Cablegate: Media Reaction: Western Hemisphere: Bolivia, Venezuela;

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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #1058 2781313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051313Z OCT 06
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5860
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 6914
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 7487
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2584

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 001058

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STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: BOLIVIA, VENEZUELA;
COLOMBIA: FARC REBELS; SAO PAULO

1. "Instability Increase in Bolivia"

Business-oriented Valor Economico editorialized (10/5): "President
Evo Morales is engulfed in another wave of political instability.
The polarization of forces intensified following the truce
represented by the Constituent Assembly election and the referendum
on the Bolivian provinces' autonomy.... The alliance between Morales
and noisy Venezuelan President Hugo Chvez is another source of
problems. A military agreement between the two nations, which had
been kept in secrecy, was revealed in mid September. Its terms are
not clear, but in the current Bolivian political climate many now
believe that Venezuelan troops have permission to enter Bolivian
territory in the event that the Morales administration faces
problems. Those who think that Morales wants to imitate Chvez have
their opinions reinforced.... In such a volatile environment, the
Bolivian government has also found means to irritate foreign
investors, especially Petrobras and the Brazilian government.... As
a result, the supply of Bolivian gas to Brazil has never been as
vulnerable as it is now."

2. "Ready For Dialogue"

An editorial in liberal, largest national circulation daily Folha de
S. Paulo commented (10/5): "Colombian President Alvaro Uribe's
willingness to resume peace negotiations with the FARC (Colombian
Revolutionary Armed Forces), the main guerrilla group operating in
that nation, is welcome.... Uribe has competently managed the
guerrilla problem. First he weakened it through military means, and
now that the guerrilla is very much weakened he suggests a
dialogue.... If he succeeds, he will be considered a statesman. He
will have healed the open wound that has tormented the Colombians'
life for four decades and caused thousands of deaths."
McMullen

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