Bolivia nationalizes Spanish power company

Bolivian President Evo Morales

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/239130.html

Bolivian President Evo Morales has nationalized a Spanish power company and ordered its seizure.

On Tuesday, Morales issued the order nationalizing Transportadora de Electricidad SA (TDE), which is a subsidiary of the Spanish group Red Electrica Corporacion, AFP reported.

Bolivia will now take control of 99.94 percent of the company.

The company, which was privatized under the former Bolivian government of Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, has claimed that it owns and runs almost 75 percent of the electric power lines across Bolivia.

Spanish companies have been having a tough time in South America lately.

On April 16, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez announced the decision to expropriate the Spanish oil giant Repsol’s subsidiary, YPF, which was formerly a state-owned Argentine oil company.

She said that Argentina had to take back the oil company since it is the only nation in Latin America "that does not manage its natural resources."

Spanish officials said they were still collecting information about Bolivia's latest action, noting that it is a different situation from what has happened in Argentina.

Bolivia recognizes 'sovereign' Palestine

Bolivian President Evo Morales

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156724.html


Bolivian President Evo Morales has sent a formal letter to acting Palestinian authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas recognizing Palestine as an independent and sovereign state.

Morales said in his letter on Wednesday that his government “could not continue waiting with its arms crossed given the problems of human rights, territory and sovereignty.”

He said at a press conference that he recognized Palestine as "an independent and sovereign state... as have other countries like Brazil."

A Foreign Ministry official later confirmed that Bolivia declared its full support for Palestine in the letter.

La Paz cut off diplomatic ties with Israel in January 2009 over Israel's three-week war on Gaza Strip, which killed over 1,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

Over 130 countries have officially recognized Palestine as a state based on the 1967 borders, the boundaries that existed before Israel captured East al-Quds (Jerusalem), the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

Bolivia now joins the list of South American countries that have recognized a fully sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

In early December, Argentina, Cuba, Brazil and Venezuela declared recognition of Palestine as a "free and independent state.”

Uruguay has announced plans to do so next year.

The United States so far refused to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

In mid-December, the House of Representatives passed a resolution, with 435-0 votes, opposing a unilateral declaration of an independent Palestinian state and condemning international recognition of such a state.

It also called on its delegation to the UN Security Council (UNSC) to "veto any resolution by the UNSC to establish or recognize a Palestinian state outside of an agreement negotiated by the two parties."

The House resolution is in stark contrast with the Obama administration's promise from day one to push for the creation of an independent Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Bolivia’s Morales Lashes Out at Obama

Source: PressTV

Bolivian President Evo Morales has strongly criticized his American counterpart for failing to change Washington's policy towards Bolivia.

"When I was informed that Obama had won the elections I said: a black man isn't going to exclude an Indian, but it turned out to be the opposite," Morales said on Thursday.

"That is why I say that the only thing that has changed in the United States is the color of the president. I regret that a lot," he added.

His comments came after US President Barack Obama excluded Bolivia from special trade benefits for a second consecutive year.

The US leader signed into law an agreement that grants most goods from 131 countries duty-free status for entry into the US.

Morales also noted that his country does not need Washington and prefers cooperating with allies across the world such as Iran and South Africa.