular change could bring along many problems" (El 
Mercurio, 1/21). 
 
¶8.  "The Obama Era"  "The true hope is that Obama will fulfill his 
commitment of changing the way the world's fate is affected, by -- 
as he stated yesterday -- putting an end to selfish demands and 
false promises, worn out recriminations and dogmas that have drowned 
our policies for so long" (Estrategia, business and financial daily, 
circ. 30,000). 
 
¶9.  "Obama's Inauguration"  "The paradox is that on few occasions a 
leader assumes amidst such willingness to make things succeed.  Only 
Kennedy's inauguration had awakened so many expectations" (La 
Nacion, 1/21). 
 
¶10.  "Obama Makes History"  "Obama's foreign and defense policies 
should change with regard to Bush's, with new emphasis in diplomacy 
and multilateralism, beyond some dramatic measures like the closing 
of the prison in Guantanamo....  Oddly enough, and unlike in other 
regions of the world, in Latin America neither the new Secretary of 
State Hillary Clinton at her testimony at the Senate, nor Obama 
himself, have generated higher expectations with the exception of a 
willingness to dialogue with Hugo Chavez and a decision to relax 
restrictions on trips and remittances to Cuba.  In Chile's case, 
with which (the U.S.)  has achieved a good bilateral relationship, 
this should continue and project (further)" (La Segunda, 1/20). 
 
SIMONS