Evo Morales: Latin America Must Struggle Against Imperialism

Bolivian President Evo Morales urged progressive governments to strengthen their resolve to fight imperialism in Latin America and learn from the right-wing opposition win in Venezuela’s parliamentary elections to further define the left-wing political movement in the region, local media reported.

Morales called for “deep reflection” on how “to defend democratic revolution” in light of the loss of President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist PSUV party majority in Venezuela’s National Assembly in Sunday’s elections.

Evo Morales: Se ha ratificado que las instituciones de Venezuela son confiables https://t.co/josr8aVVpa pic.twitter.com/57vjoNliQ7

— Danilo Carrasco (@DaniloCarrasc0) December 7, 2015

“Evo Morales: It has been confirmed that Venezuela’s institutions are trustworthy.”

“Empire does not sleep, it has different wars against anti-imperialist people and governments,” said Morales, according to Bolivia’s La Razon. “Empire constantly conspires and what we are seeing now, economic agressions, economic wars, have resulted in empire being able to again have geopolitical control in our region.”

ANALYSIS: The Causes and Consequences of Venezuelan Election Results

Morales’ call for left-wing reflection and unity come after the Venezuelan opposition won a majority for the first time since the election of former President Hugo Chavez in Venezuela in 1998, which marked the beginning of an anti-imperialist “pink tide” in the region.

The opposition won 99 of a total of 167 seats. Maduro’s PSUV won 46 seats. The remaining 22 seats, including three indigenous representatives, are yet to be announced.

AHORA Pdte. #EvoMorales: Mientras el capitalismo exista la lucha seguirá. #PalacioDeGobierno

— Min. de Comunicacion (@mincombolivia) December 7, 2015

“President Evo Morales: As long as capitalism exists, the struggle will continue.”

Morales applauded the “triumph of democracy” in Venezuela, saying the elections “demonstrated that the institutions of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela are reliable.”

IN DEPTH: Venezuela’s 2015 Elections

The Bolivian president said the results should be a means of bringing together left-wing governments and progressive movements in the region to launch reflection and debate on “political, social, economic, and cultural liberation processes” in Latin America to advance “the good of humanity.”

The Venezuelan elections enjoyed a high turnout of nearly 75 percent.