President Evo Morales of Bolivia at the United Nations General Assembly. Latin America is moving away from US imperialism., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
A SOVEREIGN LATIN AMERICA STANDS WITH EVO MORALES
July 11, 2013
Alexandra Valiente
By Aliana Nieves Quesada
COCHABAMBA.— Bolivian social movements of women, trade unions, indigenous peoples and workers gathered in Cochabamba to express their support for and solidarity with President Evo Morales, in the wake of the aircraft incident in Europe he faced during his return to the country from Russia.
In attendance at a support event held prior to a Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) meeting were state leaders from Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, Ecuador and Suriname, among other figures.
Morales indicated that his government would not be intimidated by any kind of pressure. He emphasized that he does not know former CIA agent Edward Snowden and respects international treaties, thus would have no reason to transport this citizen in his airplane.
“We have dignity, sovereignty, and are proud of our peoples,” Morales said, repeating that he would not allow his country to be subjected to coercion or threats, as he had been.
Upon his arrival in Bolivia, Morales stated that what had occurred was no accident, no mistake, but rather reflective of U.S. policy toward the Bolivian people, Prensa Latina reported.
Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa reiterated, “Either we function as colonies or act as free and sovereign peoples,” indicating that South American countries would not allow any head of state in Our America to be treated this way. Correa insisted that the actions taken against Morales violated international law and that the events merited an urgent UNASUR meeting, because “Bolivia has not spied on anyone, robbed anyone or invaded anyone.”
Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro said that it was a sad hour for Europe, but reaffirmed that for Latin America it was a time of unity, “Because this aggression toward Evo Morales has united us more.”
Cristina Fernández, president of Argentina, said that the least the European governments which violated Morales’ rights could do, was to apologize.
The UNASUR heads of state meeting reiterated its unconditional support of President Morales and the Plurinational State of Bolivia, given aggression by the United States and its European allies.
SOLIDARITY EVENT IN CUBA
July 7, Bolivia’s ambassador in Cuba, Palmiro León Soria Saucedo, said in Havana that Europe had buried “the illumination which has characterized it, to give way to a backward imperial policy,” referring to the refusals of Spain, Italy, France and Portugal to allow the Bolivian president’s aircraft to make a technical stop-over in their territory.
During a solidarity event at the Cuban Friendship Institute’s headquarters, the Bolivian diplomat admitted feeling saddened by diplomatic practices which “we thought had been left behind in the last century.”
In a statement to Granma, the head of Ecuador’s diplomatic mission in Cuba,
Edgard Ponce, explained that Latin America is awakening and no longer responds to the interests of the United States, saying “This obliges us to work more on unity and our historic commitment to defend our leaders.”
Also offering their support to Bolivia at the event were Edwin González from the Puerto Rican mission in Cuba; Bruce Goodwin, ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda; Cuban intellectual Roberto Fernández Retamar, among other figures.
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