Bolivia's President Evo Morales has met with Peruvian presidential candidate Ollanta Humala ahead of Peru's upcoming presidential runoff election. Posted on 05/10/2006 7:14:10 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Bolivia's President Evo Morales has met with Peruvian presidential candidate Ollanta Humala ahead of Peru's upcoming presidential runoff election.
The meeting between the two leftist political leaders took place Monday in the Bolivian town of Copacabana near the Peruvian border. Mr. Morales invited Mr. Humala to attend the inauguration of an eye clinic in the town, funded by money from Cuba.
Cuban President Fidel Castro's government has been training Bolivian eye doctors to provide treatment at the new clinic.
Hundreds of Bolivians greeted Mr. Morales and Mr. Humala at the ceremony, chanting revolutionary slogans and waving Cuban and Bolivian flags.
Mr. Humala said the meeting would strengthen Latin American integration, and said it was a natural reflection of Peru's and Bolivia's shared history.
Mr. Humala is campaigning for Peru's presidential run-off election on June fourth, when he will face former Peruvian President Alan Garcia. Mr. Humala has promised to increase state control over Peru's natural resources if elected.
"This is the kind of thing that strengthens Latin American integration -- something that is natural between Peru and Bolivia that have a shared history," said Humala, draped in a flower garland.
A banner reading "Thank you, Commandante Fidel" in reference to Cuban President Fidel Castro hung in the background.
The clinic represents a deepening of ties between Morales and Castro. Last month, both leaders, joined by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, signed a "People's Trade Treaty" in a largely symbolic trade accord cast as an alternative to U.S. free trade pacts with some Latin American countries.
Shortly after winning office in December, Morales, a socialist, signed an agreement with the Cuban leader who pledged to train 5,000 Bolivian doctors and provide eye treatment to some 50,000 Bolivians each year.
Backed by funding from Chavez, Cuba has also sent some 30,000 doctors and other professionals to Venezuela while tens of thousands of Venezuelans have sought medical care at Cuban hospitals.
Morales paid tribute to Cuba and said the new medical center highlighted the solidarity between the two countries.
"There are countries that send troops to other countries to kill, and others like Cuba that send troops to save lives," Morales said.
"This is a country that is under an economic blockade but it is helping us to become free economically," he added, referring to Cuba. - LINK
A meeting of the mindless..
Bolivian flake..
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