US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1473

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001473 
 
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 DEBT FORGIVENESS, NICARAGUA AND 
OAS, JULY 12, 2005 
 
 
1. On 07/12 the Tegucigalpa-based moderate daily "El 
Heraldo" carried an op-ed by Gaspar Vallecillo Molina 
entitled "Debt Forgiveness and Poverty."  "Since an 
important debt forgiveness has been talked about an infinity 
of opinions arose." 
 
"If we don't have enough to pay off the debt how are we 
going to give to the poor what we don't have? It is doubtful 
that governmental corruption increases in yesterday, today 
and tomorrow because nobody is fooling themselves and we 
know that nothing has been done or never will be for the 
poor." 
 
"I have decided to call for a big national dialogue to 
assure that the amount of funds should be used to reduce 
poverty." 
 
"I'm convinced that the debt forgiveness won't relieve 
poverty while the poor are still antipatriotic. On a scale 
from 1 to 10 corruption in Honduras is a 7. So what do you 
think, Ricardo? [President Maduro]" 
 
"Poverty is condemned, not forgiven its debt and the corrupt 
are without punishment." 
 
2. The Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
published an op-ed by Rafael Alcantara entitled "Debt 
Forgiveness is not the Solution."  "A lot of contemporary 
politicians and civil and religious associations are glad 
for the partial debt forgiveness promoted in past 
governments and achieved in the present one. But first we 
have to evaluate the pros and cons of this debt 
forgiveness." 
 
"First, Honduras has been and remains a Republic in which 
the institutions are weak and there is a great possibility 
that the money will end up in the hands of corruption." 
 
"On the other hand, now that we are considered by the 
international community as a country that cannot pay its 
debt we are also considered not suitable to receive more 
loans. So, from now on we have to learn to intelligently 
handle the national budget. So our future is not as 
flattering as we thought because we no longer have access to 
more loans and we are submerged in a `corruptcracy.'" 
 
"So debt forgiveness is not the solution. The initial 
solution is that the wealthy nations should let us `go 
fishing and not give us an already cooked fish on our 
plates.' That is the only way that Hondurans will have an 
opportunity to free our nation from poverty and stop being 
categorized by the international community as indigents." 
 
3. "La Tribuna" published an editorial entitled "The Knot." 
"For Nicaragua the only good news has been that, along with 
Honduras, it is one of the countries that will benefit the 
most from the debt relief for the 18 poor nations in the 
world." 
 
"The news that has captured most of the attention of the 
Nicaraguan public opinion has been related to the 
governability crisis that affects the country. For this 
reason the relief coming from the G-8 summit couldn't have 
better timing. Despite mediation efforts by the OAS and the 
various attempts by the Catholic Church to end the 
confrontation, Congress is already in the process of holding 
a hearing against Mr. Enrique, who, if he loses immunity, 
would be indicted for alleged electoral crime and fraud in 
the handling of political campaign funds." 
 
"That is the state of things in Nicaragua and more than 
likely that is how thing will remain until the people, 
through elections, undo the knots and send away the creators 
of their misery.' 
 
Palmer