VZCZCXYZ0016
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0311 1462017
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 262017Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9235
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0384
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 9155

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000311 
 
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- North Korea, al Qaeda in Brazil, 
Chavez, Brazil's Environment, Iran 05-26-2009 
 
Media reaction: East Asia and Pacific: DPRK, nuclear program; 
Western Hemisphere: Venezuela, Chavez's policies; Global Economy: 
climate change and environment; Anti-Terrorism Efforts: al-Qaida 
global influence; South and Central Asia:  Iran, human rights; SAO 
PAULO 
 
May 26, 2009 
 
Title - The Red Button 
 
Editorial in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (5-26) states: 
"Internationally, North Korea uses its nuclear project as a 
bargaining chip....[and] on the domestic front the detonation serves 
as propaganda for the worn out communist regime.  The stroke 
suffered by Kim last year initiated a dispute over succession on the 
sidelines and demonstrations as the one we saw yesterday accomplish 
the function of reaffirming the power of the present dynasty - the 
dictator intends to give power to one of his sons.  A similar 
combination of external and domestic motivation, and of nuclear 
blackmail, is happening in Iran.....International diplomacy must use 
all of its bargaining chips in order to dissuade Iran and Korea from 
this path....But it is important to remember that diplomacy does not 
end at the moment nations enter the nuclear power club...and with 
that the hypothesis of an armed intervention is always 
temerarious." 
 
Title - Al Qaeda in Brazil 
 
Article in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (5-26) by Janio de Freitas 
says: "A high-ranking member of Al Qaeda was arrested in Brazil, 
under strict secrecy.  The arrest was made by Brazil's Federal 
Police in Sao Paulo, where the terrorist was based and conducted 
operations of international scale.  Nonetheless, there are no 
records that he was developing any activities linked to terror 
actions in Brazil....Only the U.S. government has information on 
what happened in Sao Paulo.... The choice for Sao Paulo by Al Qaeda 
seems to be derived, at least in part, by a combination of the 
Brazilian government's captivating neutrality towards Islamic 
countries and the non-existence of an anti-terrorist obsession here 
[in Brazil].....With the active presence of an Al Qaeda member in 
Sao Paulo, Brazil places itself on the map of international 
anti-terrorism fixations.  And there are only inconveniences in 
that." 
 
Title - The Chavist truculence aggravates 
 
Editorial in center-right O Estado de S. Paulo (5-26) notes: "Before 
the impact of the steep drop in oil prices on Venezuela's finances 
and the ability of Hugo Chavez to influence Latin American 
governments....his reaction has been to enhance the control of the 
State over the national economy...and to intensify the repression 
over the remaining independent institutions and social powers in the 
country,  like the press and unions....Chavez and Ecuadorian Rafael 
Correa have proposed to Unasul the creation of organisms that will 
'defend local governments from the abuses of the press.'  History 
shows that, in Latin America, the press has always been obliged to 
defend itself from governments whose abuse what it denounces.  And 
this is what always happens when a democracy does not succumb to its 
enemies." 
 
Title - New and larger legal aggressions against the environment 
 
Editorial in business oriented Valor Econtmico (5-26) states: 
"Recent measures taken by the [Brazilian] government and by Congress 
may worsen an already precarious Brazilian environmental 
picture.....An ample governmental alliance is needed for President 
Lula to elect his successor.  With this political bargain, many bad 
things may happen to the environment." 
 
Title - Violation of Human Rights in Iran 
 
Article in business oriented Valor Economico (5-26) by Marcos Alan 
Ferreira, ESPM professor with a degree in Strategy and Defense 
Policies from the National Defense University, notes: "the U.S. and 
Europe have acted in a concrete way in international forums against 
the development of nuclear technology by Iran.  On the other side, 
the important issue of Iran's human right record has been left in 
second place.  Nevertheless, this could be the starting point in the 
analysis of the international community towards that 
country...Another worrying issue is its religious intolerance...." 
WHITE