The former president of Bolivia, Evo Moralesawarded the crossroads that Argentina crosses both economically and socially the action of “neoliberal governments” and suggested that the country “has a lot of potential” to get ahead, as already demonstrated “in the times of Néstor Kirchner”. Morales gave a master class from the main hall of the National University of Rosario, in which he assured that this historical moment presents “a great advantage” for the region because “The United States is in decline, badly economically and politically”. Also proposed that Latin American countries with lithium reserves directly control exploitation of this natural resource to become world “powers”.
Morales arrived in Rosario invited by the Militancy Current of the Frente de Todos, which is led by the current comptroller of the AFI, Agustín Rossi. During the talk entitled “Present and future of Latin America”, the founder of the Bolivian MAS recalled the passage of Domingo Cavallo through the Ministry of Economy and then contrasted that period with the irruption of Kirchnerism, emphasizing that after several “changes of government” Y with the arrival of Kirchner “it has been shown that Argentina had a lot of potential, a lot of future”.
“In those times it seemed that between Argentina, Bolivia and Ecuador there was a competition between the social movements to see who could change the presidents faster. They were neoliberal governments, which left the economy destroyed“, he warned in reference to the administrations of late 90s and early 2000s. Along the same lines, he recalled an anecdote with former president Mauricio Macri, when both were acting presidents.
The anecdote with Macri
“We ran into former President Macri one day, he greeted me and instead of good morning he said: ‘Evo, how much is your economic growth going to be this year?’ I told him that it is estimated at 4.5 percent and there will be a double bonus. I explained to him that in order to do that, natural resources must be nationalized. When I said that, he turned around and left, without saying goodbye!” , said the former president between applause and laughter from those present.
For Morales, these neoliberal conjunctures are presented “momentarily” and he considered that in order to leave “profound changes must be made.” The MAS leader pointed out that in the present “Latin America has a great advantage because it is changing”a framework in which he mentioned the triumphs of Gabriel Boric in Chile and Gustavo Petro in Colombia.
“Latin America is a big family. I feel that these changes and those to come are a democratic rebellion, an uprising against the empire,” Morales defined, for whom another advantage of today is that while the region is going through this positive change “The United States is in decline, it is bad economically, bad politically, and if it survives it is thanks to the wars it provokes”.
For the former Bolivian president, the verification of this reality occurred in the last Summit of the Americas, held in Los Angeles, in which numerous Latin American heads of state criticized the decision of the US Executive not to invite Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela to the meeting. “Brother Alberto Fernández’s intervention was for me the besttold the truth in his house to the United States government,” Morales said.
“Before, it was scary that they would expel us from the OAS (Organization of Latin American States), now it is a luxury to withdraw from it“, joked Morales, who asked to strengthen the unity of the region around the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), whose pro tempore presidency is held by Argentina. “Celac is in the hands of Argentina now, how to strengthen it is our task. It is a great responsibility that we have to unite, “explained the coca grower leader during his speech.
Referring to the need to implement an industrial economic model, Morales stressed that Bolivia proposes the industrialization of lithium. “If we industrialize lithium in the hands of the people under the administration of the State, in something we can be powers in the world“, assured the former president, citing the cases of Bolivia, Argentina, Mexico and Chile.