Evo Morales

From AP via The News Tribure: Bolivia’s president-elect denounces free markets.

Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales, fresh from a visit with Fidel Castro, launched a world tour Tuesday by joining with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in a denunciation of free-market economics -- a sign of the growing relationship among the three leftist leaders.

Notably, the tour includes stops in Spain, France, Belgium, South Africa, China and Brazil -- but not Washington. Morales’ spokesman says he was not invited.

Morales said he and Chavez were uniting in a "fight against neoliberalism and imperialism."

From AP via Forbes: Morales Aligns Himself With Castro, Chavez.

Chavez said the two leaders would discuss the nationalization of Bolivia's oil and gas resources -- a campaign issue for Morales. Morales has said the country's natural gas reserves have been "looted," current contracts must be re-negotiated and national resources placed under state ownership. He also has said he would not take over foreign oil and gas companies operating in Bolivia. ...

Morales, who vowed during his campaign to be Washington's "nightmare," is willing to visit the U.S. but hasn't been invited, his spokesman, Alex Contreras, said.

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UPDATE -- Jan. 12: Iran Press News e-mailed a translation of an Iranian news agency article stating that Evo Morales plans to visit Iran.

FARS, the regime-run news agency reports that the president-elect of Bolivia, Evo Morales, plans to continue his trip around the world by visiting several other countries such as the Islamic Republic of Iran. On Wednesday, Carlos Villegas, an economic adviser to Morales, in an interview in Beijing said: "The president-elect of Bolivia has decided to also visit India and Iran in order to further strengthen present ties."

In response to a question regarding the possible reaction of Washington to Morales' trip to Tehran, Villegas said: "The Bolivian government has been democratically elected and makes its decisions based on its specific and individual aims and not for the pleasure of other countries."

Morales who will officially be inaugurated on January 22nd began his trip on Tuesday, January 3rd and has so far traveled to Venezuela, Spain, Belgium, Holland, France and China.

Posted by Forkum at January 4, 2006 10:06 PM