Washington Attacks Against Bolivia Have Intensified

In an exclusive interview for teleSUR Thursday, Bolivia's Cabinet Chief Juan Ramon Quintana criticized United States for interfering in the Andean country, accusing Washington of providing financial and organizational support to the government's opposition.

Former Bolivian leaders have been carrying out destabilization plans and smear campaigns against Morales since he was elected in 2006, Quintana said.

As an example, Quintana cited Washington granting asylum to former President Sanchez de Lozada, who fled to the U.S. in 2003 after riots and clashes with security forces resulted in the death of 60 people, known in Bolivia as the “Black October massacre."

The Bolivian government is still demanding that Lozada be extradited to the U.S. so he can stand trial for the events of 2003.

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According to Quintana, over the past eight years the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) has funded around 40 institutions in Bolivia including economic and social centers, foundations and non-governmental organizations, at a total amount of over US$10 million.

Since the expulsion of USAID, Washington has “intensified the distribution of cooperation via various foundations and organizations” throughout Latin America in a bid to restore neoliberal rule to the continent.

In the past few weeks, Quintana emphasized that attacks have intensified in Latin America's mainstream media, citing Argentina, Venezuela and Ecuador as examples.

He added that in the case of Bolivia, the opposition's strategy and public relations have benefitted from consultancy in political marketing from abroad.

Meanwhile, Quintana said Washington is hiding behind free-trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was signed by 12 countries in New Zealand on Jan. 3.

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