US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1773

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001773 
 
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, AUGUST 23, 2005 
 
 
1. On 07/26 the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily, "La 
Tribuna," published an op-ed by Oscar Antonio Oyuela 
entitled "I Can't!"  "We are an undeveloped country because 
we have a `negativism syndrome' and prejudices such as: `I'm 
embarrassed to do that' or `I can't.'  If we don't change 
our mentality we will continue to carry these burdens and 
will let them conquer us and crush our right to think." 
 
"We shouldn't allow national and international sociologists 
to declare that we lack initiative and morals. We can prove 
them wrong if we show that we are willing to work hard, at 
fair salaries, of course. We can invent and have creativity 
and administrative ability." 
 
"To make this possible we must be firmly committed to 
building a national educational project that will develop a 
new man who will generate wealth and be capable of 
innovation." 
 
"The political and economic elite have the valuable 
opportunity to make changes in the judicial, economic, and 
cultural structures so that the country will have efficient 
institutions that guarantee equal opportunities and fast 
answers to social demands. Let's not forget that these 
changes are requirements established by international 
financial organizations so that the debt forgiveness will 
help us get out of the poverty and terrible ignorance that 
we are currently suffering." 
 
"CAFTA, G-8 debt forgiveness, and the direct North American 
aid are part of a `Marshall Plan' that will allow us to 
fight against poverty." 
 
"There is no justification for us to continue blaming 
someone else for our misfortunes, and even less to blame the 
`North American Imperialism' that is - giving us a hand to 
improve our future. We are architects of our own destiny: 
either we rise like the Japanese and Europeans did or we 
will be `Africanized.'" 
 
Williard