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### Viewing cable 08SANTIAGO221, CHILE'S SPOKESMAN PREFERS URIBE TO CHAVEZ

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08SANTIAGO221 | 2008-03-07 20:06 | 2011-04-06 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Santiago

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    PP RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHSG #0221/01 0672006
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 072006Z MAR 08
    FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2880
    INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION PRIORITY 3366
    RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 1979
    RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0222
    RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 0843
    RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1686
    RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR 5726
    RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 5491
    RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO PRIORITY 3953
    RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 1824
    RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY

` `

    id: 144905
    date: 3/7/2008 20:06
    refid: 08SANTIAGO221
    origin: Embassy Santiago
    classification: CONFIDENTIAL
    destination: 07SANTIAGO1983|07SANTIAGO417|07SANTIAGO458|08SANTIAGO194|08SANTIAGO207|08SANTIAGO70
    header:
    VZCZCXYZ0000
    PP RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHSG #0221/01 0672006
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 072006Z MAR 08
    FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2880
    INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION PRIORITY 3366
    RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 1979
    RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0222
    RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 0843
    RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1686
    RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR 5726
    RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 5491
    RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO PRIORITY 3953
    RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 1824
    RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY

    ----------------- header ends ----------------

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTIAGO 000221

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2018
    TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ECON ECPS CO VE EC CI
    SUBJECT: CHILE'S SPOKESMAN PREFERS URIBE TO CHAVEZ

    REF: A. SANTIAGO 194
         ¶B. SANTIAGO 207
         ¶C. 07 SANTIAGO 1983
         ¶D. SANTIAGO 70
         ¶E. 07 SANTIAGO 417
         ¶F. 07 SANTIAGO 458

    Classified By: Paul Simons for reasons 1.4 (B&D)

    ¶1. (C) Summary.  Government spokesman Vidal told the
    Ambassador the GOC considered Uribe an ally, and an
    alternative to Chavez in South America.  This friendship made
    the current Colombia/Ecuador conflict "complicated" for the
    GOC given Chile's historical respect for the inviolability of
    settled borders.  He also commented on Chilean internal
    politics, expressing confidence in the ruling coalition
    Concertacion's chances of winning 2008 municipal elections.
    Vidal was critical of Chile's "right-wing" press as unfair to
    the GOC.  The Ambassador advocated for the U.S. ATSC digital
    television standard.  End summary.

    ¶2. (U) The Ambassador met with Secretary General of the
    Government Francisco Vidal on March 6.  Vidal, who is a
    Minister and the Administration's spokesperson, was appointed
    in December after the previous Secretary General, Ricardo
    Lagos Weber, stepped down to run for the Senate.  Vidal held
    the same position under former President Ricardo Lagos.  The
    Ambassador was accompanied by E/POL Counselor and E/POLoff.

    GOC Perspective on Colombia and Ecuador
    ---------------------------------------

    ¶3. (C)  Vidal described the tension between Colombia and
    Ecuador over Colombia's incursion into Ecuadorian territory
    (refs A & B) as "complicated for the Chilean government."
    Chile, he said, in a clear allusion to its ongoing dispute
    with Peru, obviously considers borders and sovereignty issues
    sacrosanct.  However, the GOC's friendship with Uribe is also
    important.  Uribe, he said, is an ally in providing a
    non-"Chavista" model for South America.  As spokesman, Vidal
    had been asked the GOC's opinion on Chavez's role in this
    conflict, but explained he refused to answer to avoid
    escalating the tension.  The GOC might, however, speak out
    more on Chavez's "interference" in the months ahead when the
    situation is more calm.  (Note: Foreign Minister Foxley
    already issued a veiled criticism of Chavez's interference in
    a statement earlier this week - ref B.  End note).  The
    Ambassador acknowledged Chile's helpful role in working with
    Brazil and others to de-escalate tensions.  He and Vidal
    agreed that the Organization of American States had been
    helpful in defusing the crisis.

    ATSC Digital Television (DTV) Standard
    --------------------------------------

    ¶4. (SBU) As part of the Embassy's full-court press to all
    relevant decision-makers (ref C & D), the Ambassador
    advocated on behalf of the ATSC standard for DTV, and gave
    Vidal a one-page fact sheet on the advantages of ATSC.  The
    Ambassador noted the principal ATSC advantages of low cost
    and reliability, and its rigorous field-testing in the
    demanding U.S. market.  He encouraged the GOC to select a
    standard carefully so as to avoid another public relations
    crisis like Transantiago (Santiago's mass-transit system; ref
    E & F), eliciting a laugh from Vidal.  Vidal offered no
    substantive response on the merits of the ATSC system.

