MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Evo in favor of Hamas' actions in Israel

Morales criticized “the invasionist and expansionist policy of Israel”

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales Ayma celebrated Hamas' attacks on Israel and criticized a statement from his country's Foreign Ministry condemning the bloodshed in the Middle East.

Morales welcomed Hamas' actions on the people of Israel and maintained that the policy of the “democratic and cultural revolution” promoted by his administration was “in defense of Palestine.” He then argued that the Foreign Ministry's note “was biased” and reflected “one more sign of the right wing of the Government” of President Luis Arce Catacora.

“The Bolivian people will always condemn the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories, the systematic aggressions against the Palestinian people, and their struggle for independence. Those are the real causes of the conflict, not to denounce them is to be an accomplice,” said Evo on X.

He also regretted that the Bolivian Foreign Ministry did “not denounce with political coherence the real situation that the Palestinian people are going through” and condemned “the imperialist and colonial actions of the Zionist Israeli government.”

Morales insisted that “solidarity among peoples is the basis of a more just and dignified society,” and questioned that “it is not possible for a government of the Democratic and Cultural Revolution to defend the invasionist and expansionist policy of Israel.”

“When a people defends its sovereignty they call it terrorist. But when the United States finances wars, armed invasions, coups d'état, and assassinations, they speak of democracy,” he underlined.

Bolivia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing its concern for the escalation of conflicts in the area and regretted the “inaction” of the UN.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, on behalf of the Bolivian Government and people, expresses its deep concern at the violent events that occurred in the Gaza Strip, between

Israel and Palestine, today. We make an urgent call for peace, to de-escalate violence, to preserve life and human rights,” the note read.

“From Bolivia, we condemn the imperialist and colonial actions of the Israeli Zionist government,” wrote the former president in his X account (formerly Twitter). He added that “solidarity among peoples is the basis of a more just and dignified society,” it went on.

The document also accused the United Nations (UN) of “ignoring” the consequences of this conflict. “We regret the inaction of the United Nations and the Security Council in the face of what is happening today. As the organization responsible for promoting peace and human rights, it cannot continue to ignore the consequences of this situation,” he said and concluded: “The United Nations, the international community, has a historic responsibility to contribute to overcoming this critical situation by seeking fundamental solutions.”

After last week's breakup within the ruling Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), President Arce congratulated his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on his birthday on Saturday and wished him good health and strength to continue fighting for a new world order based on solidarity.

“On his birthday, we greet the president of Russia, brother Vladimir Putin. We wish him good health and strength to continue fighting for a new world order where solidarity and complementarity prevail over selfishness and pettiness. Congratulations!” wrote Arce on social networks.

Arce also stressed that the governments of Bolivia and Russia maintained a close relationship, which has been consolidated in the last three years, particularly on issues such as nuclear research and lithium. “I believe that we are advancing quite rapidly in these last three years with Russia, and this is due to trust,” said Arce, who valued Moscow's help during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the shipment of vaccines.

Last week, a MAS Congress named Morales as the “sole” candidate for the 2025 elections and appointed him as party leader. It was also approved that “no alliance” would be made in 2025.

The MAS also decided to expel Arce, Vice President David Choquehuanca, and another twenty leaders for treason.

Back to the conflict in Israel, it is worth recalling that Iranian Defense Minister Mohamad Reza Qarai Ashtiani and his Bolivian colleague Edmundo Novillo Aguilar signed a cooperation memorandum on July 20 in Tehran.

“It is not a threat to anyone,” Novillo said at the time following outcries from Argentina and Chile. “Our objective has not been to get missiles or weapons. I totally, categorically, and absolutely rule out that we have requested military aid,” he said.

Bolivian opposition sectors assumed that compromises had been reached to provide the South American country with ballistic missiles and internal espionage technologies. Citing anonymous sources, the newspaper El Deber stated that the agreement with Iran “includes lithium, missiles, weapons, and intelligence in cyberspace.”

Iran reportedly backed Hamas' actions in Israel.