Pubdate: Tue, 10 Jan 2006
Source: China Daily (China)
Contact:   http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/911
Author: Dr Cesar Chelala
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

MORALES TO LEAD BOLIVIA TO SUCCESS

The assumption of Evo Morales as president of Bolivia promises a 
significant revamping of the country's political and economic system. 
He is a popular leader with significant following among the 
indigenous Bolivian population. He comes to power with an ambitious 
programme of development for this country. Bolivia's relationship 
with the United States and with international companies with interest 
in the country's resources will be critical for his presidency. His 
visit to China and his talks with Chinese leaders may be significant 
in terms of achieving important commercial deals.

Morales, one of the founders of the Movement to Socialism (MAS) 
party, first achieved national prominence in April 2000 when a large 
international corporation was to take over the privatized water works 
in the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia's second largest city. As a result 
of its increase in price, water would be out of reach for the 
majority of the population. Through mass demonstrations led by 
Morales the privatization scheme was defeated and the country had a 
first taste of Morales' charisma and ability to lead.

Morales led the cocalero movement, a group of coca leaf-growing 
campesinos who are resisting the United States' efforts to eradicate 
coca from the country. Chewing coca leaves is an over 1,000 year old 
Bolivian tradition. It has energizing effects, squelches hunger and 
it is also an effective antidote against soroche, high altitude 
sickness. Any hotel in the capital city of La Paz, located at an 
altitude of 12,000 feet above sea level, offers newcomers coca-tea as 
a normal way of dealing with high altitude effects.

The cultivation of coca leaves is the main livelihood for indigenous 
Aymara and Quechua peoples. According to Morales, to eliminate coca 
leaves production is also to eliminate the Aymaras, Quechua and 
Guaranies indigenous peoples.

Morales insists that although he favours the exploitation of coca 
leaves for religious, medicinal and other popular uses, he opposes 
the conversion of coca leaves into cocaine. He says that under his 
administration there will be "zero cocaine, zero drug trafficking but 
not zero coca." He states that the solution to the drug problem 
should be at the demand, not at the supply level, and says that US 
eradication efforts carried out so far in Bolivia have not had any 
effect on cocaine use in the United States. He has offered the White 
House the formation of a common front against cocaine and drug trafficking.

Bolivia's new president has vowed that the country's vast natural 
resources will be exploited for the country's own development. Part 
of his aim is to renegotiate the contracts with international 
companies that are exploiting Bolivia's natural resources in terms 
more favourable to the indigenous population. Under current 
conditions, private international companies have practically complete 
control over the production and sale of oil and gas, and pay only 18 
per cent royalties and no taxes, a situation widely considered abusive.

Bolivia has the second largest natural gas reserves in Latin America 
and is also rich in silver, tin and other minerals. In spite of that, 
63 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line. Bolivia 
has among the worst social and health indicators in the hemisphere, a 
situation that Morales has promised to change.

Morales position regarding growth of coca leaves and his energy 
policy have already put him on a collision course with international 
companies. British, American and Spanish oil and gas companies have 
obtained substantial profits from the privatization of those 
industries during the 1990s. Little of those profits, however, have 
benefited Bolivia's poor, whose protests have forced the resignation 
of two presidents in two years.

For Morales, his biggest challenge is to balance social demands for 
radical change with international companies' fears and US pressures. 
The United States would do well not to confront him in ways that 
would increase the population's animosity towards Washington's policies.

Morales wants to secure people's rights by convening a constitutional 
assembly for next summer whose main goal will be the creation of 
conditions for fair development and exploitation of the country's 
resources. If in spite of formidable obstacles Morales succeeds, he 
will be able to redress centuries of abuse of Bolivia's indigenous population.

Dr Cesar Chelala is a winner of an Overseas Press Club of America 
award for an article on foreign affairs.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom