EspañolBolivian President Evo Morales has once again criticized the United States of wanting to “recolonize” Latin America and the Caribbean, with Venezuela being their “strategic playing piece.”
“Today the empire silently practices the strategy of revenge,” he said during a speech at the 192nd anniversary celebration of the Bolivian Armed Forces. “There has never been a more racist, aggressive, violent, destructive and ambitious empire.”
According to Morales, the United States is attempting to colonize Latin America and the Caribbean, and pointed to its sanctions against Venezuelan officials as the most recent example. He said the country, which is currently experiencing extreme social and political upheaval, is the US’ “strategic playing piece.”
“It happened in Iraq, in Syria and now it is happening in Venezuela,” he said. “The empire is behind the natural resources of the people and will plunder our territories.”
Morales has long voiced the belief that the people and armed forces of Latin America should be anti-imperialist in defending the continent against US intervention.
“We need to build identity and strategic unity between all the armies of Latin America to prevent the military complex of the empire from destroying our people,” he said. “We must be more united than ever and promote an anti-imperialist doctrine.”
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Critics of Morales claimed that he actually revealed some of his own concerns during the speech. Senator Arturo Murillo claimed it showed that Morales is afraid that the army will one day switch loyalties. Morales’ rhetoric bares similarities to that of the Venezuela regime, others said, because he criticizes the United States and accuses them of interference.
The US has been critical of Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela, but also made it clear they have no intention of carrying out any military intervention there. US National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said the country does not want to give Maduro’s regime any opportunity to claim that the “Yankees” are involving themselves where they shouldn’t.
“It is important for us to place the responsibility for this catastrophe on Maduro’s shoulders. It is he who has caused it, and it is he who perpetuates it,” he said.
Sources: El Deber; VTV; Excelsior; El Nuevo Herald.