Political Tensions: Bolivia And Us Animosity Explained

Bolivia and the United States have had a tumultuous relationship, with diplomatic ties being established in 1849 following Bolivia's independence from Spain. The election of Evo Morales as President of Bolivia in 2006 strained relations between the two countries. Morales, a former coca grower, campaigned against coca eradication, citing the legitimate uses of coca leaves in traditional Aymara and Quechua culture. This policy directly conflicted with the eradication policy of the United States. In 2008, the Bolivian government suspended the operations of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), accusing the organisation of being a front for violating the country's sovereignty and supporting an unsuccessful coup d'état. Bolivia also expelled the US ambassador, with the Bolivian ambassador to Washington, Gustavo Guzman, stating that The U.S. embassy is historically used to calling the shots in Bolivia, violating our sovereignty, treating us like a banana republic.

In addition to the dispute over coca eradication, there have been other incidents that have contributed to the tense relationship between the two countries. In 2013, relations deteriorated further when Bolivian President Evo Morales's plane was forced to land in Vienna, Austria, due to unsubstantiated rumors that US whistleblower Edward Snowden was on board. Morales accused the United States of pressuring European countries to prevent his passage home.

However, it is important to note that there have also been attempts to improve relations between the two countries. In 2019, after Evo Morales resigned as President, the interim government of Jeanine Áñez improved relations with the United States. However, relations worsened again after the victory of socialist candidate Luis Arce in the 2020 general election.

The United States and Bolivia continue to have areas of cooperation, such as their shared membership in international organizations like the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the World Trade Organization. Additionally, the United States is an important trade partner for Bolivia, with about $1 billion in bilateral goods trade in 2022. Despite the tensions and challenges, there is a potential for repairing the damage to the bilateral relationship between the United States and Bolivia.

Bolivia's expulsion of the US ambassador and US law enforcement

The expulsion of the US ambassador, US law enforcement, and development cooperation agencies by the Bolivian government in 2008 strained the bilateral relationship between the United States and Bolivia.

The tension between the two countries began with the election of Evo Morales as president of Bolivia in 2006. Morales, a leftist and fierce critic of the United States, implemented policies that clashed with US interests, including programs to return land and power to the indigenous Aymara people, the nationalization of key industries, and the legalization of coca—a traditional Aymara medicine.

In September 2008, US President George W. Bush placed Bolivia on a counter-narcotics blacklist, claiming that the country had failed demonstrably to meet commitments to combat the production and trafficking of illicit drugs, particularly cocaine. Morales responded by accusing the US of thwarting his policies and supporting pro-autonomy movements that used terrorist tactics. He also alleged that the US ambassador had called him an "Andean bin Laden" and threatened to cut off aid.

The following month, Morales expelled Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg from Bolivia, declaring him "persona non grata." He accused Goldberg of conspiring against democracy and seeking the division of Bolivia. In retaliation, the US expelled Gustavo Guzman, the Bolivian ambassador to Washington. Guzman claimed that the US embassy had a history of "calling the shots in Bolivia, violating our sovereignty, treating us like a banana republic."

Morales also expelled the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from the country in November 2008, ending a 35-year history of DEA activity in Bolivia. He accused the DEA of supporting an unsuccessful coup attempt in the country.

The expulsion of the US ambassador and law enforcement officials was part of a broader deterioration in US-Bolivia relations, fueled by ideological differences and conflicting policies. Morales, a close ally of other leftist leaders in Latin America, such as Rafael Correa of Ecuador and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, frequently accused the US of meddling in Bolivia's domestic politics and supporting coup attempts in the region.

The US's suspension of Bolivia's trade preferences

The United States and Bolivia have had a strained relationship since the election of Evo Morales as president of Bolivia in 2006. Morales' policies included plans to return land and power to the indigenous Aymara people of Bolivia, nationalise key industries, and legalise the use of coca, a traditional Aymara medicine. Morales was publicly critical of US policies and accused the US of attempting to thwart his policies and supporting a pro-autonomy movement that used terrorist tactics.

In September 2008, US President George W. Bush placed Bolivia on a counter-narcotics blacklist, stating that Bolivia had "failed demonstrably" to meet its commitments to combat the production and trafficking of illicit drugs, particularly cocaine. Bolivia, along with Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, had received duty-free status for most of their goods under a program dating back to 1991 to help fight the illegal drug trade. However, the US decided to suspend trade benefits for Bolivia due to its failure to cooperate in drug-fighting efforts.

US Trade Representative Susan Schwab stated that the actions of the Morales administration related to narcotics cooperation were "not those of a partner" and were inconsistent with the rules of the program. She expressed regret that the proposed suspension, prompted by the Bolivian government's actions, could affect hardworking Bolivians. Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca criticised the decision as an act of "revenge" for Morales' expulsion of the US ambassador, who was accused of fomenting violent protests. Choquehuanca referred to the suspension of trade benefits as an "aggression against Bolivian democracy".

Bolivia's expulsion of US Agency for International Development personnel and removal of US Drug Enforcement Administration officials from the country's main illegal coca production areas were two key reasons behind the proposed suspension of benefits. The US Trade Representative's office stated that a marked increase in cocaine production, the Bolivian government's failure to close illegal coca markets, and publicly stated policies that increased government-sanctioned coca cultivation, had placed the Bolivian government's commitment to fight drug trafficking in doubt.

