Bolivia, 2007

This is the second time I have addressed the Assembly

in my 20 months as President. I come here to share our

experiences with the Presidents of the many countries

of our world. I wish to take this opportunity to say how

pleased I am at the election of a new Secretary-

General, who will be leading the international

Organization for the good of humankind, and above all,

for the good of the abandoned and the dispossessed.

For that reason, I wish to briefly comment on my own

country.

For the first time in Bolivian history, the groups

most forgotten, despised, hated and reviled throughout

the history of Bolivia — we indigenous peoples —

have assumed the leadership of our country to change

our beloved Bolivia — to make political and economic

changes, to reshape and re-establish our country,

orienting it towards searching for unity, respecting our

differences and respecting our identity so that we can

work together to resolve our economic and social

problems.

In this brief period, I have felt and seen that it

will be difficult and will mean fighting for the equality

and justice of peoples, of all of us who live in the

homeland. But at the same time, we shall do so with a

great deal of strength, because the popular movement,

the indigenous movement and the intellectuals and

even the business and professional communities, have

taken a chance on their land and their people, and are

striving peacefully for democratization, ensuring a

cultural revolution in my country.

But sometimes it is more important to regain our

natural resources. I very much regret to say that in my

country, during the neoliberal regimes, natural

resources and State-owned enterprises were privatized

under the pretext of capitalization. In fact, they

decapitalized the country, claiming that private

enterprise would be the solution for unemployment and

corruption. We actually saw an increase in

unemployment and in corruption. Just a few years ago,

Bolivia was considered to be the world's runner-up of

corruption, but now I am delighted to see that

international organizations have said that there has

been a great decrease in corruption in Bolivia. We want

to eradicate it.

I want members to know that in 2005, before I

became President of the Republic, Bolivia received

only $300 million in revenue from hydrocarbons. That

was a time when hydrocarbons, oil and natural gas

were privatized, when they were given to the

transnationals. Now that we have changed the oil laws

and nationalized and recovered these very important

natural resources, Bolivia will receive more than

$2 billion in revenue this year.

For that reason, Bolivia wants to share its

experience with all leaders and with all nations where

natural resources have been privatized. It is important,

with the strength of the people, to recover these natural

resources so that they can benefit the people and the

nation. Of course, I completely understand that

companies have the right to recover the economic

resources that they have invested. They have a right to

profit, but not like in the past when all they were

concerned with was plundering our natural resources.

The most important thing in all of this is that we

have begun to decolonize Bolivia, both internally and

externally. I say internally because my country

previously had masters. If we look back at our history,

there were masters that were descended from the

viceroys, religious groups and the oligarchy. They

ruled and the people were powerless. Now we are

building up the power of the people so that the people

are sovereign, not groups of families, and so that we,

the peoples, have the right to decide on our future.

That is the best kind of democracy we can

implement, because it does not mean merely accepting

certain policies or being subjugated by masters or

bosses in my country. When I say that we are

decolonizing externally as well, I mean that right now,

there are no ambassadors in my country who change or

appoint ministers. Before, unfortunately, United States

ambassadors changed and appointed ministers. That is

over. Thus, we have begun to decolonize our country.

Once, policies were imposed on us by the World

Bank and the International Monetary Fund. That is

over too. I would like to share a little story about our

country that I remember clearly. In 2003, the World

Bank and the International Monetary Fund told our

leadership to choose between a gasoline tax and an

income tax to avoid a deficit. The Government decided

to put a tax on workers' wages. In two days more than

15 people died in Bolivia because of clashes among

Bolivians.

Now let me say that last year, without income

taxes, without gasoline taxes, Bolivia had a surplus

thanks to the return of a natural resource,

hydrocarbons, that is so important for my country.

That is why I say that we have begun external

decolonization. We are gathering the proposals and

initiatives of our peoples organized in civic and trade

union forums, in particular people who have economic

problems. They have the wisdom to propose initiatives

and solutions from their own neighbourhoods and from

their own trade unions. That is my experience, and so I

think it is important to create people's power. Let

social forces take the decisions, and let the leaders

follow the wishes of the people. In that way we can

resolve our problems.

