Friday, August 29, 2008

Bolivia and coca

An article in the NY Times says (in the headline): "Bolivia is an uneasy ally as US presses drug war".
False. Here is a letter I sent the NY Times reporter Simon Romero, author of the article.

I lived for a while in Bolivia.

Your article on Bolivians fighting the coca is incorrect.
Bolivia has always produced and sold coca, and always will. It's maybe the main source of income, not only for those in the trade, but for politicians and military people as well.

Mr. Morales is correct and sincere in his anti American rhetoric.

Bolivia has always taken and will always take any money the gullible, crazy yankeys are willing to give them but they will never raise a finger against the coca.
Those Leopards are putting on a show. They never seek, and never destroy any coca labs, unless the owner failed to pay his bribes to them. They will put on a show for any visiting reporter or government inspector. They probably have build mock labs for just this purpose, in collaboration with their cocaine producing chums.
The US embassy staff in La Paz should know better, but the US is probably short on Spanish speaking diplomats, and they send political cronies there (Goldbeg !). They are clueless. A pity you take their word.

As to Bolivia, I love it. Wonderful country. Spent there some of the best years of my life. (And never even tasted cocaine...).
Best Regards,
Jacob

Another fine article by the same reporter: "A month to conjure luck with sacrifices and fire".



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