The Lithium Coup (Week 42): Bolivian Unrest Continues

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/bolivia-farmers-denounce-armed-pro-regime-civilians-attack-20200811-0002.html

More evidence has poured in since the November 2019 coup that forced Evo Morales from power – and forced him to flee for his life. Contrary to the assertions of Mike Pompeo and other American officials, the election was not fraudulent as the Organisation of American States (OAS) now admits.

The new American-backed government has now tried to drum up paedophilia charges against Morales – apparently willing to employ whatever it takes to discredit him and make sure he can't come back.

Conservative Catholics and Evangelicals are playing a big part in this regime and the contacts to the US Establishment are both patent and replete.

And yet as the article indicates, continued unrest demonstrates that even nine months later the plotters have still failed to consolidate power. Jeanine Añez, the caretaker president has (thus far) failed to stabilise the country. In the meantime she and her collaborators have laboured to undo the Morales legacy and purge all connections with nations such as Venezuela and Cuba. She has also brought Bolivia into the Lima Group, a US sponsored umbrella organisation with one goal – regime change in Venezuela.

Some have referred to the Obama-Trump era US-Latin American policy as Condor 2.0 – a reference to Operation Condor, the Kissinger inspired programme to unite Right-wing and fascistic Latin American regimes to wage war on and crush the Left – all in the name of defeating communism. In many cases innocents and indigenous people suffered as a result. After losing ground in the region during the 1990's and early 2000's (the so-called mildly socialist Pink Tide) the Empire is literally striking back.

In addition to lining up with US policy, the Añez government is paving the way to open its doors to Wall Street – and apart from the geopolitical interests of Washington, this is the real reason for the Morales ouster. Bolivia is rich with lithium – in fact along with Chile it may have the highest reserves in the world.

Lithium – by some estimates will be the new petroleum of the 21st century. Bolivia along with a handful of other South American nations (such as neighbouring Chile, Argentina and Brazil) stands to benefit. The wealth potential is enormous and Wall Street wants it. In fact the new E-economy of the West demands it. Even an ostensibly eco-friendly economy can still produce evil when placed in the avaricious hands of the power-mongers. And all too often cheap and supposedly environmentally friendly solutions for the First World are produced at the expense and exploitation of others. It may make some middle class folks feel good about their lifestyle, but the ethics are pretty dubious. Naturally those on the Right have no such qualms.

The last thing the Western Establishment and Wall Street wants is for a ruler like Morales to pour the money back into his country and into the hands of indigenous peasants. Also under Morales, deals were being signed with both China and Germany – deals the US wants to control and nations it wants to exclude.

He had to go. It's that simple.

At this point the role of Elon Musk (if any) is unclear. He made some cryptic comments regarding these events that have led some to conclude he either supports the removal of Morales or was even somehow involved. Given his massive (even astronomical) increase in wealth and socio-political standing in the US just over the past couple of years – and that his company requires access to massive amounts of Lithium – his tacit endorsement and/or active participation would hardly be surprising. He wouldn't be the first businessman to insert himself into foreign affairs or to collaborate with US Deep State forces seeking to secure US political and economic interests. It's how the world works. It will be interesting to see if more comes out about Musk.

In the meantime Bolivia represents a victory for the United States. The larger Venezuela project has all but collapsed but US forces have scored significant 'victories' in not only Bolivia but in other nations like Brazil and Sudan as well. These moves are not just about changing the chessboard or securing resources. They're also about blocking nations such as China or even Germany – which though an ally, as the most powerful economy in Europe and as a nation that increasingly seeks to project itself internationally – is quickly becoming a rival.