Jimmy Carter agrees to harvest coca leaves with Evo

[rabs]

This has to be the coolest story of the day in Latin America. (Watch the Repubs go ballistic when they learn of this.) :rofl:

Jimmy Carter is on a visit to Bolivia. Today he met with Morales in La Paz and was scheduled to travel to Santa Cruz de la Sierra later (hope his security is massive there.)


(snips)

Jimmy Carter dice estar orgulloso de la amistad con Morales y acepta cultivar coca en El Chapare
'''''''''''' says he is proud of his friendship with Morales and accepts to cultivate coca in El Chapare (region).

La Paz, 2 mayo (ABI).- El ex presidente de Estados Unidos, Jimmy Carter, de visita en Bolivia, dijo estar orgulloso de la amistad con el presidente, Evo Morales, y aceptó su invitación de cultivar hojas de coca en el Chapare donde el gobernante boliviano tiene una parcela.

Carter se reunió con Morales en el presidencial Palacio Quemado de La Paz y tras la cita ofrecieron una conferencia de prensa conjunta en la que ambos reconocieron que tienen una amistad de muchos años, antes de que Morales juramente como Jefe de Estado.
They have been friends for many years before Morales was elected.

El Presidente boliviano recordó que una oportunidad visitó la plantación de maní que tiene en Atlanta Carter y que inclusive cosechó ese producto por lo que invitó, en reciprocidad, al ex presidente estadounidense a cultivar coca en el Chapare donde tiene una parcela y desde donde emergió a la vida política como dirigente sindical.
Morales recalled that he visited Carter's peanut plantation (in Georgia) and that in return he invited Carter to cultivate coca in Chapare where he (Morales) has a plot of land ...

"Puesto que el Presidente Morales vino a mi propiedad y evidentemente ha cosechado algunos maníes, espero que en mi próxima visita (a Bolivia) pueda ir al Chapare donde él (Morales) me va a llevar a cosechar hojas de coca", aceptó Carter.
"Seeing as how President Morales came to my property ... I hope that on my next visit I can go to Chapare where he (Morales) is going to take me to harvest coca leaves"

Dijo que tiene la esperanza de que las relaciones bilaterales mejoren con el liderazgo del actual mandatario estadounidense, Barack Obama.
Carter says he hopes that bilateral relations improve with Obama.

Finalmente aseguró que regresará a Bolivia, acompañado de su esposa "para ver de cerca las elecciones generales de diciembre de 2009".
Carter says he will return with his wife to closely follow the general elections in December.

mam/rsl ABI

[Peace Patriot]

1. I hope this will bring an end, one day, to the failed, corrupt, murderous U.S. "war on drugs."

Jimmy Carter is way ahead of everybody else in our political establishment. He formed the Carter Center, to monitor international and particularly "third world" elections, long ago, and that has GREATLY contributed to the leftist democracy revolution in Latin America. The Carter Center does much more than monitor elections. They participate in helping to write election rules and establish election systems that are honest, aboveboard and transparent, and they will not monitor elections on the fly. They get involved sometimes years in advance, to insure that the votes can be verified, and that meaningful monitoring can occur.

This has made a huge difference in Latin America. (Now it needs to be done here--but that is another story.)

So it does not surprise me that Carter has advanced, progressive views on the coca leaf--the highly nutritious, traditional indigenous medicine, essential for survival in the icy, high altitude reaches of the Andes mountains. The transformation of the coca leaf into cocaine and crack is an abomination. But the leaf itself--used as a tea, or chewed--is very beneficial. And respect for this plant--and also for the marijuana plant (also a very nutritious leaf, and a medicine)--is key to changing our nutso, insane, crazy, senseless, weird, wasteful, vastly expensive, life-ruining, murderous, hypocritical, nauseating, disgusting, highly exploitable, intensely corrupt war policy against drugs, which more often than not is simply a war on the poor.

Oh, God, we need to change this!

[rabs]

2. Story in English

http://www.kansascity.com/437/story/1175062.html

changing our nutso, insane, crazy, senseless, weird, wasteful, vastly expensive, life-ruining, murderous, hypocritical, nauseating, disgusting, highly exploitable, intensely corrupt war policy against drugs, which more often than not is simply a war on the poor.

You forgot "naughty."
:evilgrin:

[Judi Lynn]

3. We're going to see people pitching fits, even swallowing their tongues in rage.

They've always loved to beat up on Jimmy Carter. This will usher in a who new level of Carter-bashing.

What an unexpected, and welcome move by a continually surprising former President. What a guy! He really puts himself out, gets things done, takes a risk, unlike the other dead wood. Oh, wait, I forgot: _{George H. W. Bush} just adores showing off by making parachute jumps for photo ops!

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn.nyud.net:8090/english/doc/2004-06/14/xin_40060114075643714651.jpg

Self serving Republican.

http://www.starz.com.nyud.net:8090/titles/JimmyCarterManFromPlains/PublishingImages/jimmy_carter_man_from_plains_2007_685x385.jpg

A man with awareness of others.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Carter prepping for US-Bolivia relations

Carter prepping for US-Bolivia relations
Sun, 03 May 2009 14:28:01 GMT

Ex-US President Jimmy Carter has arrived in Bolivia for a two-day visit to pave the way for the betterment of ties between the Andean nation and the US.

Carter told Bolivian President Evo Morales on Saturday that he harbored no doubts that President Barack Obama really meant it when he wished to bolster ties with Bolivia, AP reported.

Ties between the two regional countries strained following the September expulsion of the US ambassador by Morales on charges of igniting domestic protests and supporting opposition parties in separatist provinces.

The Bolivian President later shut down the US Drug Enforcement Administration office accusing its agents of espionage.

More:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=93441§ionid=351020706

[Judi Lynn]

5. Carter denounces Bolivian separatist movements

Carter denounces Bolivian separatist movements
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 05/03/09 20:47

Translated from Mexico City-based La Jornada by Emile Schepers

LA PAZ -- Jimmy Carter, the former president of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize winner, denounced on May 2 separatist movements in Bolivia. He anticipated that Washington would not recognize separatist actions against the democratic government in the South American country, during a tour through the region.

“I have also observed that there are groups that want to have the country divided, not united. I am convinced that the United States is going to absolutely oppose any separatist movement” said the former head of state (1977-1981) at a press conference accompanied by the Bolivian president.

The Bolivian government on April 16 denounced a plan to divide Bolivia with “the independence” of the province of Santa Cruz, the most prosperous one because of its fertile lands and natural resources such as petroleum, iron and minerals, which is governed by right-wing forces who have headed a strong pro-autonomy movement along with three other regions.

Three Europeans were then killed in Santa Cruz in an anti-terrorist operation and two others were arrested. The five are accused of developing a plan to assassinate Morales and obtain “independence” for Santa Cruz, which ended up with a series of rebellions by autonomous regions against the central government.

More:
http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/15480/