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R 231741Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0187
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
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RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 0110
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001014 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL SNAR EFIN CI
SUBJECT: Santiago Oct. 23 Media Report 
 
Lead Story 
 
--------------- 
 
¶1.            Public school teachers began an indefinite strike 
today.  In this context, the government instructed schools to 
remain open and deliver lunches, the Ministry of Education said it 
would deduct from teacher's paychecks those days they are on 
strike, and mayors said they would request legal protection so that 
they can hire replacements (Conservative, independent El Mercurio, 
10/23). 
 
 
 
U.S.-Related News 
 
------------------------ 
 
¶2.            The negotiations in Congress to confirm Arturo 
Valenzuela as Assistant Secretary of State for Hemispheric Affairs 
have been tough. Republican Senator Jim DeMint is blocking 
Valenzuela's nomination based on the White House's policy in 
Honduras.  Chilean diplomatic sources said that DeMint wants a 
"graceful" solution for Micheletti as a requirement to confirm 
Valenzuela and added that Obama's visit to Chile depends on what 
happens in this case (Conservative, newsweekly Que Pasa, 10/23). 
 
 
 
¶3.      "Conservative billionaire Sebastian Pinera seems set to win 
Chile's presidential election in December, therefore ending two 
decades of center-left rule" The Washington Post reported 
yesterday.  Both Pinera and Marco Enriquez Ominami call themselves 
candidates "of change," although their proposals do not differ 
significantly from those launched by the Bachelet administration, 
said The Post (Leading popular daily, Las Ultimas Noticias, 10/23). 
 
 
 
 
¶4.      Editorial: "Obama's Most Important Decision." 
 
"In 2006, the situation in Iraq seemed also inextricable, but it 
changed with military reinforcement and the conversion of former 
enemies into allies.  A similar formula seems possible in 
Afghanistan" (La Segunda, 10/22). 
 
 
 
U.S.-Colombia 
 
------------------- 
 
¶5.      Colombian magazine "Cambio" said the text of the military 
agreement that Bogota is negotiating with Washington for the use of 
military bases will give the United States "access and use of three 
air force and two naval bases, the army's Instruction and Training 
Center in Tolemaida, and other units that might be necessary for 
joint operations." The agreement, said the magazine, limits the 
number of U.S. soldiers that can use the bases to 800, although an 
increase of decrease in military personnel and advisors will depend 
on needs. Reportedly, Colombia's Congress could eventually review 
and postpone the agreement.  Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez said 
yesterday that U.S. soldiers would have immunity, but not 
contractors (Government-owned, La Nacion, 10/23). 
 
 
 
Local 
 
-------- 
 
¶6.      Argentine President Cristina Fernandez will arrive in 
Santiago on October 30 to sign with President Bachelet an overall 
integration agreement between the two countries, said Foreign 
Minister Mariano Fernandez (Conservative, independent La Tercera, 
 
10/23). 
 
 
 
"Salitre" Exercise 
 
---------------------- 
 
¶7.      "Having observed the (Salitre) exercise... it is clear that 
there is not one element in it that should even remotely concern 
Peru.... But Lima should reflect on the fact that it is excluding 
itself from an exercise in which the three most important air force 
institutions in the region are taking part ... as well as many 
other countries... that sent observers, such as Venezuela, Bolivia, 
Ecuador, and Paraguay.... If Peru is concerned with regional 
integration, mutual trust, and with the noteworthy initiative of 
lowering military expenses, then it should not be excluding itself 
from these exercises" (Raul Sohr column, La Nacion, 10/23). 
SIMONS