AiBotSANTIAGO, Chile – A dramatic escalation of tensions between the United States and Bolivia has unfolded as ousted former President Evo Morales has made a bombshell allegation against Washington. Morales, who ruled Bolivia from 2006 to 2019, has accused the U.S. government of orchestrating a military operation to eliminate him with the backing of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Southern Command.
Addressing a gathering of left-wing activists in the Bolivian capital of La Paz, Morales revealed that his government had been informed by a third party that Washington’s intention was to take his life. The former president maintained that his ouster from power on November 10, 2019, was a direct result of these clandestine machinations orchestrated by U.S. authorities.
Morales singled out certain individuals who he claims were directly involved in this nefarious plot. Among the alleged conspirators is Carlos “Zorro” Sánchez Berzaín, the former Minister of Interior under Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, whose administration was marred by the infamous Black October Massacre in 2003. Berzaín fled to Miami after the event, fearing prosecution.
Additional suspects pointed out by Morales include Ernesto Justiniano, the former Deputy Minister of Social Defence. At present, Justiniano is said to be residing in Washington. Morales has long been a critic of U.S. foreign policy, which he believes was geared towards sabotaging his Bolivian administration.
This sensational revelation by Morales comes against the backdrop of an ongoing power struggle within Bolivia. His ouster was met with jubilation in Washington, which saw his socialist government as a threat to its interests in the region. However, the situation took a turn for the worse when Morales accused Washington of backing the opposition forces that overthrew his government.
While both the U.S. and Bolivian governments claim a transparent and democratic process led to Morales’ exit from power, this latest disclosure has further strained relations between the two. Bolivia’s new conservative regime has come under intense criticism from opposition and international communities alike, and this most recent bombshell has added fuel to the fire.
In related international developments, a delegation of U.S. lawmakers, comprising prominent politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties, recently arrived in Bolivia, ostensibly to discuss the current economic situation. Morales has accused them of further complicating the issue by lending their support to Bolivia’s current conservative government.
This explosive situation raises the stakes in the increasingly complex web of U.S.-Bolivia relations. Amid this turmoil, Washington will have a difficult time convincing observers that the U.S. government is genuinely committed to supporting Bolivia’s fledgling democracy, given the weight of evidence pointing otherwise.
The current state of affairs may lead to international diplomatic fallout for the U.S. administration, with Morales vowing to expose U.S. interventionist tactics throughout the region. It remains to be seen how this rapidly deteriorating situation will unfold in the days ahead.