[Marxism] BOLIVIA: As Tensions Skyrocket Where Do Marxists Stand?

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

GRANMA
September 19, 2008
Evo Morales Makes Concrete Proposals to Opposition Governors

LA PAZ, September 18.ÂÂ Bolivian President Evo Morales presented three
concrete proposals on Thursday to opposition governors to end the current
political crisis in the Andean nation.

During meetings in the city of Cochabamba between the Morales administration
and eight of the nine regional leaders, Morales presented an alternative to
the new constitution. 

Government spokesperson Ivan Canelas said that before being submitted to
referendum, the new constitution could undergo a revision of the text to
include autonomy for the regions of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, Tarija and
Chuquisaca, reported Prensa Latina.

Among the other proposals is the establishment of two commissions to analyze
the re-establishment of Direct Hydrocarbon Taxes to the regional governors
and the creation of an institutional negotiating team to fill several vacant
posts in the judiciary. 

Lastly, an agreement to reach consensus for the return of several state
institutions that were taken several days ago by opposition groups in the
city of Santa Cruz. Morales said that consensus would lead to the lifting of
blockades set up in Santa Cruz by social sectors loyal the Morales
administration in protest of the hostile take over of the public entities.

Taking part in the conciliatory process as observers are representatives
from the Union of South American Nations, the United Nations, the
Organization of American States and the European Union. 


Morales Lashes Out at US Interference in Latin America

LA PAZ, September 17. Bolivian President Evo Morales condemned the decision
by the United States to include his country on a list of countries that do
not do enough to combat drug trafficking. 

Morales spoke during the signing of an agreement between the state-owned
Yacimientos PetrolÃferos Fiscales Bolivianos and Shell Gas. He said the US
government has neither the moral ground nor ethics to include Bolivia on
this Âblack list. 

Morales sharply criticized the US for an action he said comes as a response
to the decision to expel the US ambassador in Bolivia, Philip Goldberg, on
charges of trying to destabilize the country. 

The Bolivian president emphasized the need to find ways to curb US
interference in Latin America that in recent years has turned to using the
ÂWar on Drugs as an excuse to set up military bases and exercising
political pressure in the region. 

Venezuelan Minister of Domestic Affairs and Justice Tarek el Aissami also
criticized the latest attack against several Latin American countries
including his own and reaffirmed Morales statement that the United States
completely lacks virtue in matters of the fight against narcotics. 



=========================================
     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un ParaÃso bajo el bloqueo"
=========================================

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