Evo Morales blames
Venezuela’s withdrawal from CAN on free trade
agreements
LA PAZ (PL).— Bolivian President Evo Morales has
blamed the free trade agreements (FTAs) signed by
Colombia and Peru with the United States for
Venezuela’s withdrawal from the Andean Community of
Nations (CAN).
He agreed with the reasons put forward by
Venezuela, indicating that the reason was very clear,
and announced that the Bolivian government is
seeking a meeting with Caracas to obtain more
information about the latter’s withdrawal from the
CAN.
Morales expressed his conviction that the FTAs
with Washington are destroying the Andean Community
bloc, and noted that by entering that FTA, Colombia
has snatched an important market for Bolivia’s oil
exports.
He noted that the question of the CAN presidency
– which goes to Bolivia via rotation, after
Venezuela’s withdrawal – is to be resolved after
Venezuela’s exit becomes official.
Morales said it was regrettable that countries
are unilaterally entering trade negotiations and
destroying the integrationist bloc, and that his
colleagues Presidents Alvaro Uribe of Colombia and
Alejandro Toledo of Peru have signed those treaties.
In addition, the president of the National Oil
Producers Association expressed regret over the fact
that an effort of more than 40 years, involving
countless investments, is collapsing due to hasty
decisions and a lack of community vision, while at
the same time admitting that it is not worth saving
the CAN under the present conditions.
