Posted on 09/20/2006 1:42:25 PM PDT by StJacques
Evo Morales takes the coca leaf to the UN and defends it After unexpectedly wielding a green coca leaf in his right hand, Bolivian President Evo Morales demonstrated Tuesday before world leaders one of the many injustices which he came to raise before the United Nations. Before the initial surprise and reserved applause immediately afterwards, Morales said that to criminalize the coca leaf was an "historic injustice." "This leaf represents the Andean culture, the environment and the hope of the people," said Morales, who before being President was the leader of the Bolivian coca growers. "It is not possible that the coca leaf is legal for Coca Cola and is illegal for other medicinal consumers in our country and in the entire world," he added, during the most applauded participating speech in the inaugural session of the General Assembly. "It has been demonstrated that the coca leaf does no harm to human health," he continued, always exhibiting the little green leaf to the view of all the world. But after admitting that "the coca leaf has been misused for an illegal product," he proposed a just and efficient fight against narcotics trafficking. Once and again Morales vehemently demonstrated his claims. After saying that in the early evening he had listened to the speech of the government of the United States which does not accept the cultivation of coca and which "puts conditions of modifying our norms to us," he responded energetically that "we do not need blackmail nor threats," which earned one of the most strenuous rounds of applause that endorsed his statements. "We need an alliance in the fight against narcotics trafficking," Morales added. "But it cannot be a pretext for subduing the Andean countries. The calls for certification or decertification in the fight against narcotics trafficking are an instrument of recolonization or colonization of the Andean peoples. This we do not accept." The United States awards that certification as a means of recognizing those countries who in their judgement cooperate in the fight against narcotics trafficking. Morales also defended the initiative of his government to nationalize hydrocarbons.1 "If the Bolivian state exercises its property right on a resource such as natural gas, hydrocarbons, petroleum, but we do not explain it to anyone; it will be respected, it will be guaranteed that (foreign companies) will recoup their investment and they will have the right to profit, but they will not profit as before." He also assured that his government will respect private property. "By this struggle for the rights of the people I have arrived where we are coming, to repair an historic damage," he affirmed. After attacking "Neo-Liberalism" as a fatal recipe for Bolivia, he asked for respect for the environment taking into account that "we indigenous peoples live in harmony with Mother Earth." And to conclude his animated speech, which contrasted with other routine speeches that passed without shame and without glory, the Bolivian President requested of the United States, "with much respect" to "withdraw the troops from Iraq if you want to respect human rights," hours after U.S. President George W. Bush assured the Iraqi government that "we will not abandon you." Another round of reserved applause closed Morales's speech.
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Translator's Note:
1 The exact words in the original article were to "privatize hydrocarbons," which I take to be a term of political art on the part of Morales, because what is transpiring is the nationalization of oil and natural gas exploration and production in Bolivia.
ping
Somebody should tell the dude with the Foreigner/Journey hairstyle that Coke hasn't had coke in their drinks for decades.
Actually, I think they use some kind of non-active coca ingredient. I'm not sure about that, but I seem to remember reading it somewhere.
That "mother earth" crap is a bunch of hooey. The Native Americans lived with "mother earth" because they had no technology and a life expectancy of around 25. It was never a choice. This guy's an idiot.
Very little "real" anything goes into Coke these days besides water and corn syrup.
All I can say to Evo is hells bells, legalize it in your OWN country. Watch the people's teeth fall out and watch them all stop working.
OK, we will import your coke, but you have to let us export candy bars to you that have rat poison in them. It's just part of our culture, you know, mon? You can't disrespect that, hey? It's just who and how we are, you know? So, get with our deal, OK?
This whole UN Stupid Olympics is damn great fun, isn't it?? Who's up next? I can't wait.
'DON'T Stop BeLIEvin....'
Canseco!!!!
I wondered what happened to you after Basaball!!!
1970's time warp on that hairdo.
Really killing. Whoever wrote the article in La Prensa has a great sense of humor:
"Y para concluir su animada intervención, que contrastó con otros discursos rutinarios que pasaron sin pena y sin gloria, el presidente boliviano pidió a Estados Unidos, "con mucho respeto" que "retire las tropas de Irak si queremos respetar los derechos humanos."
I think it was 1906 or 1907 when it was last in Coca Cola.
LMAO
There are two lefts in Latin America.
The coca farmers in Bolivia want the same thing as the Zapatistas in Mexico, a pre-columbian collective.
Amlo and Evo share the same position on their countries hydrocarbons.
"Cocaine's a hell of a drug."
she don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie...
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