VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0230 1101310
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201310Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9117
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0264
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 9118

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000230 
 
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 XM XR XF BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION SAO PAULO: Antarctica, Obama, G20, Venezuela 
04-10-2009 and 04-12-2009 
 
Media Reaction: Global Economy: G-20 summit readout; financial 
market crisis; protectionism; climate change and environment; 
Europe: POTUS with EU; Western Hemisphere: Venezuela, Chavez's 
policies; Sao Paulo 
 
Friday, April 10, 2009 
 
Title- South Pole Treaty, 50 
 
Editorial in liberal Folha de Sco Paulo (4-10) states: "The presence 
of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the session to 
celebrate the 50 years of the Antarctic Treaty on Monday illustrates 
the importance of this unique international deal....This was a 
symbolic but positive move, because at the moment, polar tensions 
converge for the North.  The ideal is that in the North Pole uses 
the same model adopted in the Antarctic.  Less promising is the 
process that should produce in 2009 an international treaty to fight 
climate change and succeed the Kyoto Protocol....Despite the 
political turnaround in the U.S., talks don't advance. [We expect] 
that in 50 years we will have a treaty as we now celebrate with the 
Antarctic." 
 
Title-A good hurricane 
 
Op-ed in liberal Folha de Sco Paulo (4-10) by the Brazilian Senate 
President and former President Jos Sarney says: "Europe was 
fascinated with Obama when they received him....Instead of an 
arrogant oil driller from Texas, a simple, kind men, lover of 
dialogue and with ears opened to listening appeared.  He shares 
opinions and responsibilities....Obama's power to convince others 
shows that the right route to fight terrorism (as opposed to an 
insane practice that affects all humanity) is the cooperation of 
wills and not only the multiplication of weapons and troops...This 
is a different U.S. President.  It encourages a better humanity." 
 
Title- G20 and Brazil's emergence 
 
Op-ed in liberal Folha de Sco Paulo (4-12) by Senator Aloizio 
Mercadante comments: "Obama's public praise to Lula in the G20 
summit....represents above all, a recognition of the new role that 
our country [Brazil] and other emerging nations have in this 
turbulent global scenario...G8 had to turn into G20....There won't 
be 'national solutions' for the global crisis.  In the 1929 crisis, 
'national solutions' led to more crisis, xenophobia and 
authoritarian regimes that led to the World War II....Obama, 
representing a U.S. more aligned with multilateralism, was decisive 
[in London].  And 'the man' [in allusion to Obama's comments on 
Lula, "that's my man'] representing the new force of Brazil's help- 
A lot." 
 
Sunday, April 12, 2009 
 
Title- The crisis in Venezuela 
 
Editorial in center-right O Estado de S. Paulo (4-12) notes: "The 
situation of the [state-run company] Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) 
is critical....Having few alternatives to finance itself, the 
government preferred to voraciously use its reserves....Without 
resources from the oil [industry], Chavez will have to cut his 
projects." 
 
Title- Diplomacy under works 
 
Editorial in liberal Folha de Sco Paulo (4-12) states: "[Obama's] 
sentence [to Zapatero "you will realize that my approach is 
completely different from that of my predecessor] does not catch 
[our] attention for its unpretentiousness, but summarizes well the 
spirit of the series of trips and diplomatic initiatives to which 
Obama has devoted himself to in the last couple of days...After 
September 11's trauma...we have a return to a style of 'diplomatic 
realism' that without any doubts is more adequate to the complexity 
of the [current] international scenario.  Obama's challenge, that is 
barely beginning, is to fight a situation in which demonstrations of 
force do not constitute the first option." 
WHITE