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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0571
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
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RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
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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: Media Report January 21 
 
Secretary Clinton-Chile 
 
¶1.            "Hillary Clinton Phones Pi????era and Presidents 
Confirm 
Attendance to Inauguration" Even though on Tuesday 
(President-elect) Sebastian Pi????era received a greeting letter from 
the United States, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called 
the new President yesterday to congratulate him on his election. 
Meanwhile, yesterday, presidents of Argentina Cristina Fernandez 
and Uruguay's Fernando Lugo confirmed their attendance to the March 
11 inauguration.  In his talks with foreign Heads of State, Pi????era 
also invited the presidents of Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, 
who are very likely to attend. Mexican Felipe Calderon's presence 
is still unknown. (Conservative, independent La Tercera, 1/21) 
 
 
 
Chavez-Pi????era 
 
¶2.            Only 72 hours after Sebastian Pi????era's election, 
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez made his first statement about 
Pi????era. In a warning tone, Chavez responded to President-elect 
Pi????era's comments Monday, in which he stated having strong 
discrepancies with Venezuela.  "There are deep differences in terms 
of how democracy is understood and practiced; the way in which the 
economic model is developed, and much more," asserted Pi????era. 
During an event in Caracas, Chavez said: "The least we can ask is 
respect for the Venezuelan sovereign people... Let us not get 
involved with the Chileans, and have the new Chilean Government 
stay away from us... I expect Mr. Pi????era not to intend 
transforming 
Chile into another platform of attack against Venezuela... I call 
on you to focus on governing and doing what you should do." In 
addition, he commented that Pi????era's victory was based on an 
"offensive" from the right to "restore" the neoliberal project 
driven by the United States within the Hemisphere. (Conservative, 
newspaper-of-record, El Mercurio, 1/21) 
 
 
 
¶3.            Article by Washington correspondent Alvaro Vargas 
Llosa on President Chavez' remarks criticizing President-elect 
Pi????era: "Sources close to the President-elect said that they would 
avoid responding to these kinds of attacks, while they would 
continue to establish a clear stance on international issues... In 
Washington's case, many things could be reproached to the Bush 
Administration, but the line followed by Tom Shannon during the 
past two years was clever: it consisted in ignoring Chavez' 
bravados while attempting to strengthen its relations with the 
center-left and center-right.  Nothing would isolate Chavez more 
than seeing Pi????era... become involved with the rest of Latin 
American countries and Spain's Zapatero." (La Tercera, 1/21) 
 
 
 
Haiti 
 
¶4.            Local coverage on Haiti focused on the rescue efforts 
and the finding of people alive under the rubble. 
 
 
 
¶5.            "Rescue Workers Run against Time in Search for the 
Few Life Miracles Still Emerging in Haiti" The story also 
highlighted State Department Greg Adams' phone briefing with Latin 
American media yesterday: "We are committed with the people of 
Haiti in the long-term," said Adams.  He also noted that in spite 
of the fact that the U.S. troops will stay on the island "the least 
time possible" due to their "other commitments" in Iraq and 
Afghanistan "we will not leave Haiti shortly. We are here to stay." 
Greg Adams was also quoted saying that the United States "is ready" 
to assist the Haitian Government. "If they need observers for when 
the elections take place, assist on security, we will help, but 
that is a decision for Haiti and not the United States,' he noted. 
(El Mercurio, 1/21) 
 
¶6.            "Surprising Rescue of People Alive Under the Ruins 
One Week After the Earthquake" (La  Tercera, 1/21) 
 
 
 
¶7.            "Incipient Haitian Political System Sees Elections 
Postponed for a Year" (El Mercurio, 1/21) 
 
 
 
¶8.            "U.S. Promises More Soldiers, while Hospital Ship 
Tends First Patients" (Government-owned, but editorially 
independent, La Nacion, 1/21) 
URBAN