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SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV ECON PREL SNAR EFIN CI
SUBJECT:  CHILE MEDIA REPORT -- JUNE 12 
 
Leading Stories 
--------------- 
¶1.   The Health Ministry issued a decree as a result of the WHO's 
declaration of a pandemic, placing human influenza as the first 
priority in terms of resources, allocation of medical personnel and 
medications.  Dailies also report that the Investigations Police 
suspended six of its detectives in connection to a child 
prostitution ring. 
 
U.S.-Related News 
----------------- 
¶2.  President Bachelet's agenda in Washington starts with a private 
meeting with President Obama on June 23, followed by a meeting that 
will include Ministers Mariano Fernandez (foreign affairs), Andres 
Velasco (finance,) and Marcelo Tokman (energy).  Bachelet will then 
meet with Vice President Joe Biden.  One of her most symbolic 
activities will be the inauguration of a sculpture of Bernardo 
O'Higgins at the Chilean Embassy (El Mercurio, conservative, 
influential newspaper-of-record, circ. 129,000; La Tercera, 
conservative, independent, circ. 101,000, 6/12). 
 
¶3.  The Executive Board of the Chilean Wood Corporation (CORMA) met 
again on Monday to strengthen their offensive and find a prompt 
solution to the commercial conflict with the United States over the 
subsidies that the USG pays U.S. cellulose producers.  The goal is 
for President Bachelet to include this topic in her meeting with 
President Obama in Washington on June 23 (La Segunda, conservative, 
afternoon (circ. 33,000, 6/11). 
 
AH1N1 
----- 
¶4.  The WHO's declaration of a pandemic will not significantly alter 
the measures already being applied in Chile to contain the outbreak, 
said Health Minister Alvaro Erazo.  However, it does give him the 
authority to order schools and universities to close or to ban 
public activities.  Local authorities have completely discarded the 
possibly of closing border crossings or applying travel restrictions 
(La Tercera, 6/12). 
 
¶5.  Center for Disease Control (CDC) official Anthony Mounts said 
Chile is in conditions to carry out more research than other 
countries and it has climatic elements worth studying.  With regard 
to Puerto Montt, where the virus has been especially aggressive, WHO 
expert Elena Pedroni said it is possible that the high tourist flow 
to that area and the cold weather contributed to the spread of the 
virus (La Tercera, 6/12). 
 
¶6.  Gringo CDC experts Anthony Mounts and Octavio Silva met 
yesterday with health officials to hold a video conference with WHO 
officials and experts in Mexico and Canada to get a grip on how the 
piggy influenza developed in Chile and the measures applied locally 
to contain it (Popular tabloid La Cuarta, 6/12). 
 
Prostitution Scandal 
-------------------- 
¶7.  Background:  The Public Ministry reopened an investigation 
concerning the involvement of Investigations Police (PDI) detectives 
and a prosecutor in a prostitution network that involved minors in 
the port of Valparaiso.  The case dates back to 2007, when Carlos 
Parra was sentenced to eight years in prison for sexual exploitation 
and "facilitating minors."  One of the victims testified at the time 
that several detectives were involved in the network.  The PDI, 
however, issued a report stating that there was no evidence of such 
connection.  In March of this year, former PDI sheriff Hector Guzman 
went to the Chamber of Deputies to denounce the ties between the 
detectives and the prostitution network.  PDI Under Secretary 
Ricardo Navarrete denied such ties. A few days ago the former 
sheriff denounced the case on Channel 13 TV, which aired an 
investigative report with the results.  As a result of that program, 
the PDI's national director ordered an internal investigation. End 
background. 
 
¶8.  Human Rights Assembly attorney Hugo Gutierrez claims that Navy 
personnel contacted the head of the prostitution ring, Parra, to 
provide minors to UNITAS personnel in 2007 (All dailies, 6/12). 
 
UNASUR-Venezuela 
---------------- 
¶9.  President Hugo Chavez was scheduled for an official visit to 
 
Chile at the same time of the next UNASUR meeting on July 6.  But 
now UNASUR will take place in Ecuador on August 10.  Caracas will 
propose a new date for an official visit, said Foreign Affairs 
Minister Mariano Fernandez (La Tercera, 6/12). 
SIMONS