An Hour with Bolivian President Evo Morales: "Neoliberalism Is No Solution for Humankind"

President Morales told reporters Monday that he hoped to see improved diplomatic and trade relations with the United States under President-elect Obama. Bolivia’s first indigenous president noted the significance of the first African-American being elected to the White House and said they “had a lot of things in common if we are talking about change.”

Relations between the United States and Bolivia have deteriorated in recent months.

Last month the Bush administration suspended long term trade benefits with Bolivia over its alleged failure to cooperate in the “war on drugs.”

Meanwhile Morales spoke out about this earlier this month and gave the Drug Enforcement Administration three months to leave Bolivia. He accused DEA agents of violating Bolivian sovereignty and encouraging the drug trade.

This Monday President Morales told reporters at the United Nations he would never permit the US anti-drug agency back into his country. He said he would launch a new intelligence operation to stop trafficking as well as campaign to remove the coca leaf from the UN list of prohibited drugs. Bolivia is the third largest producer of coca, after Colombia and Peru. The United States is the world’s largest cocaine consumer.

Evo Morales, President of Bolivia

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