MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolivia downplays military agreement with Venezuela

Bolivia's neighbours should not feel threatened by a proposed military aid package from Venezuela that will be used to set up new bases along its borders, said Defence Minister Walker San Miguel.

Landlocked Bolivia has borders with Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Paraguay.

The proposed 49 million US dollars loan from Venezuela will help fund a military base near Brazil to fight drug trafficking as well as a base for a battalion of engineers to build roads to an ecological reserve on the Peruvian border, the minister said.

"Our military posts on the borders do not include armaments ... we are a people of peace," San Miguel insisted adding that the loan, which still needs approval by Bolivia's Congress, would also help build a port managed by Bolivia's navy to transport oil seeds on the Paraguay and Paraná rivers.

The Conservative opposition to President Evo Morales, and neighbours Chile, Paraguay and Peru, have expressed alarm at the proposed military aid from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who is using oil money to try to build an anti-U.S. alliance in Latin America and has been repeatedly accused of interfering in the internal affairs of several countries.

San Miguel said Bolivia will spend 12 million US dollars of the Venezuelan aid in the next five years for other new military posts on its borders, but said they were small bases for 20 men to combine immigration, customs, police and army operations.

San Miguel also announced a series of visits by Defence ministers in the region to clear up concerns.

Paraguayan Defence Minister Roberto Gonzalez is due to visit Bolivia this month to inspect the oil seeds port. Peru's Defence minister is also scheduled to visit to analyze future military agreements.

San Miguel said he would also visit Chile in November to meet with his counterpart there.

He said Chile's concern over a small military post on the border to protect water resources was overstated. "There is no reciprocal threat in our border with Chile", he underlined.

Bolivia has lost land in several armed conflicts involving Chile, Paraguay and Brazil. In the XIXth century Bolivia lost its sea outlet to Chile during the Pacific war. In the early 1930ies Paraguay defeated Bolivia in the Chaco war and Brazil also grabbed land during another border dispute.

San Miguel pointed out Bolivia has a total of 15 military posts on its borders and said that was a small number compared to its neighbours.

But in spite of Bolivia's assurances her neighbours are most suspicious and restless with the possibility of having President Chavez troops and equipment in the heart of South America