    Internal Chilean Politics
    --------------------------

    ¶5. (SBU) Joking with the Ambassador about the fact that the
    Ambassador had already met two Ministers of Interior during
    his three months in Chile, Vidal predicted Bachelet's third
    cabinet would stay through Bachelet's term.  He expressed
    confidence that the ruling center-left Concertacion coalition
    would win the municipal elections in October 2008, in part
    due to support from the Communist Party, but was less
    confident about the December 2009 presidential election.
    Vidal noted that the center-right Alianza coalition's only
    hope of Presidential victory was in the first round -- if no
    candidate gained a first round victory, the expected shift of
    Communist party votes to the Concertacion candidate in the
    second round would probably ensure a Concertacion victory.

    ¶6. (C) Vidal lamented the bitterness of the current political
    debate in Chile and the lack of any concrete policy proposals
    from the opposition.  Alianza was "exaggerating" problems of
    corruption and Transantiago, and that the press, "owned by
    the right," would never print a pro-government story.  He
    pointed out that state-owned newspaper La Nacion has a Sunday
    readership of around 35,000 compared to El Mercurio's almost
    350,000 and La Tercera's 300,000.  (Note: Actual figures are
    La Nacion: 17,000; El Mercurio: 263,000; and La Tercera:
    222,000.  End note).  Despite Chile being ranked equal to the
    U.S. in corruption levels by Transparency International, and
    Transantiago is improving, Concertacion is portrayed by the
    press as ineffective and corrupt.

    ¶7. (SBU) Vidal expressed some concern about the world
    economy, but said Chile's reserves (thanks to GOC saving and
    high copper prices) would protect it from a crisis.

    Comment
    -------

    ¶8. (C) Vidal, who is close to both Bachelet and former
    President Lagos, was brought in to help increase order within
    the GOC and improve coordination with the Concertacion
    political parties.  He is a lightning rod for the opposition,
    who believe he epitomizes the arrogance and "corruption" bred
    under 18 years of Concertacion governments.  A master
    politician who is smooth as silk, Vidal was very positive
    about the GOC's relationship with the USG and expressed views
    very similar to our own on the conflict between Ecuador and
    Colombian and his concern over Chavez's interference.  His
    views reflect a growing consensus within the GOC in support
    of free trade and increasing concern about Chavez's influence
    in the region.

    Biography of Vidal
    -------------------

    ¶9. (U) Vidal (54) replaced Ricardo Lagos Weber as Secretary
    General of Government on December 6, 2007.  He is a
    third-time minister, previously serving under former
    President Lagos as Minister of Interior (succeeding Insulza
    when the latter resigned to run for OAS SecGen) and Secretary
    General of Government (2001-2005).  As Minister of Interior,
    he oversaw security and intelligence services.  More
    importantly, he directed President Lagos, three-minister
    "political committee" (Interior, Secretary General of the
    Presidency, and Minister/Spokesman) to shepherd Lagos,
    legislative agenda.  President Bachelet,s ability to restore
    order to La Moneda will depend in part on Vidal,s
    willingness to defer to current Interior Minister Perez Yoma,
    as well as his ability to cooperate with Perez Yoma and
    Minister Viera-Gallo -- a political heavyweight in his own
    right and no shrinking violet.

    ¶10. (C) He is a long-time political associate of former
    President Lagos and the two remain very close.  He is also
    close to President Bachelet, who appointed him as director of
    TVN (National Television) shortly after she assumed the
    presidency.  Vidal is respected within the Concertacion
    coalition and is described by Concertacion contacts as
    ambitious, politically shrewd and loyal.  He was accessible
    to the Embassy and generally supportive of bilateral security
    and intelligence cooperation during his brief stint as
    Interior Minister at the end of the Lagos presidency.

    ¶11. (U) His academic and NGO positions include Dean of the
    Economic Science and Administrative faculty of Universidad
    Central (1998-1999) and Executive Director of Chile 21
    Foundation (1994-2000), a center-left think tank that advises
    Socialist Party and Party for the Democracy government
    officials, political figures and members of Congress.

    ¶12. (U) A member of the PPD, Vidal served as the party's
    vice-president from 1996 to 2000.  Vidal is a professor of
    history and geography with a master's degree in history from
    the University of Chile.  Vidal does not speak English.
    SIMONS

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