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Monday, December 19, 2005

President Envy

Posted by on December 19 at 15:50 PM

Why does Bolivia get to have this guy as president while we’re stuck with George W. Bush?

Evo Morales, who won Bolivia’s presidential election on vows to end a U.S. campaign against coca growing, stepped up his criticism of American anti-drug policies on Monday, accusing Washington of using drug fighting efforts to militarize the region. In his first news conference since claiming victory on Sunday Morales — who took a surprisingly strong majority and will be Bolivia’s first Indian leader — insisted he was opposed to drugs but disputed Washington’s methods….

“We support an effective fight against drugs. Neither cocaine or drug trafficking are part of the Bolivian culture,” he said in his stronghold of Cochabamba as the first official results from Sunday’s vote trickled in… The U.S. government insists much of Bolivia’s coca is processed into cocaine, but farmers say they grow the plant for traditional medicinal uses, herbal teas and religious ceremonies.