Violent clashes have claimed eight lives in Bolivia and unleashed a three-way diplomatic crisis, with La Paz and Washington expelling each other’s ambassadors and Caracas kicking out its top US diplomat and the South American allies demanding that Washington stay out of their affairs.
Anti-government demonstrators fought backers of Bolivian President Evo Morales in the pro-autonomy east with clubs, machetes and guns on Thursday, killing at least eight people and injuring 20, authorities reported.
The demonstrators also seized natural gas fields, halting half of Bolivia’s gas exports to Brazil, its No. 1 customer, for nearly seven hours, the affected Transierra pipeline company said.
PHOTO: AP
“We’re going to tolerate only so much. Patience has its limits,” Morales told supporters on Thursday.
The Aymara Indian and former coca growers’ union leader has so far hesitated to mobilize the military, fearing major bloodshed.
Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia announced a day of national mourning.
Meanwhile, US officials angered by Morales’ decision to expel Washington’s ambassador for allegedly inciting opposition protesters responded on Thursday by kicking out Bolivia’s envoy to the US.
“In response to unwarranted actions and in accordance with the Vienna Convention [on diplomatic protocol], we have officially informed the government of Bolivia of our decision to declare Ambassador Gustavo Guzman persona non grata,” US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said.
Diplomats declared “persona non grata” are generally given 72 hours to depart.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in a show of solidarity with his Morales, gave US Ambassador Patrick Duddy 72 hours to leave and announced the recall of Caracas’ ambassador to Washington.
“Go to hell, shit Yankees, we are a dignified people, go to hell a hundred times,” Chavez shouted at a political rally to thousands of roaring supporters dressed in red.
Chavez also once again accused the US of backing a coup to overthrow him, a claim the US has repeatedly denied.
“That’s enough ... from you, Yankees,” Chavez said during a televised rally, using an expletive.
Waving his fists in the air, he added: “I hold the government of the United States responsible for being behind all the conspiracies against our nations!”
“If there was an aggression against Venezuela there would be no oil for the people or for the government of the United States,” the former paratrooper said.
The conflict in Bolivia centers on Morales’ plans to amend the Constitution and redirect gas revenues. Bolivia’s conservative, energy rich eastern provinces oppose those plans, and on Thursday two weeks of protests turned violent as demonstrators stormed public offices, blocked roads and seized the gas fields.
Eight people were killed in a conflict between pro and anti-government bands outside Cobija, capital of the eastern province of Pando, said Sacha Llorenti, a deputy minister for social movements.
PATROL PARTNERS: The ‘Chiayi’ and the ‘Penghu’ departed for a two-day joint patrol of Palau’s exclusive economic zone, the CGA’s second diplomatic visit to the country The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) set a record for its southernmost deployment of a coast guard vessel as the vessels Chiayi and the Penghu reached Palau’s Pulo Anna Island on Saturday in a cooperative exercise between the two countries. The island, about 217 nautical miles (401km) southwest of Koror in the Palauan state of Sonsorol and 1,220 nautical miles from Taiwan’s southernmost point, Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), is the furthest south a CGA vessel has sailed. The two vessels are in Palau for the coast guard’s second diplomatic visit to the country. They docked at Malakal Harbor on Tuesday last week. The coast guard
The government is monitoring online rumors that a pneumonic plague outbreak has spread from Russia into China, and it might enhance quarantine measures, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. During a legislative meeting, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) said that rumors had circulated that the disease had spread across several Chinese provinces. He asked Cho whether the government was prepared to prevent the disease spreading to Taiwan, given the volume of traffic between the two sides, and how concerned the government was about the alleged outbreak. The Ministry of Health and Welfare had implemented border quarantine measures after briefing the Executive
BATCH 1: The military has plans to assign the weapons to the army to defend Taiwan proper, as well as outlying islands and the navy for the Marine Corps, the official said Taiwan is to receive 500 Stinger missiles and 178 launchers from the US by the end of the year, the first batch under a planned two-stage acquisition totaling 2,621 missiles and 763 launchers, a defense official said yesterday on condition of anonymity. The portable missiles would play a vital role in the nation’s air defense capabilities, the source said. The army plans to deploy 2,235 missiles and 657 launchers to defend Taiwan proper and outlying islands, they said, citing military documents. The navy is allotted 295 missiles and 85 launchers to arm the Marine Corps and some surface vessels that lack air defense
The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a recommendation on EU-China political relations that rejected China’s efforts to restrict Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and exchanges. The recommendation, addressed to the European Council, the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, includes several references to EU-Taiwan relations and expresses support for closer ties, saying they would bring positive benefits and have strategic importance. Describing Taiwan as a valuable partner in trade and technology, the European Parliament said it “rejects China’s attempts to coerce international organizations, third countries and other actors into restricting Taiwan’s international participation and
RSS