US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1247

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001247 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR IIP/G/WHA AND IIP/T/ES, 
FOR WHA/PDA, WHA/USOAS, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, PREL, KPAO, PGOV, KDEM, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON THE OAS, JUNE 09, 2005 
 
 
1. On 06/09, the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La 
Tribuna" published an editorial entitled, "Funeral March" 
"As seen in Bolivia, once you enter a crisis it can set of a 
chain reaction in several directions with unpredictable 
results. Today this country is on the verge of a civil war 
because the fire hasn't been put out by the president's 
resignation." 
 
"The National Congress which has to decide on a 
constitutional succession has difficulty in meeting and 
making a decision because the insurrection movements have 
paralyzed the country and are pressuring for a result that 
fulfills the movements' demands." 
 
"An example of Bolivia's explosive situation was given by a 
Native leader who, after being interviewed by a journalist 
on whether the country was on the verge of civil war, he 
responded: `Much better; we are witnessing a fight between 
white people and natives, so there should be a civil war 
because we can determine whether (invaders, transnationals, 
oligarchy, American Embassy) will continue running the 
country or we will.'" 
 
"All this is happening in front of the OAS which can't 
figure out what to do with this crisis of governability. The 
new Secretary General has decided to try instead in 
Nicaragua where Enrique Bolanos requested intervention to 
help convince the stubborn opposition to stop messing with 
his weak presidency." 
 
"As said before, Sandinists haven't removed Bolanos because 
they have no desire to do so. Politically speaking it's 
better for him to stay and the Sandinists will eventually 
win in elections. Why stop the funeral march if it's just a 
matter of patience until the government falls by itself?" 
 
2. The Tegucigalpa-based moderate paper "El Heraldo" 
published an editorial entitled "OAS Assembly."  "The 
Tuesday session of the OAS in Miami, during which Insulza 
made his first appearance, was the stage for the crossfire 
between U.S. and Venezuelan diplomats. It also had the 
underlying issues of the complicated Bolivian crisis and the 
struggle in Nicaragua between the branches of government." 
 
"The conflict between the U.S. and Venezuela was the main 
reason for the failure of the U.S. proposal to give the OAS 
authority to monitor democracy in the region in order to 
prevent socio-political conflicts like those in Ecuador and 
Bolivia. Venezuela, Brazil and Mexico contended that the 
proposal was a form of interventionism that would affect 
those governments that did not submit to Uncle Sam's will." 
 
"In addition to American hegemony and the clear Latin 
American opposition, the OAS has large obstacles to face in 
regards to its 34 member states." 
 
"Bolivia and Nicaragua put the OAS to the test. We hope that 
`making democracy a reality' can be achievable, especially 
for those who suffer the most in our poor and chaotic 
America." 
 
Tuebner