Welcoming President MORALES to the Chamber, President BORRELL noted that EU – Latin American relations were both highly topical and important. He spoke of Mr Morales's early life in poverty, which had helped spur him to become president of what was the second poorest country in Latin America, despite having the second largest natural gas reserves. He noted that the nationalisation of the energy sector involved the investments of many European firms and was of great interest to MEPs. He said the European Parliament appreciated Mr Morales's visit, and noted Parliament's commitment to helping to build a fair and more prosperous society.
Evo Morales spoke of his pride at addressing the European Parliament as President of Bolivia, and of his willingness to listen in return. He said the native peoples of Latin America were peoples of dialogue, culture, balance and fairness: “My family and my people historically have been excluded, but we do not exclude others. We have been enslaved, but have never enslaved anyone else.” His election, he said, was an expression of hope in solving the social, cultural, economic and structural problems facing his country. After 100 days in government, already some 2,000 people had been taught to read, 50,000 undocumented families had been registered and 8,000 free eye operations had been carried out – but this was just a start. His political movement was for “an end to discrimination, a change of policies which tended towards extermination of native peoples. This is why I was elected. I was not able to go to university, but the greatest capital of the Evo Morales movement is honesty. Don't steal, don't lie, don't be weak are the three cosmic commandments which have brought me this far.”
Natural resources
Speaking of the nationalisation of the country's natural resources, he insisted this was not a matter of expropriation or expulsion. “I understand that your companies need a return on their investments, but you cannot own the resources – the state will control them. Companies will be our partners but not owners of natural resources. I regret that some parts of the media trying to create confrontation.” He said cooperation was needed to solve Bolivia's problems – and Europe's: “Europeans have problems with migration, many people come from Bolivia – the only way to solve is to create jobs in Bolivia,” by creating markets for farmers and small community businesses.
Regarding coca cultivation, he said that Bolivia played no part in cocaine culture or drug smuggling. This was a new problem which had been imported. It needed to be fought, but this fight should not be used as an instrument for re-colonisation or oppression: “There is a country; there are countries, that use this as a way to subordinate others to their will.” Cocaine, however, was not the same as coca, and he proposed that coca farming should be allowed but limited to 40 square metres per farmer. He said that Europe needed to keep control of chemical precursors and banking secrecy: “The real drug smuggler is moving billions of dollars around. Not in a suitcase - he works through private banks...”
Admiration for the EU
President Morales spoke of his admiration for the EU as a symbol of democracy, and of his desire to work together with neighbouring countries in the Andes and Latin America. He spoke of his nation's decision to “re-found our country and get away from economic models which have not solved our problems... We are fighting for democracy though peaceful revolution, without confrontation. We understand that businesses want legal security, but for that there also needs to be social security, health, housing and jobs.” Integration with regional partners also meant building roads – literally, since there was only one metalled road leading to a neighbouring country, Peru. Mr Morales stressed his respect for President Lula of Brazil: “We see him as a big brother and want to follow his lead.” He also called for the extradition from the USA of ex-Bolivian president Gonzalo Sánchez Lozada.
The Bolivian President stressed the importance of environmental protection, saying we needed to work together to protect Mother Earth.
He stressed that he was no-one's puppet, and that he wanted to mark and end to the past practice of Bolivia being a “beggar state” whose president went abroad to ask for budgetary support. Having recovered ownership of the country's natural resources, he hoped to export more at a better price and help support the solution of the social and cultural problems of his nation. He said he wanted to be able to count on the support of the EU in this endeavour.
Thanking President Morales for his address, Josep Borrell remarked that he had spoken wisely, and wished him every success in fighting for the prosperity of his people, who had shown their support by making him their democratically elected representative.
