More on Evo's Talk at the UN This Week

Here are a few translated excerpts from Bolivian President Evo Morale's speech to the UN on Tuesday:

On Private Property and Investment:

And when we talk about recovering our natural resources, with reference to the dirty campaign of accusations that the government of Evo Morales won't respect private property, I want to say to you, in my government private property is respected. It is true that we need investment. We need partners, not bosses nor owners of our natural resources. We understand perfectly that an underdeveloped country needs investment.

On Immigration

You know, especially in North America as well as in Europe, that many Bolivian people are going in search of work. Before it was the Europeans that invaded Latin America, especially Bolivia, and now it seems like the situation has changed. It is Latin Americans or Bolivians that are invading Europe like before to the United States. Why? Because in these circumstances and at this moment there aren't enough jobs being generated.

On the US Government's War on Coca

With the previously implemented policies the conditions spoke of 'zero coca'. 'Zero coca' is like saying 'zero quechuas, aymaras, mojenos, chiquitanos' [some of Bolivia's key indigenous groups] in my country.

I want to say with much respect to the government of the United States, we aren't going to change anything. We don't need threats. What is called certification or decertification of the struggle against drug trafficking is simply an instrument, a pretext to dominate the countries of the Andes, just as they have invented preventative wars to intervene in countries in the Middle East.

On ex-President Gonzalo Sanchez and Others Living in the US

…and it isn't possible that corrupt criminals escape to live in the United States, a developed country like the United States. I have the obligation as president to assure that these authorities be tried in the Bolivian justice system and I believe that no country, no head of state, should be able to protect, to hide these law breakers…

On the US War in Iraq

[We shouldn't] implement policies that permit economic humiliation or economic theft, and when they can't rob using rules then they use troops. I want to request, with much respect, it is important that the troops in Iraq be removed. If we want to respect human rights it is important to remove economic policies that permit the concentration of capital in the hands of a few.