Over the past few days I have listened to some

very encouraging statements, but also some that were

rather disappointing. They spoke, for example, of

global warming and of climate change, and I know that

many countries are victims of these natural

phenomena. But I cannot understand why so many

lives are lost to floods, interventionism, war and

hunger? It seems that economic models are not going

to solve the problems of humankind. I am all the more

convinced of that after having heard many of those

statements and the experiences that have been shared

by world leaders. Concentrating capital in the hands of

the few is not a solution to the problems of humankind.

Having the wealth of the world in the hands of the few

does not solve the problems of human existence.

Indeed, it exacerbates problems of the poor who

inhabit planet Earth.

We talk of global warming and the melting of the

ice, but we do not say where it comes from. I am

convinced that it comes from that ill-termed

globalization — or selective globalization: a

globalization that does not respect plurality and that

does not respect differences.

If we are to talk about globalization, first of all

we must globalize the human being. I do not know how

everyone here got to New York - or to the United

States - but my delegation had many visa problems.

Our parliamentarians could not obtain United States

visas. When I arrived at the airport, I was blocked, and

my ministers - my indigenous compatriots - were

subjected to hours and hours of controls at the airport.

Some of us, the representatives of countries, were

practically threatened by our hosts, by President Bush.

If that continues, perhaps we should seriously consider,

as Presidents and nations, changing the site of the

United Nations. I personally am not willing to come

here to be the subject of investigation. I feel that the

decolonization of the United Nations too should begin

and that everyone should respect us, whether we are

small or large, whether we have or do not have

problems.

I listen to statements about glaciers melting, and

they are made without addressing the underlying

causes of melting and global warming. It is capitalism

and the exaggerated, unrestricted form of

industrialization in some countries which are creating

so many problems on our continent and on planet Earth

as a whole. When we organize alongside social

movements to protest and condemn these unsustainable

policies, these economic models that do not solve

economic problems, then what we get is military bases

and interventions, wars, demonization, accusations of

terrorism, as though peoples had no right to speak out

about their needs, their rights, or to formulate new

approaches to saving lives and humankind.

I therefore believe that it is important for us, as

Presidents, nations or delegates, to tell the truth in all

sincerity about these economic problems, which are not

exclusive to Bolivia, North America or South America.

When the democratic change is under way in South

America - i.e. the kind of democracy that liberates

and does not submit to imperialism - there are further

accusations and misrepresentations. There are

accusations of people being cruel dictators, such as

those I heard from the lips of President Bush yesterday

with respect to the President of Cuba. I wish to greet

all revolutionaries, especially President Fidel, for

whom I have a great deal of respect. Fidel also sends

troops to many countries, but they are sent to save

lives, whereas the President of the United States sends

troops to end human lives. Therefore, since we here

today are presidents, let us think about life,

humankind, how to save planet Earth and the question

of climate change, which is a subject of ongoing debate

throughout the world.

I am convinced that it is not possible for basic

services to remain private enterprises. Fortunately,

thanks to the foreign ministries of the Americas, water

has been recognized as a human right. If water is a

human right, it is important that it should become a

public utility, instead of a private business. It is

important that energy should now also be a human

right. I hope that we can all ensure that energy is a

human right. If energy is a human right, then it will

never again be a private business. It must be a public

utility so as to meet the needs of our people.

I cannot understand how we can continue, under

the guise of hegemony or of concentrating capital in a

few hands, to do damage to humankind, to affect the

poor and to marginalize other needy sectors. I feel we

are making statements here in order to change these

economic policies that have done, and continue to do,

so much damage and that are leading humankind down

the path to genocide.

I still fail to understand why some countries are

involved in an arms race. I cannot accept war. In

Bolivia we are discussing, as a social and political

endeavour, how a new political constitution could lead

us to renounce war. I am convinced that war is the

industry of death and that the arms race is one more

industry that complements the industry of death. In this

new millennium, how can countries and presidents

keep thinking in terms of interventionism,

authoritarianism and arrogance on the part of some

countries towards other countries, and not think about

humankind?

I believe that we must work together to save

planet Earth. That is the most important thing, if we

want to save life and humankind.

