In an interview with PIA-GLOBAL, the former president asserted that the rebellion in Bolivia is “against the neoliberal model and against the neocolonial state.” Morales stated that Washington wants to retain total control of the Lithium Triangle. “Argentina is already in the hands of transnational corporations. Chile too. Only Bolivia remains,” he maintained, adding that there is “a triumvirate,” comprised of Trump, Netanyahu, and Milei, dedicated to attacking popular projects in the region.
In an extensive interview with PIA-GLOBAL, former President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Evo Morales, analyzed the current crisis in his country. He spoke about the proscription of his political movement, drew parallels with the Water War and the Gas War, emphasized the geopolitical role of the conflict and Washington’s interests in lithium and rare earth elements, and asserted that there is a triumvirate, formed by Trump, Netanyahu, and Milei, attempting to destabilize popular and leftist parties in the region.
At the beginning of the interview, Morales explained that the current president, Rodrigo Paz Pereira, was elected in a context of proscription. His political movement, “Evo Pueblo,” was barred from participating, and the former president called for blank or invalid votes. Morales asserted that, as a result, blank and invalid votes were the majority (and that absenteeism also increased). This, he affirmed, means that his movement remains the country’s main political force.
The framework of proscription described by Morales would demonstrate an illegitimacy of origin of the Paz Pereira government, which in turn, despite what was stated during its campaign, put into practice a series of adjustment measures and removal of subsidies demanded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“This movement is a rebellion of the people, of people who mobilize even without leaders, against the neoliberal model and against the neocolonial state,” Evo Morales asserted.
– Is this rebellion similar to the Gas War, the Water War, or the 2005 uprising?
– The same thing. In the Gas War, Goni (Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada) and the entire MNR and ADN (Nationalist Revolutionary Movement and Nationalist Democratic Action) mega-coalition wanted to sell gas to California through an LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) plant in Chile, all privately owned, and the price was extremely low. But the people rose up.
During the Water War, under the governments of Hugo Banzer and Tuto Quiroga, we participated in the protests with Óscar Olivera and Omar Fernández—who was a senator and has sadly passed away. Together, we led that mobilization and won the battle against the state in Cochabamba: we prevented the privatization of water. They even wanted to privatize rainwater.
Now it’s about lithium, about rare earth elements. By decree, Elon Musk’s Tesla is already in Bolivia, for the lithium. Elon Musk financed the 2019 coup. He says so publicly. They’ve already signed memoranda with the United States and Canada for rare earth elements and lithium.
It’s an uprising to defend natural resources. It’s no longer a mobilization for higher wages, for a school, for a road. That’s over. Two things are converging here: a mobilization for social demands and another for a structural change to the neoliberal model. I call that a popular rebellion, a rebellion against the neoliberal model and against this neocolonial government.
Something analysts often overlook is the Coca War, the war over the coca leaf. For me, the defense of the coca leaf is far more profound than the defense of gas, water, or other natural resources, because under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking, they exploit the issue for purely geopolitical interests. The Cold War brought Operation Condor; the war on terror and the persecution of drug traffickers are instruments of imperialism to dominate nations.
Returning to the current situation, who is calling for this mobilization? Hunger, unemployment, the loss of purchasing power, inflation, the lack of dollars, the return to poverty and extreme poverty. They are all self-organizing. If a leader engages in dialogue, they are rejected as a traitor.
That town—as I said before—had no right to education, no right to be elected. Our parents couldn’t enter the town squares. Because we were forbidden to read and write, today they are professionals.
After the coup, total theft. This crisis is back because of the coup. We made a mistake in electing Lucho Arce. Rodrigo Paz, openly, with great arrogance and overbearingness, handed over the lithium. Hence this uprising, so natural, so profound.
– You have said that the 2019 coup was about lithium and against the indigenous population, and that the United States embassy and the State Department played a fundamental role. What role are the State Department and its local allies playing today? Because we have seen that President Milei sent a plane to Bolivia, and there are allegations about what that plane is being used for.
– Some groups in Bolivia, and especially the Empire, refused to accept that Indigenous people could lead the liberation of our people: political and economic sovereignty. Therefore, I say: it is a coup by the gringo against the Indigenous people.
Our sin was nationalizing (the companies that were in foreign hands) and closing the (US) military base. Before, basic services were provided by foreigners.
The blow was also against our economic model, which was better than the neoliberal model imposed by capitalism.
They didn’t forgive us for the fact that we, along with Álvaro (García Linera) and the cabinet, had developed a plan in 2013-2014 to have 41 lithium plants by 2030. We began in 2018 by inaugurating the first potassium chloride plant, to process 350,000 tons per year—still small, a pilot plant—and 1,000 tons of lithium carbonate. A plant to produce 15,000 tons of lithium carbonate was under construction. That’s when the blow came.
I see this as a fight for lithium. What did the Southern Command say in 2023? “The United States complains about the activity of its adversaries in the lithium triangle, comprised of Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.” Argentina is already in the hands of transnational corporations. Chile too. Only Bolivia remains. They want to complete their control of the lithium.
Marco Rubio, the United States Secretary of State, said three days ago: “Let there be no mistake: The United States firmly supports the legitimate constitutional government of Bolivia. We will not allow criminals and drug traffickers to overthrow democratically elected leaders in our hemisphere.”
This is not an internal matter, but an international one. And in the new global geopolitical context, the people’s parties, the left, progressive and humanist parties, are in the crosshairs of the Empire. They want to implement the Monroe Doctrine.
– Among all these figures appearing internationally, Israel is also supporting Paz Pereira. What role does Israel play and what interests does it have in this context?
– By decree (Paz Pereira) authorized the presence of an Israeli intelligence and espionage company in Bolivia, according to experts in the field.
I see that there is a triumvirate trying to destabilize popular and left-wing parties: Donald Trump (United States), the Prime Minister of Israel (Benjamin Netanyahu) and Milei (President of Argentina), with allies such as Rodrigo Paz, and the presidents of Chile and Ecuador.
The Argentine plane (sent by Javier Milei’s government to deliver “humanitarian aid”) transported police officers from Santa Cruz to Oruro; it also transported officers from four departments: Santa Cruz, Potosí, Chuquisaca and Tarija, for the repression in La Paz.
– How do you think this situation will be resolved?
– I was saying that if the president (Paz Pereira) had publicly promised that he was not going to privatize basic services —which by Constitution are a human right and cannot be a private business—, that he was not going to privatize natural resources, health or education, I think the tension would stop, it would go down.
I don’t know what the solution is, but the security forces have been overwhelmed. And don’t blame me: we aren’t blocking roads yet, although, in a disciplined manner, we are also affiliated with the Bolivian Workers’ Central Union and are joining the march.
Everyone is angry with the president. La Paz has been under siege for almost two weeks, and Cochabamba, Oruro, and Potosí are also under siege.
This mobilization is now unstoppable. I cannot predict what the outcome will be.
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The Most Revolutionary Act 