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Bolivia, Burma, Venezuela on U.S. List
U.S. President George W. Bush announced on September 16 that Bolivia, Myanmar and Venezuela have been added to the U.S. blacklist of countries that are not fulfilling their obligations to fight the production of and trading in narcotics, reports The Detroit Free Press. Placement on the blacklist means significant reductions in U.S. aid, although the president noted that that would not be the case for Venezuela and Bolivia, since the aid to Venezuelan democratic institutions and bilateral Bolivian programs are vital to America national interests.
The United States has ceased operations in the coca-growing regions of Bolivia and withdrawn Peace Corps volunteers from Bolivia for their own safety. The U.S. State Department announced on September 16 that at least two evacuation flights would be organized for Americans wishing to leave Bolivia.
Tensions between the U.S. and the two South American countries have risen sharply recently. On September 10, Bolivia expelled the U.S. ambassador, claiming that the ambassador supported Bolivian separatists. The next day, Venezuela expelled its U.S. ambassador in solidarity with Bolivia and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told the Americans to “go to the devil 100 times.” He explained that he disagrees with American “imperialistic” policy and that the presence of Russian Tu-160 bombers is “a warning to the American empire.” The U.S. hs expelled the ambassadors of the South American countries in response.
www.kommersant.com
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