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Evo Morales Sworn in as Bolivia's First Indigenous President,
Hails Election as End of "Colonial and Neo-Liberal Era"
U.S. Gvt. Channels Millions Through National Endowment for
Democracy to Fund Anti-Lavalas Groups in Haiti
Evo Morales Sworn in as Bolivia's First Indigenous
President, Hails Election as End of "Colonial and Neo-Liberal
Era"
In Bolivia, the country's first-ever indigenous president
- Evo Morales - was sworn in on Sunday. He focused his nearly
two-hour inaugural address on bringing justice to the country's
indigenous majority and reaffirmed his pledge to nationalize
the country's vast natural gas reserves. We speak with author
and journalist James Petras. [includes rush
transcript]
In Bolivia, the country's first-ever indigenous president
- Evo Morales - was sworn in on Sunday. He focused his nearly
two-hour inaugural address on bringing justice to the country's
indigenous majority. Morales spoke of the years of discrimination
against Indians and compared Bolivia to apartheid-era South
Africa. He also reaffirmed his pledge to nationalize the country's
vast natural gas reserves and asked wealthy nations to write
off Bolivia's $3.4 billion dollars in foreign debt.
Bolivia is the poorest country in South America, but it has
the second-largest reserves of natural gas on the continent.
The 46 year-old Morales won the presidency in December with
more popular support than any Bolivian president in decades.
He is the latest in a string of left-leaning leaders to assume
power in South America in what many see as a backlash against
U.S.-backed free-market policies. Bolivia has had five presidents
in four years.
Morales rise to power began with his leadership of the coca
growers union and his high-profile opposition to the U.S.-funded
eradication of the coca crop. He helped to lead the street
demonstrations by Indian and union groups that toppled the
country's last two presidents.
During his campaign, Morales said he would be the United
States' "worst nightmare." He blasted the proposed
Free Trade Area of the Americas, saying the idea was a sure
way to enslave Latin Americans to the interests of American
big business.
The U.S has criticized Morales for his close ties to Venezuelan
president Hugo Chavez and Cuban president Fidel Castro. But
on Saturday, U.S Assistant Secretary of State, Thomas Shannon
met with Morales and reportedly expressed a desire to strengthen
diplomatic relations with Bolivia. After meeting with Shannon,
Morales told reporters: "Relations between Bolivia and
the United States are going to continue."
An opinion poll released this weekend by the Bolivian firm
Apoyo said that support for Morales stands at 74 percent,
an unprecedented level in the country's recent history. Morales
broke into tears on Sunday as he donned the presidential sash
and medal.
- Evo Morales, inauguration ceremony, Jan. 22, 2005.
On Saturday, a day before the official swearing in ceremony,
thousands of supporters came to the Indian ceremony that was
held for Morales at Tiwanaku, a pre-Incan site that Indians
believe confers strength on visitors. There, barefoot and
dressed as a sun priest, he received a baton, encrusted with
gold, silver and bronze, that will symbolize his Indian leadership.
- Evo Morales, Indian ceremony, Jan 21, 2005.
World leaders from 11 nations attended Evo Morales' inauguration
on Sunday. They included Nestor Kirchner, the President of
Argentina, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and the outgoing
president of Chile, Ricardo Lagos. Also in attendance was
Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez who had this to say about
Morales" victory.
- Hugo Chavez, Venezuelan president, Jan. 22, 2005.
For more on Bolivia and Evo Morales we are joined by:
- James Petras, author and journalist, Professor Emeritus
at SUNY Binghamton. He has written about Latin America for
many years and is author of the book, "Social Movements
and State Power: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador."
U.S. Gvt. Channels Millions Through National Endowment
for Democracy to Fund Anti-Lavalas Groups in Haiti
We take a look at Haiti, which is preparing for upcoming
national elections. Independent Canadian journalist, Anthony
Fenton, joins us to discuss the National Endowment for Democracy
- the US government-funded group - that is pouring millions
of dollars into trying to influence Haiti's political future.
[includes rush
transcript]
Nearly two years after the overthrow of President Jean Bertrand
Aristide, Haiti will be holding national elections next month.
Former President Rene Preval, a Aristide ally, is leading
in the polls. Meanwhile, a judge has dropped the most serious
charges against jailed priest Gerard Jean Juste. Jean Juste
was imprisoned in July over the murder of journalist Jacques
Roche - killed while Jean Juste was in Miami. After Jean Juste's
arrest, Haitian officials prevented Lavalas - the political
movement aligned with Aristide - from registering him as their
presidential candidate, on the grounds he was imprisoned.
Although he has been cleared in Roche's murder, authorities
say Jean Juste will remain in prison over weapons charges.
Amnesty International calls him a prisoner of conscience.
Calls for his release have intensified with the recent announcement
he's been diagnosed with leukemia.
Meanwhile, violence continues to affect Haiti's poorest areas.
Last week, two Jordanian troops with the UN mission were killed
in a gun-battle in the poor neighborhood of Cite Soleil. Local
residents later reported UN troops had shot at a hospital
in the area. UN troops have stepped up armed raids on Cite
Soleil amid pressure from business leaders and foreign officials.
We want to continue our Haiti coverage leading up to the
election by looking at the activities of a government-funded
organization that is pouring millions of dollars into trying
to influence the country's political future. The National
Endowment for Democracy is one of a handful of state-funded
groups that have played a pivotal role in the internal politics
of several Latin American and Caribbean countries in the service
of the US government.
The NED operates with an annual budget of $80 million dollars
from U.S. Congress and the State Department. In Venezuela,
it's given money to several political opponents of President
Hugo Chavez. With elections underway in Haiti, it's reportedly
doing the same to groups linked to the country's tiny elite
and former military.
Last week Democracy Now! interviewed Anthony Fenton about
NED's activities in Haiti and across the Caribbean and Latin
America. Fenton is an independent journalist and co-author
of the book "Canada in Haiti: Waging War On The Poor
Majority." He has interviewed several top governmental
and non-governmental officials dealing with Haiti as well
as leading members of Haiti's business community. Last month,
he helped expose an NED-funded journalist who was filing stories
for the Associated Press from Haiti. The Associated Press
subsequently terminated its relationship with the journalist.
Related coverage: Did
the Bush Administration Allow a Network of Right-Wing Republicans
to Foment a Violent Coup in Haiti?
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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