Pubdate: Thu, 22 Sep 2005
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2005 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

Bolivia

INDIAN CANDIDATE BACKS LEGALIZING COCA CROP

Indian leader Evo Morales said he would reject Washington's policy of 
eradicating much of Bolivia's coca crop if elected president and 
pledged he would work to legalize the leaf used to make cocaine.

Morales, a front-runner in this Andean nation's Dec. 4 election, is 
an Aymara Indian who led protests that helped oust President Carlos 
Mesa in June and led to the calling of the December vote.

He rose to power 10 years ago as the leader of the coca growers of 
the Chapare region, where U.S.-backed eradication efforts are focused.

During a campaign stop in the city of Sucre late Tuesday, Morales 
said the U.S. government's policies have the sole objective of 
"eliminating coca" and tormenting the people who grow coca.

Morales said he would oppose coca-eradication efforts if president, 
but said he would still fight cocaine production.

"There won't be zero coca, but there will be zero drug trafficking," 
Morales said.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman