US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1291

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001291 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES 
DEPT. FOR PM AND EB/TRA 
DEPT. FOR WHA/EPSC, WHA/PPC AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, PGOV, MASS, EAID, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON MCC, BOLIVIA AND ECUADOR, JUNE 
14, 2005 
 
 
1. On 06/14 the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
published an editorial entitled "The fringe of risk." 
"We've been insisting that if we do not take care of the 
roots of these ungovernability crises in these countries. 
The hemisphere's democracy will experience serious 
backslidings such as those in Ecuador and Bolivia." 
 
"We mentioned earlier data of recent diagnosis that puts 
Honduras on the `fringe of risk' because the rates of 
economical inequality and human development are more 
critical than the those in other countries which have 
already fallen into this unstable social-political crisis." 
 
"A recent study by the Economic Commission for Latin America 
and the Caribbean [ECLAC] states that our country is still 
one of the poorest countries in our region and has fallen 
behind in achieving the United Nations' millennium goals in 
reducing poverty by half in 2015. The same situation is 
happening in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Haiti and 
Paraguay." 
 
"Obviously MCC's $215 million contribution will come in very 
handy because it will be invested in the next five years 
towards rural development to increase agriculture activity 
and business abilities and to reduce transportation costs 
between markets." 
 
"Poverty reduction isn't going to be miraculously achieved 
because there are a great number of accumulated problems. 
Social debt is enormous and people's patience in waiting for 
democracy to fulfill its promises has its limits. False 
expectations shouldn't be given when most of the population 
is near desperation." 
 
Pierce