MORALES
LA PAZ, Bolivia (Reuters):
BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT Evo Morales accused the United States of "blackmail, threats and intimidation" yesterday for withdrawing anti-terrorism funding from the poor South American country, the official news service ABI reported.
Morales, a coca farmer who once described his socialist movement as a "nightmare for the U.S.," said the U.S. military told Bolivian military chiefs last week the country was no longer seen as a suitable partner in the war on terrorism.
PERCEIVED U.S. INTERFERENCE
"Because we don't accept vetoes or the change of a commander, blackmail comes from the U.S. armed forces," Morales was quoted as saying, referring to perceived U.S. interference in the Bolivian military.
In a speech to mark the 21st anniversary of the rebellious left-wing city of El Alto, Morales said the U.S. decision to "declassify" Bolivia as an anti-terrorism partner would lead to the withdrawal of U.S. military equipment deployed for the countries' joint anti-terrorism force, as well as the discontinuation of grants and training courses.
In total, the U.S.-sponsored programmes were worth more than $300,000, Morales said.
"It's peanuts. These resources are only there to control Bolivia, to have intelligence agents. We don't want intelligence agents serving the U.S. government," he was quoted as saying.
No one from the U.S. Embassy in La Paz was immediately available to comment.
