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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #1070/01 3132013
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 092012Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0240
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0143
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0139
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0081
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001070 
 
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 Nov. 9 Media Report 
 
Lead Story 
 
¶1.            The national scholastic test for fourth graders shows 
that only 24% have the level of language skills required for that 
grade.  The test also confirms that the gap that exists between 
private and public education remains unchanged; only 12% of 
low-income school students achieved advanced level skills 
(Conservative, in dependent La Tercera, 11/9). 
 
 
 
U.S.-Related News 
 
¶2.      Sources in Santiago said there are "talks" underway with 
the United States for a "possible' meeting between Presidents 
Bachelet and Obama at APEC to discuss, among other things, the 
difficult situation in Honduras.  Bachelet will meet at APEC with 
Chinese President Hu Jintao (Conservative, influential El Mercurio, 
11/9). 
 
 
 
¶3.      Arturo Valenzuela was confirmed Assistant Secretary of 
State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.  His appointment is of 
special importance given the absence of a special envoy to the 
region (El Mercurio, 11/7). 
 
 
 
¶4.      Editorial: "Chile's forestry sector has gone through some 
rough times because of the subsidy that U.S. cellulose producers 
receive.... It is evident that this subsidy is hurting forestry 
companies in Chile and in other countries.... On Tuesday, Chile's 
Foreign Ministry will submit its complaint regarding the subsidy to 
the Chile-U.S Free Trade Agreement Administration on behalf of 
local forestry companies.  This is important, because regardless of 
the outcome, it will clearly set Chile's position on a situation 
that affects commercial relations between the two countries" (El 
Mercurio, 11/9). 
 
 
 
 
 
¶5.      Editorial:  "The House approved the health reform by a 
small difference....  This victory is good for the president... 
because in the eyes of the average American he has moved slowly in 
the yet inaugural stage of his office.... This disenchantment ... 
exists abroad too, where there is the growing perception that the 
president is having a hard time dismantling the interventionist, 
unilateral, and adversarial structure set up by his predecessor 
"(Government-owned La Nacion, 11/9). 
 
 
 
¶6.      Editorial:  "President Obama will have to carefully weigh 
the emotional effect of Fort Hood before escalating the conflict in 
Afghanistan.  This won't be easy, because the memories of Vietnam 
have been lingering for some time. Fort Hood has brought back for 
some the worst fear, which is that U.S. society is trapped in a war 
without destiny and that is taking the lives of young promising 
individuals for motives that are not fully understood" 
(Conservative, influential newspaper-of-record El Mercurio, 11/9). 
 
 
 
U.S.-Brazil 
 
¶7.      In the Communist Party's Congress in Brazil, President Luiz 
Inacio Lula da Silva referred to the Colombia-U.S. military 
agreement: "Dear comrade Obama, we don't need U.S. bases in 
Colombia to fight narcotics trafficking in South America.  We will 
take care of South America and our borders and you look after your 
consumers.  The world will be better this way" (La Tercera, 11/8). 
 
U.S.-China 
 
¶8.      China's authorization for Disney to build a theme park in 
Shanghai is timely considering President Obama's upcoming visit to 
China. Both countries have strong differences and very conservative 
sectors in Washington believe that it is just a matter of time 
before the two enter a Cold War, especially given China's recent 
military growth.  The U.S. President wants to strengthen ties with 
Beijing and will most likely seek a constructive relationship with 
President Jintao (El Mercurio, 11/9). 
 
 
 
Marriott Hotel Bombing 
 
¶9.      Police stains, churches, banks, embassies, and hotels have 
been targets of explosive devices since 2004.  On Tuesday one 
device detonated outside the Marriott Hotel.  It was the 14th this 
year and the 102nd since 2004.  The Public Ministry has requested 
the FBI's cooperation in the investigation of these attacks, 
particularly with regard to their manufacturing and its information 
on anarchist organizations worldwide. The FBI, on the other hand, 
has inquired about trends of these types of bombings in Chile. In 
the framework of this cooperation, prosecutors, and police officers 
traveled in March to FBI headquarters in the United States to train 
in the investigation of explosive devices.  In 2001, the FBI also 
assisted with the investigation of the "letter bombs" received by 
the U.S. Embassy in Santiago.  Embassy sources said that this type 
of cooperation occurs every time there is a request for it (La 
Tercera, 11/8). 
 
 
 
¶10.    15 members of the U.S. Special Forces were staying at the 
Marriott Hotel where the bomb detonated last week.  They had been 
participating in the "Southern Star" military exerQ with 
soldiers from Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay and decided toQa 
few days after the exercise concluded.  Local prosecutors 
immediately began looking into the possibility that this was a 
directed and planned attack, but it soon became evident that it was 
a coincidence.  One reason is that the device was placed in a 
bathroom and not in a conference room or on the floor where the 
foreigners were staying.  The second is that the statement issued 
by the anarchist organization that claimed responsibility did not 
mention the intent of attacking foreigners or U.S. interests (El 
Mercurio, 11/8). 
 
 
 
Local 
 
¶11.    President Bachelet named General Juan Miguel Fuente-Alba 
Army Commander-in-Chief.  Fuente-Alba will take office in March 
¶2010.  But human rights organizations are questioning the general's 
appointment because of his alleged presence in Calama in 1973 when 
the so-called "Death Caravan" arrived in that town. Fuente-Alba has 
testified twice that at the time he had been assigned to another 
town. Government spokesperson Carolina Toha said on Friday that the 
judge investigations the case had "completely ruled out" the 
general's participation in human rights violations ((El Mercurio 
11/7, 11/8; La Tercera, 11/8). 
 
 
 
Poll 
 
¶12.    El Mercurio-Opina September poll shows that Sebastian Pinera 
leads the presidential race with 38 percent in the cities of 
Santiago, Valparaiso, and Concepcion.  Eduardo Frei and Marco 
Enriquez-Ominami received 21.5 and 20.4 percent respectively, which 
is a technical tie. In a runoff,  Pinera would receive 41.9 percent 
of the votes and Enriquez-Ominami 37.7 percent; Pinera versus Frei, 
42.7 and 36.8 percent respectively. 
 
¶13.    The election propaganda campaigns will start on Friday. 
This includes the television political spots (La Tercera, 11/8). 
Note:  The television propaganda is aired in two 20 minute blocks 
every day from noon to 12:30 and from 10:40-11:00p.m. On weekends 
the second block is aired 8:40 to 9:00 p.m. 
 
 
 
Indigenous Affairs 
 
¶14.    Police intelligence sources and regional prosecutors have 
records that the leaders of the radical Mapuche organization CAM 
trained in Colombia's FARC camps in the border with Ecuador from 
2004-2006. Their analysis also shows that since 2006, the CAM has 
changed its tactics and began attacking trucks, civilian vehicles, 
and began using high caliber weapons (El Mercurio 11/9). 
 
 
 
Cultural 
 
¶15.    BB King, "The King of Blues," will perform in Santiago on 
March 27 at Teatro Caupolican (La Tercera, 11/7). 
SIMONS