Legalising coca leaf in Bolivia

[Torsten]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticleS...RS&srch=bolivia

US voices concern over Bolivia poll outcome

Thu Dec 15, 2005 6:20 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will evaluate its relations with Bolivia after this Sunday's election, where the front-runner has pledged to legalize the coca leaf if elected, the State Department said on Thursday.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Washington had long supported the current Bolivian government's counter-narcotics policy and hoped a new government would have the same approach.

"We expect whatever government comes next in Bolivia to honor those commitments that they have made to fight the production and transport of illegal drugs," he told a news briefing.

Leftist Bolivian congressman Evo Morales has emerged as a front-runner in the election and promised to legalize the coca leaf if elected.

Bolivian Indians chew the coca leaf to fend off altitude sickness and brew in herbal teas. The plant is also the key ingredient used to make cocaine and Washington has spent millions of dollars in eradication programs.

Morales has also used his campaign to criticize U.S. free trade policies, arguing that U.S.-backed programs of liberalized trade have plunged South America's poorest country deeper into poverty.

Asked how the U.S. relationship with Bolivia could change if Morales were elected, McCormack said: "Well, we'll see what the outcome of the elections are. But certainly the quality, the depth, the breadth of any relationship with the United States will depend upon the intersection of our common interest."

He added: "So we'll see what policies that person pursues. And based on that, we'll make an evaluation of what kind of relationship we're going to have with that state."

McCormack said he hoped the elections could take place in an atmosphere free from violence and that voters would choose the best person to lead them out of the current "turbulent period."

[folias]

This is a bigger meatphor than it looks... I am not usually that interested in such things, but this situation in South America is something to really take note of!

Largely, it is Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, who has inspired a lot of latin America to stand up against Nth America.

(an article describing how Evo Morales, who is actually a coca farmer, is being inspired by Chavez to not get fucked over by the oil companies!)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=100...r=latin_america

Venezualia is the fifth largest oil producer in the world with huge oil reserves... and is described by the U.S. as a negative force... all the U.S. media portray him as a dictator, but if you look a bit harder, this is a guy who is actually trying to effect some change in the region against U.S. and multi-national imperialism!

It is interesting that the U.S. calls Chavez undemocratic and continually lies and misrepresents his government (http://www.alternet.org/story/16255/), when it is said, the wealthy "white" elite largely tried to take him out a few years ago with what Chavez called a U.S. backed coup, which was illegal!

In South America, the majority of the poor are quite politically savvy, and the tendancy is that South America is turning to leftist based governments through their democracies....not that this seems to be changing the discrepancy between rich and poor.

Also, coca is legal in Peru... EVERYONE uses it and it is obviously very great stuff... and criminally it is not available in other countries, mostly because of U.S. foreign policy!

an enlightening interview with Chavez

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Internatio...=1134098&page=1

Julian.

[folias]

How Chavez feeds America's poor and gives them free oil in after Hurrican Katrina before their president, "the king of vacations" does!

http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney11212005.html

interview with a man who has written a book about Chavez

http://www.motherjones.com/news/qa/2005/09/richard_gott.html

Julian.

[ergoamide]

How typical of the american government. If a country does somethign that amercia wouldn't do, even it has no effect on america one bit, they make it their problem and start winging.

So to the american government heres a big

[folias]

Morales has outright won with over 51% of the vote!

--

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/st...1671000,00.html

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/a2d949f2-70e6-11d...00779e2340.html

[Agamemnon]

Hmmm that map of South America is looking increasingly red, and I believe the upcoming Mexico elections has a socialist candidate as a leading contender