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Cuban President Raul Castro issued a statement expressing concern on current developments in Bolivia and reiterating Cuba’s firm support of the legitimate government of Evo Morales.
The statement denounces Washington’s interference with Bolivia’s domestic affairs and reiterates that the situation in the country must be solved by the Bolivian people, according to the principles of sovereignty, independence and self-determination.
Raul reiterated that Bolivia’s constitutional order and territorial integrity must be respected, and called for continental solidarity with Bolivia. He observed that the developments could lead to a dangerous escalation of violence “threatening peace and security in the continent” and would “only be useful to the enemies of regional integration”.
The “civic coup” unleashed by the right-wing opposition in Bolivia on September 9 was followed the next day by the announcement of a plot to kill Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Meanwhile in Colombia the plight of labour organisers has again been highlighted by the international campaign to free Liliany Obando incarcerated in the maximum security prison of "El Buen Pastor" in Bogota. The International Action Center in a statement of support have pointed a “finger not only at the administration of Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez … but at the government of the U.S., which for decades, under Plan Colombia, has waged a war against the people of Colombia with the excuse of waging a war against drugs.”
New laws and reforms being proposed by Álvaro Uribe with the full support and encouragement of the U.S. government will make it even easier to condemn social and human rights activists who oppose the genocidal policies of Plan Colombia and the paramilitary Colombian state.
The escalation of indiscriminate violence against civilians by para-military units bears all the hallmarks of US intervention in the region – at first glance the uninformed see little but an unhappy coincidence in these crimes coinciding with the anniversary of the Chilean coup – sadly this is far from the case. The adoption, in 1823, of the Monroe Doctrine underpinned with notions of Manifest Destiny, has provided the pretext for U.S. interference and expansion on the American continent. A 185 year history of, U.S. economic and military power – a history of death, destruction and domination.
Take Action
> Peace & Justice for Colombia (Aust)
> Petition; “Support Bolivian democracy — End US interference in Latin America”
> Freedom for Liliana Obando
> Interested in forming Peace & Justice for Colombia New Zealand? Email us
Background
> Colombia: Democracy and state terrorism
> Colombia: Dangerous nation for labour unions
> National Endowment for Democracy: shut it down
> Democracy, Diplomacy and Intervention in the Americas
