I CrauseMay 4th, 2008 - 16:14:51

The Eastern Bolivian departments of Santa Cruz and Tarija (also the subject of an agressive separation campaign) contain South America's largest gas fields, privatised as a consequence of Morales' campaign promise in the '05 elections.It was a very popular promise to make and he kept it.
They had previously been sold off to foreign firms under contracts which gave the Bolivian government of Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada only 18% of the revenue.The foreigners took, obviously, 82%.
Morales, upon coming to power, reversed the percentages.
Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada fled Bolivia to Washington DC after turning troops against gunless protesters who were angry at having their natural resources pillaged by rich foreigners - among them was the then cocalero Morales - in La Paz, killing around 100.President 'Goni' also fled with around $100 million of the Bolivian state's money, stolen from the Central Bank of Bolivia.He has been granted the legal protection of the Bush administration who refuses to extradite him.George Clooney, I believe, is currently working on a film about all of this.
Prefect of Santa Cruz Ruben Costas has never said whether he plans to resell the gas fields back to the foreigners or not, despite claiming to be worried about the poor in his department.He did, however, get himself tailed to the US by the Bolivian govt whilst claiming to be in Paris, France and has never chosen to speak about the affair, even to deny it.
George Bush has spoken in front of the US congress about how he is 'worried' about democracy in Bolivia and Venezuela, presumably to smooth the operational path of US intel, the mercenaries they employ and the oil companies they serve.
And you wonder why people want to blow you up.
Jeez.

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