Bush Spending U.S. Tax Dollars to Foment Unrest in Bolivia

[Judi Lynn]

Bush Spending U.S. Tax Dollars to Foment Unrest in Bolivia

By Benjamin Dangl, The Progressive. Posted March 10, 2008.

Documents show that Washington is backing Right-wing opposition to Bolivia's democratic reforms.

A thick fence, surveillance cameras, and armed guards protect the U.S. Embassy in La Paz. The embassy is a tall, white building with narrow slits of windows that make it look like a military bunker. After passing through a security checkpoint, I sit down with U.S. Embassy spokesman Eric Watnik and ask if the embassy is working against the socialist government of Evo Morales. "Our cooperation in Bolivia is apolitical, transparent, and given directly to assist in the development of the country," Watnik tells me. "It is given to benefit those who need it most."

From the Bush Administration's perspective, that turns out to mean Morales's opponents. Declassified documents and interviews on the ground in Bolivia prove that the Bush Administration is using U.S. taxpayers' money to undermine the Morales government and coopt the country's dynamic social movements--just as it has tried to do recently in Venezuela and traditionally throughout Latin America.

Much of that money is going through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In July 2002, a declassified message from the U.S. embassy in Bolivia to Washington included the following message: "A planned USAID political party reform project aims at implementing an existing Bolivian law that would . . . over the long run, help build moderate, pro-democracy political parties that can serve as a counterweight to the radical MAS or its successors." MAS refers to Morales's party, which, in English, stands for Movement Toward Socialism.

Morales won the presidency in December 2005 with 54 percent of the vote, but five regional governments went to rightwing politicians. After Morales's victory, USAID, through its Office of Transition Initiatives, decided "to provide support to fledgling regional governments," USAID documents reveal.

Throughout 2006, four of these five resource-rich lowland departments pushed for greater autonomy from the Morales-led central government, often threatening to secede from the nation. U.S. funds have emboldened them, with the Office of Transition Initiatives funneling "116 grants for $4,451,249 to help departmental governments operate more strategically," the documents state.

"USAID helps with the process of decentralization," says Jose Carvallo, a press spokesperson for the main rightwing opposition political party, Democratic and Social Power. "They help with improving democracy in Bolivia through seminars and courses to discuss issues of autonomy."

More:
http://www.alternet.org/audits/77572/

[magbana]

1. Another Excellent Article on Bolivia

Thank Judi. Keep 'em coming!

[Peace Patriot]

2. The Bush Junta is directly funding the rightwing separatists in Bolivia, which I think is

Rumsfeld's backdoor strategy for destabilizing the Andes region and restoring global corporate predator control of the Andes oil fields--in Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, as well as the gas and oil in Bolivia (which are located in the rightwing provinces).

He mentions "swift" U.S. action in support of "friends and allies" in South America, in his 12/1/07 WaPo op-ed. We saw some of that in the U.S./Colombia attack on Ecuador (rescuing Uribe from the peace process that he, in fact, initiated, and which the Presidents of Ecuador, Venezuela, Argentina and France actually took seriously). Colombia used U.S. ordinance and surveillance (and who knows what else?) to kill the chief FARC hostage negotiator. But with Bolivia, we have the threat of U.S. boots on the ground, requested by the rightwing separatists, in support of their "independence"--and an even bigger potential fracas in the Rio group and at the OAS. Rumsfeld & co. can't win in a head-on collision with Venezuela and Ecuador and their many allies. The leftist alliances among South American countries are too strong, and their leadership genuine and supported by their people. Also the sentiment for Latin American self-determination is very strong, even with center-right "free trade" governments (like Peru, Paraguay and Mexico). The only exception is fascist Colombia, a Bush Cartel client state. So they have to be sneaky and opportunistic, and recover some strategic ground--of which they have almost none (and are losing some of what they have--Ecuador's president has pledged to throw the U.S. spy base out of Manta--and he has even more reason to do so now).

They can't defeat the majority in Bolivia--so long as transparent elections are held (true now for most of South America). Next best thing, split off the fascist minority into a separate state, and then use that area as a launching pad (along with Colombia) for major trouble-making in the region.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Jeez! Hadn't even gotten that far, yet, looking ahead. Yes! This would be a natural next step.

Since these fascists are getting a ton of our hard-earned tax dollars already, it's as if _Bush has already invested substantial amounts in their New Fascioland, and they would be pleased as punch to offer it up as a base to _Bush, from which he would also deliver protection for them until they get established.

So awful, but it sounds so much like the scum of the earth's kind of goal setting.