Bolivia to Maintain Claim over Access to Sea, Warns Morales

[Judi Lynn]

Bolivia to Maintain Claim over Access to Sea, Warns Morales
jueves, 15 de diciembre de 2011

15 de diciembre de 2011, 16:46La Paz, Dec 15 (Prensa Latina) Bolivian President Evo Morales warned on Thursday that his country will maintain its demand for access to the Pacific Ocean to Chile, and will take the case to the International Court in The Hague, the Netherlands, in March.

Morales told reporters that he will take the claim to the International Court, although, initially, he will only travel to the Netherlands to "collect information in person".

The Bolivian president added that his Chilean counterpart, Sebastian Piñera, never urged him to suspend any demand.

"I want to be honest. He told me that we should continue holding talks and I responded that the solution was in their hands, Chile. We only want to recover a free and sovereign access to the sea," emphasized Morales.

More:
http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=460130&Itemid=1

[Peace Patriot]

1. Well, that's interesting--that Pinera told Morales to keep negotiating.

I was wondering what Pinera, of the 25% approval rating, might do next to cause trouble in South America, encourage fascists and serve Corporate interests with "divide and conquer' tactics.

Bolivia's access to the sea is the perfect issue on which to do some "under the radar" rightwing mischief.

This has a history.

The former LEFTIST president of Chile engineered the initial agreement to end "the War of the Pacific" (of a hundred years ago) and restore Bolivia's access to the sea through Chile. She (Michele Batchelet) did this in the context of a U.S./Bushwhack attempted coup against Morales in Bolivia in late 2008. Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and others all got involved in bolstering Morales after he threw the U.S. ambassador and the DEA out of Bolivia, for colluding with white separatist murderers and rioters. Chile's contribution was this sea access matter. And, of course, rightwing billionaire Auguste Pinera hadn't even been sworn in as president before he canceled that agreement and started making trouble.

One wonders now what game he is playing. Did his ax to Bolivia further drive his numbers down? Did his being made the first president of CELAC (very important new Latin America-wide organization) depend on him backing off on this matter? Is he going to "negotiate" Bolivia to death?

I wonder, too, about Peru's offer of sea access. Where does that stand currently? (Last I read, Pinera was causing Peru trouble about it.)

[spanza]

2. Shame on Chile for its regional policy during the last 150 years!

[ChangoLoa]

3. +1 Exactly. Empire's regional tool. Sad. nt