VZCZCXYZ0030
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0088/01 0282026
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 282025Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0395
INFO RHMCSUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000088 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC 
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR PREL HA AR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: HONDURAS; 01/28/10; BUENOS AIRES 
 
SUMMARY 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶1.   Local media distinguished between U.S. support for elected 
President Lobo and the absence of most Latin American countries 
from his swearing-in ceremony.  Newspapers were divided on the U.S. 
role in the Honduran crisis.  Some media blame the U.S. for helping 
validate the June 28 coup d'etat through acknowledging the outcome 
of the November election, while others praise the U.S. "pragmatism" 
in acknowledging the new president's legitimacy.  One 
pro-government paper highlighted President Obama's delay in 
cancelling the visas of "coup mongers." End summary. 
 
 
 
LOBO OBTAINS FULL U.S., BUT 
 
LITTLE LATIN AMERICAN, SUPPORT 
 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶2.   Some local dailies underscored that elected President Lobo 
received total support from the U.S., which sent Assistant 
Secretary Arturo Valenzuela to attend his inauguration ceremony, 
while only two Latin American countries sent their representatives. 
Leading circulation Clarin says Lobo took over as Honduran 
President with the "U.S. congratulations under his arm," but with 
only two Latin American presidents and a few foreign delegations 
present. 
 
 
 
¶3.   An opinion piece in pro-government, left-of-center Pagina 12 
notes that during the November election only four countries 
supported Lobo, one of which was the U.S., while two months later 
Lobo obtained the acknowledgement of two of his neighboring 
countries (Guatemala and El Salvador).  The paper underscores that 
Mercosur and ALBA countries will not recognize Lobo. The article 
adds that Lobo also obtained the support of OAS Secretary General 
Jose Miguel Insulza, who made public calls in favor of the 
reinstatement of Honduras into the OAS. 
 
 
 
¶4.   Another Pagina 12 article says that Lobo's policies are 
expected to continue those of the military dictatorship, that "he 
will impose neo-liberal measures, reduce public expenditure and 
pass a law to protect Foreign Investment."  The paper quotes former 
Honduran President Manuel Zelaya citing A/S Valenzuela's remarks 
that elections are not enough to restore democracy and that a lot 
more is necessary. 
 
 
 
¶5.  Business-financial Ambito Financiero reported that Lobo took 
over as the new Honduran president with "total support of the U.S. 
although not from most Latin American countries." 
 
 
 
"ELECTIONS VALIDATE A COUP" 
 
SOME BLAME U.S. FOR VALIDATING THE COUP 
 
WHILE OTHERS PRAISE U.S. PRAGMATISM 
 
--------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶6.   Pro-government Buenos Aires Economico (BAE) subheadline reads, 
"Lobo's inauguration appears to "consolidate and legitimize the 
coup."  An opinion piece in centrist Critica de la Argentina says 
the coup is the outcome of U.S. contradictions, and that Zelaya's 
downfall was planned by Republicans and the Bush supporters who are 
infiltrated into the Pentagon and the CIA. 
 
 
 
¶7.   Under the headline "Elections validated a coup d'etat," Clarin 
signals that the June coup unveils the flagrant weakness of 
regional democracies.  The paper claims that the coup took place 
 
because the U.S. conservative right wing encouraged it and 
validated it afterwards.  Finally, the article concludes that 
President Obama is one of those who should be held liable for the 
Honduran disaster. 
 
 
 
¶8.   On the positive side, an opinion article in Critica de la 
Argentina praised the White House's pragmatism in acknowledging the 
new president's legitimacy, noting that the final outcome of the 
political crisis is a defeat for Chavez's interventionism and 
expansionism. 
 
 
 
HUMAN RIGHTS NGOS DENOUNCE 
 
OBAMA'S LACK OF LEADERSHIP 
 
-------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶9.   Pro-government, left-of-center Pagina 12 newspaper quoted the 
head of Human Rights Watch's Americas Division as saying that Obama 
did not play an immediate leading role in the Honduran crisis, that 
it took him two months to cancel the "coup mongers' visas," and 
that the cancellation of visas was an efficient tool because the 
Honduran elite has close ties with Miami.  The paper mentions that 
the head of Human Rights Watch's Americas Division also highlighted 
that Obama should have imposed immediate unilateral sanctions on 
coup mongers but, instead, he bet on political and diplomatic 
pressure.  The article says Human Rights and Amnesty International 
blasted the human rights violations that have been committed  since 
the June coup d'etat.  Regarding the amnesty approved by the 
Honduran Congress overnight, the paper notes that although the 
amnesty does not include the reduction or exemption of penalties 
for those held liable for the human rights violations committed, in 
practice this does not mean that an investigation will be performed 
to find out exactly what happened. 
 
 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
 
classified website at: 
 
  
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
MARTINEZ