US Funds ‘Terrorist’ Separatist Groups in Bolivia: Evo Morales

Bolivian President Evo Morales on Monday accused the United States of funding opposition groups with at least US$4 million to destabilize his government. 

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“According to e-mails, between 2006 and 2009, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) poured at least four million dollars into separatist movements” in four of the nine regions of the country, said the left-wing leader.

In 2008, authorities of the Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and Tarija departments, which make up the Media Luna region, carried out referendums in order to form autonomous governments. The referendum organizers, according to Morales, were connected to separatist efforts.

He then noted on his personal Twitter account that Washington had paid this money to the opponents “who have committed terrorist acts in order to divide us (in 2008).”

At the end of 2008, Morales expelled former U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia Philip S. Goldberg as well as all personnel from the Drug Enforcement Agency, DEA, accusing them of conspiring against his government.

The White House had denied these charges and responded by expelling Bolivian Ambassador to the United States Gustavo Guzman.

According to Morales, his government has had access to thousands of diplomatic cables from WikiLeaks showing how the White House has sponsored the attacks against his government since his arrival to power in 2006.

Morales made his statements during the 30th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the country’s special forces for countering drug trafficking.

During his speech, the president stressed the commitment of the police and the armed forces, together with the Bolivian people, who made these plans fail and regained national dignity.

Morales also reiterated that Washington “had planned a coup against Bolivia” this year.