Morales has accused United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of financing his opponents in a planned coup, including fanning confrontations between Bolivians with groups promoting regional autonomy from his government.
Chapare coca leader Julio Salazar told The Associated Press, "We want USAID to go. If USAID leaves, we will have aid from Venezuela [a major financial backer of Bolivia], which is unconditioned and in solidarity."
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Social Organisations of the Tropics Decide to Expel USAID From Chapare Region
Shinahota (Cochabamba), June 24 (ABI) - The social organisations of the tropics of Cochabamba, represented by the six federations of coca producers and peasants, together with the municipalities of this region, decided to expel United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from this part of the country.
In order to achieve this objective, they decided that the municipalities,
social organisations and non government organisations had until June 26 to put an end to any agreement they have with this American entity, accused of conspiring against the government of president Evo Morales.
Starting from Wednesday June 25each one of the federations will begin to remove all USAID notices from the different projects done in collaboration with the municipalities and the social organisations themselves. "Not a single vestige of this foreign organisatons should remain in all the tropics" assured the deputy, Asterio Romero [Vice president of Chapare's main coca-growing group], in declarations made to Radio Kawsachun Coca."The Chapare has been dignified at the national and international level
because of its struggle in defence of the homeland and the fact that it has been consequent with its fight. We have therefore decided to kick out USAID from the Chapare, by June 26" affirmed the parliamentarian.
He expressed the fact that the coca cultivators and peasants of the region had decided that, starting from that day, there should not be a single piece of evidence left of this project financed by the United States.
"No agreement can remain in place, or one single office, or a billboard, or absolutely anything that mentions its presence in this region" expressed Romero.
Asked about the motives behind this decision, he affirmed that there exist serious indications that USAID is encouraging and promoting groups such as the Cruceñista Youth Union that sowed violence and fear in the departments where consultations on autonomy statutes were held.
"It cannot be that, on one hand, they say they are cooperating and, on the other, they are causing so much damage, fanning confrontations between Bolivians" he pointed out.
In this context, Romero denounced that USAID now finds itself involved in the planning of a coup against the government of President Evo Morales."They are even looking to end his life, that is why, with that same dignity with which we have begun to the Democratic and Cultural Revolution, we have taken this decision" indicated Romero.
http://boliviarising.blogspot.com/2008/06/social-organisations-of-tropics-decide.html
*Translated from ABI
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