The suspension of trade benefits reflected the increasingly strained relations between the US and Bolivia under Morales' leadership. Bolivia sought to strengthen economic ties with other countries, including Iran, Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, India, and China.

Bolivia's coca production and the US's anti-drug efforts

Bolivia is the third-largest producer of cocaine in the world, with coca cultivation totalling 42,180 hectares in 2019, an increase of 28% from 2018. The country's cocaine production potential increased by 20% to 301 metric tons in 2019. The Yungas region is the largest coca cultivation area in Bolivia, with the Chapare region being the second-largest.

Coca is a sacred medicine to the Aymara people of the Andes, who use coca tea as a stimulant to provide energy at high altitudes, relieve headaches, and alleviate menstrual pain. However, the emergence of the drug trade in the 1970s and 1980s led to a rapid expansion of coca cultivation to make cocaine, particularly in the tropical Chapare region. In 1986, the US military was involved in Operation Blast Furnace, the first major anti-drug operation on foreign soil involving US troops. US officials claimed that such military action was necessary to close cocaine laboratories, block trade routes, and seize cargo planes suspected of transporting cocaine.

In 1988, a new law, Law 1008, was passed, recognising only 12,000 hectares in the Yungas as sufficient to meet the licit demand for coca. The law also stated that coca grown in the Chapare region was unnecessary to meet traditional demand and called for the eradication of all "excess" coca. To achieve this, the Bolivian government instituted programs offering cash compensation to coca farmers who eradicated their crops and promoted suitable alternative crops. This policy, referred to as Plan Dignidad, was based on the concept of "shared responsibility with the international community" and included four pillars of action: alternative development, prevention and rehabilitation, eradication, and interdiction.

In 2008, US President George W. Bush placed Bolivia on a counter-narcotics blacklist, stating that the country had "failed demonstrably" to meet commitments to combat the production and trafficking of illicit drugs, mainly cocaine. In response, Bolivian President Evo Morales accused the US of thwarting his policies and failing to condemn pro-autonomy movements that used terrorist tactics. Morales, a former coca grower, has adopted a liberal policy that allows for legal coca cultivation monitored through a "community coca control" system.

Bolivia's approach to coca production and the US's anti-drug efforts have been a source of tension between the two countries. While Bolivia prioritises the traditional and medicinal use of coca, the US focuses on combating the illicit drug trade and reducing cocaine production. Bolivia's decision to expel US law enforcement and development cooperation agencies in 2008 further strained the bilateral relationship. Despite these challenges, the US continues to support counter-narcotics efforts in Bolivia and provides assistance through organisations like USAID.

Bolivia's relationship with Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran

Bolivia has historically maintained strong relations with Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran. However, these relations were strained during the interim presidency of Jeanine Anez, who took power after Evo Morales' resignation in 2019. Anez's conservative government broke relations with Venezuela, expelling Venezuelan diplomats, and also froze ties with Cuba and Iran.

With the return of Morales' socialist MAS party to power in 2020, Bolivia's new president, Luis Arce, moved quickly to restore ties with these countries. Arce's government sought to reopen the Bolivian embassy in Tehran and normalise relations with Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran, among others. This was in line with their goal to have positive relations with all countries within a framework of mutual respect and non-interference.

Bolivia's relationship with Venezuela and Iran was particularly strong under Morales, who found common cause with Venezuela's anti-American stance and planned to partner with Iran in exploiting Bolivia's lithium reserves. Morales' accusations of U.S. meddling in the region and his criticism of U.S. policies, including their counter-narcotics efforts, further strained Bolivia-U.S. relations.

Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran have also supported each other diplomatically and economically. For example, Cuba and Venezuela have had a close alliance, with Cuba benefiting from Venezuela's oil resources, while Venezuela has used Cuba as a backdoor for acquiring Russian weapons. Iran has provided Cuba with substantial financial support, and the two countries have collaborated in areas such as biotechnology and genetic engineering.

The US's concerns about Bolivia's democratic processes

The US has expressed concerns about Bolivia's democratic processes, particularly in light of the 2019 election fraud accusations and the subsequent political crisis that led to Evo Morales' resignation. The US has also been critical of Bolivia's decision to expel US law enforcement and development cooperation agencies, which has strained bilateral relations.

The US has a long-standing interest in Bolivia's counternarcotics efforts and has provided foreign assistance to support these initiatives. However, Bolivia's production of coca, the raw material for cocaine, remains a significant source of tension between the two countries. The US has decertified Bolivia multiple times for failing to meet its international narcotics agreements, and in 2008, President George W. Bush placed Bolivia on a counter-narcotics blacklist. In response, Evo Morales accused the US of thwarting his policies and supporting pro-autonomy movements that employ terrorist tactics.

The US has also been critical of Bolivia's close ties with countries like Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran, which have been seen as a threat to US interests in the region. Additionally, Bolivia's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Israel in 2014 and again in 2023 further strained relations.

Despite these challenges, the US maintains a strong and respectful relationship with the Bolivian people and continues to work with them to advance human rights, entrepreneurship, and cultural and educational initiatives. However, the US remains concerned about anti-democratic actions and the politicization of the legal system in Bolivia.

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