The president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, said that the United States uses Colombia to generate conflicts and to attempt to destroy progress in the region.

In turn, Morales questioned the outgoing government of Colombia about their promotion of destabilization in Central and South America.

He said that the installation of U.S. military bases in Colombia is intended to “provoke confrontation and war with neighboring countries such as Venezuela, Colombia and Nicaragua.”

The president said Colombia functions as a “U.S. colony.” He noted that the “lackeys of imperialism lead neighboring countries to avoid any appearance or further advanced the revolutionary processes.”

In addition, Morales said of the Uribe administration that “the people of Colombia will not play the role of Israel in the Middle East.”

In this regard, Morales stated that “in the international community there is a very serious problem.”

He said the U.S. “has its colony in the Middle East and that is Israel.” And said that Israel, “receives the greatest economic and military support to dominate revolutionary and anti-imperialist countries, like Iran.”

He stated that the government of Colombia is the “true representative of the U.S. government” in South America.
Morales made the remarks as the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, broke diplomatic relations with Colombia.

Story courtesy of Agencia Pulsar, a news agency run by AMARC-ALC network of community radios

The president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, said that the United States “blackmails and threatens” countries that demand compliance to the international agreements that protect the environment.

He maintained that the United States government and other governments of industrialized countries threaten to cut back on their economic stimulus programs in Bolivia.

He said that this is because his country has declared in international forums “a firm position in defence of Mother Earth and the environment”.

Also, the president stated that Bolivia is aware that the world must make the right decisions to avoid the destruction of the planet – destruction that he says will happen as a result of the careless attitude of industrialised countries.

Finally, Morales said he is convinced “that all the changes in temperature in the world today are due to the excessive and irrational industrialization of the world’s super powers.”

It is worth remembering that in April, the president of Bolivia was the host of the Global People’s Conference on Climate Change.

Morales organized the event after the failure of the United Nations Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009.

The president expects that the conclusions of the conference will be discussed at the next UN Summit, which will take place in Cancun, Mexico at the end of this year.

Story courtesy of Agencia Pulsar, a news agency run by AMARC-ALC network of community radios

The vice president of Bolivia, Álvaro García Linera, confirmed that they achieved advances in negotiations with Chile over Bolivia’s demand for access to the ocean.

Linera was referring to the meeting held between the deputy foreign minister of Bolivia, Mónica Soriano, and of Chile, Fernando Smithd.

The delegates met to discuss a 13-point agenda on which they have negotiated since 2006. Among these points, Bolivia’s priority is to gain access to the ocean.

The deputy foreign ministers informed that “the process reflects a political arrangement between both governments.” And they stressed the construction of “high levels of mutual trust.”

Both delegations agreed to preserve a good atmosphere “as to stimulate bilateral dialogue to address” the issue of ocean access.

Last Monday, the president of Bolicia, Evo Morales, maintained that the solution of the conflicts with Chile “require time, study, and mutual trust.”

Bolivia lost their Access to the Pacific Ocean en a war with Chile at the end of the 19th century. Since then, there have been negations, up until 1978 when Bolivia decided to break diplomatic ties.

Currently, these two countries that share a border maintain only consular relations.

During the presidency of Evo Morales in Bolivia and of the former head of state of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, the relations improved with the formation of a 13-point agenda.

Among the points is the Bolivian demand for ocean Access and the controversy of the use of the Silala spring water.

The negotiations are currently being held during the Sebastián Piñera administration of Chile.

Story courtesy of Agencia Pulsar, a news agency run by AMARC-ALC network of community radios

The lower house of the Bolivian Congress has passed a law that gives indigenous peoples the right to administer justice independently and in accordance with their own values and customs. The bill will now move on to the senate. The measure implements one of the major changes included in the constitutional reforms that were approved by a referendum in January 2009.

The new constitution defines Bolivia as a multinational state, and grants increased powers and autonomy to the country’s 36 indigenous communities. According to the Bolivian government, the majority of the indigenous population perceives the ordinary courts as corrupt and racist.

Political opponents fear that the measure could encourage unruly collective punishments such as lynching and stoning, which have become common in recent years.

Last month, four allegedly corrupt policemen were lynched in an Andean community in the south west province of Potosi. The policemen were accused of extortion related to illegal car smuggling. The group responsible for the lynchings, the so-called Warrior Clans, surrendered the bodies to authorities this last weekend only after securing written guarantees that no charges would be brought against them. The Warriors had been holding the bodies hostage and demanding that police investigate the deaths of four members of their community.

This high profile case has reignited the debate surrounding one of the main concerns of the opposition to the new law. The law does not state whether indigenous justice applies only in the case of minor offences, such as land disputes, or in crimes such as homicide and drug trafficking.

The Congress has 180 days to approve and more precisely define the “jurisdictional boundaries” of the new law, which should specify in which regions and to what extent the community justice laws can be applied.