Brazil and Argentina warn Bolivian separatist movement

[Judi Lynn]

Monday, May 19, 2008

Brazil and Argentina warn Bolivian separatist movement

Brazil and Argentina reaffirmed their full support to Bolivia’s president Evo Morales stating that trade agreements will only be signed with the Bolivian elected national government.

The statement is a clear message to the separatist intentions of the Bolivian province of Santa Cruz, the country’s richest, which recently held an autonomy referendum, --overwhelmingly supported— and went on to demand full control of oil and gas royalties and local taxes.

The strong support from the land locked country powerful neighbors and main trade partners was made public during the recent EU/Latinamerica Caribbean leaders’ summit held in Peru, and was reported by the official Bolivian news agency, ABI.

“The presidents from Argentina and Brazil Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Lula da Silva made it very clear that trade agreements are state to state and not with self proclaimed governors”, said Bolivia’s Executive spokesperson Ivan Canelas quoted by ABI.

Canelas added that this can only be interpreted as “a full support for President Morales”, who is facing a near revolt from the provinces of Santa Cruz, Pando, Beni and Tarija which are “promoting autonomies outside the legal and legitimate framework”.

More:
http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do?id=13459&formato=HTML