COP21 Paris: President of Bolivia, Evo Morales Holds Press Conference

PARIS-In a rare move at the Climate Talks by a President, Bolivia’s president Evo Morales opened himself to the press at the Paris Climate Talks today, being the only president of more than 140 nation representatives who did so.  After addressing the United Nations Leaders Event, he held a open press conference on the same day that Honduras canceled their conference.

The presentation titled the Plurinational State of Bolivia is summarized below:

“I would like to express my different points of view with several hegemonic governments that want to continue dominating in a very imperial way.  If we don’t stop with the capitalist system, the planet will disappear.  This is why I think this conference should be historical and unique in saving Mother Earth.  I don’t see another alternative.  And to now leave this responsibility to the hegemonic countries from the hegemonic countries to those countries who are developing.  They should stop exploiting natural resources across the globe.  If countries stay with that mental strategy to keep suppressing and making others concede to their demands, there will be no future

We are no longer in times of dominating through military power.  It is now time where policies with social change in progress in mind must be implemented.  I don’t believe in commercial competition that is constasntly occurring.  Transnationals are constantly trying to compete and open the market.  But the small businesses and the people always suffer.

I believe that no other president touches these issues and much less links them to the causes of climate change.

International organizations and governments,  I would like to invite them to take a look at the conclusions made in the people’s conference this year.  Secondly to not become an accomplice of the dangerous situation faced by Mother Earth, I made a manifesto with ten highlighting points concerning the environment, politics, economics.  It’s not about just protecting the trees, but to implement politics that will protect humanity.  For instance in the G77 proposed to reduce 2 degrees, but just with 1 degree we see such difference; communities that are disappearing, we no longer have snow. We don’t know the difference between winter and spring anymore.

Human beings can’t exist without Mother Earth.  Although Mother Earth can exist better without humans, and can live better without the capitalist system.  This is the paradox that we live in.  However, in the agenda of the United Nations we have proposed and it is being acknowledged to discuss the rights of Mother Earth.  It is possible that if there is a coalition between several countries to approve this proposal it will be approved.  It’s only been 70 years that the United Nations has approved human rights.  In 2007 they just approved Indigenous People’s rights. And now it is Mother Earth’s turn.”

Spanish:

photos:  KGNU News

President Morales has talked about the defense of indigenous rights throughout his presidency since 2006.  Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman challenged his stated position though when she raised the issue of the Guarani people of southern Bolivia who have reported land grabs, slavery, and government violence against themselves.  Goodman also asked for a message that President Morales himself might have for President Obama.

President Morales response:

“The problem is that some NGOs use their organization for personal profit.  For instance, when I was running for president, I received a letter from the Guaranis that said they would negotiate with the consultant companies and organizations to do research on the Amazon.  It is a reality that we live in.  They use us oftentimes for personal benefit and they try to buy off the Indigenous communities.  We receive information from national and social movements on a monthly basis.  When I am not in Bolivia the Vice-President runs this meeting at six in the morning.  We touch upon the politics, the social programs, and of course the demands of the different groups active in the social and political aspects of our country.

Now concerning President Obama, it’s a question of his country and his politics that I see in the United States.  I don’t see Republicans or Democrats governing.  I see private enterprises governing the country.  That’s just the democracy that’s present in some countries.  We respect it because it’s approved by their population.  In Bolivia not only do we have a true democracy that is participatory in which future policies are decided, however it is not incorporated into the pedagogical community.   We speak about norms, laws, even though the decrees only concern the national government.  The state not only regulates but also is executive in implementing proposals and programs.  That’s the difference between ourselves and other countries.”

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