The Real News Network Analyst Pepe Escobar says the autonomy referendum in the rich lowland province of Santa Cruz on Sunday is unconstitutional. Escobar says "it's a dagger in the heart of South American integration. It is a classic battle between a rich white minority and a poor indigenous majority, and its not surprising which side the US government is on."

Transcript

PEPE ESCOBAR, THE REAL NEWS NETWORK ANALYST: What's happening this Sunday in Bolivia is absolutely crucial, not only for the country but for the whole of the Americas.

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UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK
APRIL 21, 2008

EVO MORALES, PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA (SUBTITLED TRANSLATION): No Bolivian is in agreement with this division, there will always be this type of action from families that mislead the Bolivian people and the whole world.

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The ruling oligarchy in Santa Cruz, in the eastern lowlands of Bolivia, has called for a referendum. This is for, what they say, more autonomy in relation to the capital La Paz. In fact, this is the first step towards splitting up the country. The National Electoral Court declared that the referendum is illegal. But imagine if this was in China. But the government of Evo Morales has been very, very measured. Anyway, make no mistake: this is a right-wing counterrevolution against Evo. David Choquehuanca, his minister of foreign relations, said this is, I quote, "a true conspiracy against a democratically elected government." And look at what Evo himself has said about that:

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MORALES: If he (US Ambassador in Bolivia) respects the law, the constitution, and the union of the country, then I want him to say something. If he wants to harm Evo Morales, to divide Bolivia then he should say so face to face, because the most important thing is to be honest and not hide. We will respect the decision of a government such as the United States. But I want you to know, brothers and sisters from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Latin America, so far there has been nothing from the United States ambassador.

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A meeting of ALBA, the Bolivarian Alternative to the Americas, composed of Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, they have denounced, and I quote again, "destabilization plans in a separatist attempt." The Organization of American States, the OAS—sits in Washington—proposed a mediation. But the rich landlords, or dogs of war, I would say, in Santa Cruz are not listening. And why not? Because among other things, they're all involved in big agribusiness. They are fighting a war against the government because of restrictions on their exports. And after all, the Bolivian government needed to alleviate the food crisis provoked by who? These same agribusinesses. The army, at least for now, is behind Evo and national unity, and so are his big South American neighbors Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela. What Evo's government is doing in Bolivia—and it's being followed all over the world with enormous interest—is no less than, I quote themselves, "a democratic and cultural revolution." They have nationalized gas. They have called for a constituent assembly to re-found the country. They have invested in social programs. And the major taboo: they have transferred hundreds of thousands of hectares of land from big landowners to poor campesinos—peasants. No wonder the elite in Bolivia wants to bring this government down. And, yes, this is a war of whites against Indians, a war of rich against the poor. And it's also part of a huge, ambitious plan B: break up Bolivia and have a gas-rich independent state in the eastern part of the country—a dagger in the heart of South American integration. Now, guess whom the Bush administration, the State Department, and the CIA is supporting?

DISCLAIMER:

Please note that TRNN transcripts are typed from a recording of the program; The Real News Network cannot guarantee their complete accuracy.

Comments from Registered Users

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Jason 2008-05-06

I think it's about time they took control of their own assets and stopped letting outside interests step all over them! The American government (or forces within) have always come along and tried to disrupt the progress of nations resource rich nations which try to nationalize, because it means we and our allies (the UK specifically), get less of the profits and product. Frankly, I don't give a damn about gas or money, cause it's all arbitrary crap that will fade away with globalization and technological innovation. It is the forces of greed and oil companies that drive the 'forces' behind our subversive foreign policies, and those policies do not reflect the will and spirit of the American people. In due time, we will come to see the pigs for who they are. In due time...

Thiago 2008-05-05

Sorry, pal. "Why did you call me(...)" sounds better! Or am I wrong? =) Hahah it's kindda funny that you know some Brazilian geography! For sure you know our capital's not Buenos Aires, wich I must consider a great achievement! =) Hahaha well, if cariocas or paulistas are the real bastards... it depends on wich state you live in! (Hey, I do not consider paulistas to be bastards...) At last... Pepe's accent really got better; I remember he used to talk "sousss" (instead of "south", for instance). Maybe easy for you all, as you're accustomed to hear foreign people... but for me it's very hard. (Hey man, at least I'm trying!) BTW, where are you from?

Garrett 2008-05-05

Another thing Thiago...Despite the unfortunate fact you hail from Niteroi, you're still a Carioca. This makes you by definition, a BASTARD. Pepe is a Paulista...

Garrett 2008-05-05

Thiago you have me laughing. You took the bait. Thanx a million... First of all, who cares about Pepe's accent? This is a rude thing to say to someone who is a foreigner in my country. Compared to Portuguese, English is an impossibly difficult language to master both spoken and written. I also know for a fact you do not know how to use present perfect or phrasal verb forms. Secondly, everyone can easily understand Pepe. This guy definitely doesn't sound like a typical Brasileiro when he speaks. No "usED" "StopPed" "ParkED" etc etc...I find Pepe's accent to be very Iberian in nature. I was totally shocked when I discovered he was a Brazilian.

Thiago 2008-05-04

"Pepe's accent is getting better? I would love to hear your's." --> "your's"?? Well, if you invented "hock'n holl" (sic), I'm fine with my english indeed. Not bad for whom lives in Niterói, I'm preety shure. =) BTW, why did you called me a "bastard"?

Garrett 2008-05-03

Messaage to Mr. Jay...please for the love of god, don't send Pepe to cover the American Presidential Election ever again. Nothing horrifies me more than watching Pepe's soul being sucked out of his body in front of a camera. Give Al Giordano a call. On a personal level this guy is a total bastard but he can do excellent work on a professional level. For the moment he is "whoring" for Huffington but I am sure he'll be interested with anything you have to offer. He can be reached in some Seattle bar. Also ask Al about his pet bulldog, Bill Conroy.

Garrett 2008-05-03

Bolivia? Contact Luis Gomez. You'll immediately like him if you don't know him already. This guy is the best there is in that part of the world. Also remember this...Bolivia ate the souls of Che Guevarra, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The Big White Lie and Klaus Barbie. Bolivia is a total mess even I fear to venture into...

Garrett 2008-05-03

Pepe man...I was there. What shocked me the most was elitist class warfare. The most socially tolerant anti-american liberals hated the poor bastards cleaning their dishes and toilets even more. This is an evil fact your well meaning friends at REAL NEWS will never know. All of those "communists" who have graduated from latin-american universities often fantasize of the day Bush sends in the 82nd Airborne to annihlate South America's poor.

Garrett 2008-05-03

Gee...I can remember a time in American history when a president declared a seperatist movement led by wealthy elitist white land owners to be UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Abraham Lincoln. Hope Evo is ready for the ensuing carnage. The worst wars of all are always CIVIL.

Garrett 2008-05-03

Thiago...I know you. You're that bastard from Niteroi who thought the English invented "Hock n Holl". Pepe's accent is getting better? I would love to hear your's. Try writing Portuguese as well as Pepe writes English.

Thiago 2008-05-03

Pepe's pronunciation is getting better! =) As a south-american citizen, I must say I'm really astonished by these events. If Santa Cruz achieve it, then Pando and Tarija wil do the same thing. At last, we have the right (and are capable of) to solve our questions by ourselves; and we don't need external, military forces (such as the George Washington aircraft carrier, in Guanabara Bay - Rio, Brazil, wich stayed here for some days last month) to take that even worst. It'a time for union, not for such disagree, I guess. Peace and love for all man kind,