US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1553

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES 
DEPT. FOR EB/TPP DCLUNE, WHA/EPSC AND WHA/CEN 
DEPT. PASS USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, ETRD, HO, USTR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON CAFTA, JULY 27, 2005 
 
 
1. Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
entitled "At Stake."  For the Bush administration, more than 
a commercial treaty that will have little immediate effect 
on the North American economy, what is at stake [in the vote 
on CAFTA] is the President's image in Latin American 
nations, his commercial policy throughout the hemisphere and 
the Administration's agenda in Congress." 
 
"If he can't get CAFTA through Congress, it will be 
difficult for him to get support on other issues that 
require legislative approval, and the Administration will 
have a lot of difficulties for the rest of the second term. 
That is why President Bush is personally negotiating with 
Congressmen and using all his political influence and 
presidential power to achieve a favorable vote." 
 
"All of the recent statements about CAFTA-DR, especially 
from the Salvadoran president, have been made for the 
benefit of the undecided Congressmen. In a matter of hours, 
it should all be over." 
 
2. Op-ed by Saul Hernandez Bolivar in San Pedro Sula-based 
liberal daily "La Prensa" entitled "CAFTA is not the 
Problem."  "This may help explain why the country doesn't 
grow at the pace it should.  There are obstacles: a culture 
of dependency that gets in the way of business, the lack of 
infrastructure, and a `lot of donated fish but few lessons 
in fishing.'" 
 
"The traditional and leftist parties, enemies of FTA, should 
be proposing ways to stimulate development in border and 
coastal areas and to optimize infrastructure, etc. and stop 
wasting time on issues such as elections. The problem is not 
CAFTA, it is the lack of vision that has stopped us from 
going forward because we don't have a strategy." 
 
Tuebner