Bolivia, the New Frontier

Crazy days are definitely upon us: Bolivia is turning to Russia to help fight its war against coca production. (This after expelling the American ambassador for Washington’s alleged “conspiracy” against the Bolivian government and blaming America–which spent $25 million to fight drug trafficking in Bolivia in 2007/08–for “delaying” the eradication of the crop.)

Bolivian President Evo Morales says he will buy Russian helicopters and lease Russian aircrafts to fight coca production. Never mind the fact that Morales’ attitude towards the drug trade has been ambivalent at best.

In a recent report on the Bolivian drug trade on his show on HDNet, Dan Rather interviewed Morales.

“Through a series of ambassadors, the U.S. has constantly meddled in Bolivia’s political matters and conspired against our government,” said Morales. “I know that the American people and the people in the US want to distribute aid to many countries in the world. But at this moment, this aid is going to a conspiracy against my government.”

Meanwhile, McClatchy reports on the millions in foreign aid entering Bolivia from Iran.


From the report:

“Is Iran in Bolivia a nuisance to the United States? Of course it is,”said Abbas Milani, the co-director of the Iran Democracy Project atStanford University’s Hoover Institution. “Iran will try to shore upsupport for Bolivia’s president and help the anti-American message ofits regime. And being in Bolivia will give Iran more pawns to play inits dealings with the Europeans and the United States.”