Yesterday, too, I heard, and tried to comprehend,

statements about biofuels and agrofuels. I do not

understand how we can make use of agricultural

products or food when it comes to cars. I cannot accept

that that is what the products of the earth should be for.

I believe that food should be for human beings and that

soil should be for life. Are we really going to divert our

land and food resources to provide for automobiles

because of a gasoline or diesel shortage? Two days

ago, I said that if we are really talking about life, then

let us give up luxury. It is important to give up luxury.

We cannot continue to accumulate garbage, we cannot

continue to think about just a few families instead of

thinking about all of humankind. I think we have

profound differences, when we talk about these matters

of life and about our national majorities.

I want to take this opportunity to express thanks

for the support received from everyone, with the

exception of four Governments, for the adoption of the

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We

feel very gratified. The peoples of the Americas have

waited for over 500 years for their rights to be

recognized. We are part of a culture of patience. I wish

to say that the fact that we now have this Declaration

does not mean that we will act vindictively towards

others. Indigenous people are not vengeful. We are part

of the culture of dialogue and, most fundamentally,

part of the culture of life.

I want to ask the United Nations to convene very

soon a United Nations world summit of indigenous

peoples to compile data on different cultural

experiences. We are compiling data on our experiences

in Bolivia through a programme called “Living Well”.

To live better, one must sometimes exploit. To live

better, one must sometimes rob. To live better, one

must sometimes discriminate. To live better, one must

sometimes plunder. But to live well means to live in

community, collectively. This does not just apply to

living among human beings. It also means living well

in harmony with Mother Earth. The earth, for the

indigenous movement, is something sacred. Mother

Earth is our very life, it is Pacha Mama, as we say in

our languages. Mother Earth cannot be turned into

merchandise. Mother Earth cannot be turned into a

business. If we talk about global warming, if we protest

and fight global warming, let us remember that we are

talking about Mother Earth. Since Mother Earth gives

us life, we need to review our policies, but we also

need to pay attention to what has been stated by our

indigenous movement.

We have lived in communities, collectively. What

is being debated is collectivism and community against

capitalism. Let us continue to debate, to reclaim these

ways of life in order to defend life and to save

humankind.

I also want to take a moment to say that this new

millennium must be the millennium of life, equality

and justice, of respecting our identities and upholding

human dignity. That is why we are talking about

changing economic models, those systems that do harm

to mankind. But if we want to make changes, then it is

important for us to change ourselves first. Let us not be

selfish, individualistic, greedy, ambitious or sectarian

in our attitudes, concerning ourselves with just a few

families instead of with the entire family on Mother

Earth. So as presidents, as representatives of our

different nations, we are talking about changing

ourselves first, with a view to also changing economic

models in a quest for equality and justice. During my

20 months as President, I have learned that I must work

with the people and listen to their needs. There will

always be groups who do not wish to lose their

privileges, but those are ill-gotten privileges or

privileges that enable them to use the State for family

business rather than thinking of the families of others.

I have learned, during my 20 months as President,

how wonderful it would have been to work for the

homeland and not for money, how wonderful it would

have been to work for those abandoned by the peoples,

how wonderful it would have been to work together

with people who do not have many economic problems

but who cherish their homeland and want to work for it

in solidarity and with a sense of complementarity.

I would also like to say that, as members know,

we have a historic problem with our sister republic of

Chile on the subject of the sea. We have now

succeeded in laying the foundations of a certain trust

between us: trust between our peoples, our

Governments and our Presidents, through peoples'

diplomacy. It is our hope that these historic claims can

be worked on and resolved, within the framework of

complementarity, because neighbouring countries,

Latin American countries and the countries of the

world need to work in a complementary way if we

want to resolve the problems of our peoples and

nations. Complementarity is very important, and that is

why we want to continue to work for humankind.

In conclusion, as sometimes the red light on the

rostrum makes one nervous, but never mind - I would

like to say that I hope we can keep learning from

events of this kind, in which so many participate.

These are the best universities we have. But let us

speak clearly and sincerely. Let us not falsify the truth,

when we talk only about the effects of humankind's

problems and not their causes. In that context, I want to

say that it is important to change our economic models

and eradicate capitalism.