Cable de la Embajada en La Paz sobre la ofensiva de Evo Morales contra los medios críticos

imageEl presidente de Bolivia se enfrenta a la prensa, que considera la principal fuerza opositora.- Venezuela suministra fondos, medios técnicos y contenidos para que el Gobierno constituya su propia red de información

ID: 184347

Date: 2008-12-22 15:02:00



Origin: 08LAPAZ2623

Source: Embassy La Paz

Classification: CONFIDENTIAL

Dunno: 08LAPAZ2569

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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 002623

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2018

TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ODIP, OIIP, KPAO, EAID, BL

SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: MORALES MANIPULATES MEDIA OWNERS

REF: LA PAZ 2569

Classified By: PAS Couselor Denise Urs for reasons 1.4 b,d

1. (C) Summary: Bolivian President Evo Morales continues on

the offensive against the media, part of a long-running

campaign against the Bolivian media. Through verbal and

financial assaults, the Bolivian Government is attempting to

manipulate the way news is reported in this country. The GOB

uses financial tactics, such as hitting media with tax bills

or spending large sums of money on advertising, to influence

editorial lines and to create a fog about truthfulness. It

is also using its own media to expand and reinforce a cult

following around Morales. End summary.

GOB on the Attack

2. (SBU) The latest round of political attacks against the

media (reftel) is part of an ongoing battle. President Evo

Morales regularly calls the media his "principal opposition,"

and his "enemies." Notwithstanding his latest barbs,

however, Morales usually adds that he is not against

journalists, but against media owners. Rumors have been

floating for months that in order to attempt to protect the

President from his "enemies," Venezuelan investors are trying

to purchase various outlets including La Paz’s second-largest

daily La Prensa, but so far there is no evidence that any

sales have been concluded.

3. (C) Instead, the GOB is intimidating media outlets

through legal proceedings and showing favoritism in the

distribution of its significant ad budget to push the press

toward a more favorable view of its policies. In one

example, the GOB sent La Razon, the largest newspaper in La

Paz, a tax bill for nearly $5 million for having "avoided

taxes during 2006." High-level officials at La Razon

speculated to Public Affairs Section officers that this tax

bill may have been an attempt to intimidate the paper to move

from its generally anti-GOB editorial stance. The tax

liability would also lower the value of the paper so that it

could be sold at a lower price.

4. (C) Nationalization of certain companies has also helped

the GOB push its press agenda forward. On May 1, President

Morales nationalized communications giant Entel, one of the

largest advertisers in Bolivia. The GOB has been accused of

using the enormous advertising budgets of the companies it

has nationalized, including Entel, to reward media that

publish pro-GOB articles and to punish those that do not.

5. (C) With only one exception, anti-GOB television network

Unitel, all of the major media in Bolivia accept direct paid

advertising from the Government, including spots that label

the media as "liars" and suggest that Bolivians should not

trust what they read, see, or hear from the press.

Ironically, these same media often editorialize against the

GOB during the same broadcasts or in the same newspapers that

carry anti-media ads. PAS officers have asked media

directors why they continue to carry the GOB ads, and all

have stated that without the income it would be more

difficult to survive in the very competitive market.

Who owns the Media?

6. (SBU) Although the majority of media in Bolivia are

privately owned, it is difficult to determine who the owners

are. There are no public records that prove ownership, and

companies or individuals who own majority stakes can sell

without a public paper trail. There are regular rumors about

the possible sale of outlets, but proof of such sales is nil

and the rumors usually fade quickly.

7. (C) Another issue of concern is the influence of

Venezuelan money in the media. PAS regularly hears that

Venezuelan businessmen are negotiating the purchase of one of

the television networks (usually cash-strapped ATB) as well

as numerous newspapers that are in financial trouble. Others

claim it is mere speculation. Nevertheless, Venezuelan money

has built a technically stronger, pro-government, populist

media network in the main Bolivian cities, called Radio y

Television Popular.

8. (C) La Paz,s second largest daily La Prensa reported

that Morales has reformed state-owned media outlets in an

effort to expand the popularity and cult following of the

President. The GOB created a network of community radio

stations, an internet wire agency (ABI), and expanded the

reach of the Government-owned TV Channel 7 using a $9 million

donation from Venezuela to install 120 repeaters. There are

also reports that the budget for Channel 7 operations has

expanded by $3.8 million and that the normal procurement

protocols have been dropped. The political opposition claims

that the President is advised by a team of communications

experts from Venezuela as well as other countries.

9. (C) Under the Morales administration, Channel 7, Empresa

Nacional de Television, has become one of the government’s

primary media tools, often presenting biased and misleading

information, openly propagandizing for the President and his

policies, and discrediting the opposition. Channel 7 is

intent on expanding its reach and influence throughout the

country. The manager of Channel 7 announced that it is

upgrading to digital technology, a costly investment by

Bolivian standards. A year ago, Channel 7 announced the

receipt of a donation of equipment from unknown sources to

improve its reach in the departments of La Paz and Santa

Cruz, and that it had purchased 50 new repeaters to be

distributed to remote locations in the west and the Amazon

region. After the Iranian President’s visit to Bolivia early

in 2007, some publications reported that Channel 7 would get

a large donation (some reported the intended donation would

be a multi-million dollar investment) to strengthen the state

TV network, but there has been no indication that this is

going to materialize. Iranian media are now reporting that

the donation will be in the form of Spanish-language

programming. Channel 7 also airs Venezuelan Government-owned

Telesur programming as part of its regular daily schedule.

Who Owns the Print Media?

10. (SBU) Two major media conglomerates appear to own most

of the media in Bolivia. Spanish group Prisa (owners of the

Spanish daily El Diario) owns La Razon; ATB, a private TV

network; and &Extra8 a cheap sensationalist daily. The

other media conglomerate, the Canelas and Rivero families,

owns most of the national major dailies throughout the

country. In La Paz, they own La Prensa; in Santa Cruz,

leading daily El Deber; in Cochabamba leading daily Los

Tiempos; they also own the only daily in El Alto, El Alteo;

in Sucre, Correo del Sur; in Potosi, El Potosi; and in

Tarija, El Nuevo Sur. The Canelas-Rivero Group papers are

generally critical of the Government. Other smaller,

independently owned newspapers fight for ever-shrinking

private-sector advertising revenues and often accept GOB

advertising to continue printing.

Comment

11. (C) Bolivia’s media environment is increasingly

difficult. The GOB, aided by large Venezuelan investments,

has used financial pressures in an attempt to change the

editorial line of the media, and to hasten or provoke the

sale of media outlets. The regular rumors about the

impending sales of media may be a smoke screen to cover an

actual sale, they may be a rouse to frighten the media, or

they may simply be the imagination of media owners. It is

always possible, however, that media will be sold without

public knowledge, changing the opinion-leader landscape in

the country. End comment.

LAMBERT

Fuente: elpais.com