La Paz Calms As Leader is Exiled
The exiled former president of Bolivia, holed up in a hotel in Miami, yesterday spoke of the "shock and shame" he felt after being forced to resign and of his fears for the future of the South American country. As calm returned to the streets of the capital, La Paz, the ousted leader,...
The exiled former president of Bolivia, holed up in a hotel in Miami, yesterday spoke of the "shock and shame" he felt after being forced to resign and of his fears for the future of the South American country.
As calm returned to the streets of the capital, La Paz, the ousted leader, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, warned of the growing strength of farmers growing coca, the raw material for cocaine.
He said the alliance of Indian coca growers and labour unions that forced him to resign may result in a "narco-labour government that could lead to the disintegration of the country". He was driven from office by a month of bloody protests that left at least 70 people dead.
In an interview with the Miami Herald, the former president also complained that the United States had ignored requests for emergency funds to shore up the unstable government. His successor, the vice-president, Carlos Mesa, began his first day in office by pulling tanks and soldiers off the streets and calling for unity.
The resignation of Mr Sánchez de Lozada brought with it a degree of peace. For the first time in a week, the airport was reopened, buses were running again and shops doing business. Many of the tens of thousands of workers and farmers who massed in the cities were reported to be returning home.
Mr Mesa said he would hold early elections, describing himself as the head of a transitional government. Venturing into one of the capital's slums, he vowed to do more for the indigenous people of Bolivia, South America's poorest country, but said there would be no change to the US-backed policy of stamping out coca crops.
The uprising was sparked by plans to export natural gas to California, which rioters said would only benefit the US and foreign investors. But the protests quickly broadened to other issues.
"I'm not going to say that the problems of my government, or those of Bolivia, are the fault of the United States. But they could have done a little more to help us," Mr Sánchez de Lozada, 73, told the Herald.
As calm returned to the streets of the capital, La Paz, the ousted leader, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, warned of the growing strength of farmers growing coca, the raw material for cocaine.
He said the alliance of Indian coca growers and labour unions that forced him to resign may result in a "narco-labour government that could lead to the disintegration of the country". He was driven from office by a month of bloody protests that left at least 70 people dead.
In an interview with the Miami Herald, the former president also complained that the United States had ignored requests for emergency funds to shore up the unstable government. His successor, the vice-president, Carlos Mesa, began his first day in office by pulling tanks and soldiers off the streets and calling for unity.
The resignation of Mr Sánchez de Lozada brought with it a degree of peace. For the first time in a week, the airport was reopened, buses were running again and shops doing business. Many of the tens of thousands of workers and farmers who massed in the cities were reported to be returning home.
Mr Mesa said he would hold early elections, describing himself as the head of a transitional government. Venturing into one of the capital's slums, he vowed to do more for the indigenous people of Bolivia, South America's poorest country, but said there would be no change to the US-backed policy of stamping out coca crops.
The uprising was sparked by plans to export natural gas to California, which rioters said would only benefit the US and foreign investors. But the protests quickly broadened to other issues.
"I'm not going to say that the problems of my government, or those of Bolivia, are the fault of the United States. But they could have done a little more to help us," Mr Sánchez de Lozada, 73, told the Herald.
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