US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA154

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000154 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/PDA (OHILTON), WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, PREL, KPAO, PGOV, KDEM, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON PRESIDENT BUSH'S INAUGURATION, JANUARY 
24, 2005 
 
1. Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based moderate daily "El Heraldo" on 
1/22, entitled "Bush: Part II."  "Last Thursday, on the second 
inauguration of President George W. Bush, amidst the applause of 
his followers and the distant protests of his repressed 
opponents, we saw another manifestation of the division of 
American society.  Meanwhile, Bush's inauguration address 
generated some concern around the world." 
 
"Despite his evident failure in Iraq, Bush presented himself as 
some kind of prophet of freedom and a fighter against tyranny, 
who will use American military power to impose his view of 
democracy on the world." 
 
"Now, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Myanmar, Belarus and Zimbabwe have 
been targeted by the neo-conservatives who rule in the U.S., not 
because their leaders are dictators or tyrants, but because they 
don't observe the guidelines from Washington, as can be proved by 
Muammar Khadafi, who has been dropped from the blacklist where we 
can't find other worse dictators, such as those who rule in 
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, Egypt, and even Russia." 
 
"We hope that, in practice, the second part of the Bush 
administration doesn't incite so much violence in the world as it 
did in his first tenure." 
 
2. Editorial in San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily "La Prensa" on 
1/22, titled "Freedom According to Bush."  "President Bush's 
second term comes at a difficult time, especially in the 
international arena, where Washington's optimism collides with 
the deteriorated image of the U.S. abroad, particularly in 
Europe, its traditional ally.  For that reason, some believe that 
U.S. policies could change in this term, not in the war against 
terrorism, but to prepare the historical legacy Bush will leave 
behind." 
 
"Analyzing his address, it's impossible to disregard the value of 
freedom for humanity, but the U.S. primary goal shouldn't be to 
impose it, for good or bad, in the whole world.  Obviously, this 
is a praiseworthy and ambitious objective, but who has given the 
U.S. the right to change, for instance, the ancient culture and 
traditions of Islam people in Asia and other parts of the world 
for the sake of a democratic system they hardly understand?" 
 
"In addition, Latin America expects a change in attitude by this 
administration toward the solution of its critical economic 
problems and social inequalities.  The political future of 
several South American countries, that in free elections have 
chosen leaders and have positioned themselves away from 
neoliberalism and globalization, depend on that change." 
 
Pierce