MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru condemns insults to Chilean president published in the Lima media

Gutter language to refer to Michelle Bachelet

Peruvian Foreign Affairs minister Jose Antonio García Belaúnde condemned the “injurious” publication against Chilean president Michelle Bachelet in the front page of one of Lima’s yellow press dailies.

“La Razón” used an insulting explicit tirade to define president Bachelet position’ regarding the arms race controversy in South America which has irritated tempers between the two neighbouring countries that have a long standing dispute over borders.

García Belaúnde speaking to the Chilean press condemned the attitude of the daily and officially apologized arguing that not only was it offensive and disrespectful towards president Ms Bachelet but also for Chile “a neighbourly and friendly” country.

He said that kind of publication “does not contribute to a normal relation or to the debate over such an important issue”, in direct reference to the military “non aggression” initiative proposed by President Alan García and which did not receive a warm reply from Santiago.

García Belaúnde added that La Razón is “an independent publication with no links at all with the government” and in any case could be identified with former president Alberto Fujimori’s political groupings.

The Peruvian diplomat said he had contacted cabinet chief and secretary general of the Executive Jose Antonio Viera Gallo “to express his feelings and those of President Alan García” which he requested be transmitted to Ms. Bachelet.

The Chilean government had earlier requested from Peru a clear rejection of the front page of La Razon because it was considered “unacceptable”.

“This is a sensationalist publication, not very serious, however even for this kind of media it is not acceptable the terms in which it referred to the president of Chile”, said Carolina Tohá spokesperson minister for the Executive.

“We hope, we trust that this is clarified and those statements are rejected by Peruvian authorities”, she said.