By NNN-Prensa Latina
La Paz : Bolivia faces the historical challenge of deciding if it should continue its march forward with democratic changes or returns to the neo liberal model sponsored by an ever more aggressive opposition.
In an interview granted to Prensa Latina, Bolivian President Evo Morales defended his recently called referendum that would allow Bolivians to ratify or revoke his mandate and that of nine governors.
“Bolivia is involved in a permanent battle between those who want social justice and those who fear losing their privileges, and now a sovereign people will decide the future of the nation,” he explained.
He warned that, although opposition groups are fewer, they are more radical and organize violent, illegal and anti democratic resistance, in constant contradictions.
“The people are aware of the changes and although our management could improve we have more strength than weakness,” he emphasized.
Morales evaluated the force of the campesino and original peoples movements strengthened recently by urban and rural teachers, and mining and textile sectors.
He denounced the two-faced speech of the oligarchy which, while demanding democracy, called for civil disobedience, plundering public and private institutions and calls for military insubordination.
On Thursday, the president delivered a bill to Congress calling for a national consultation, debunking the authoritarian stigma used by traditional parties to attack him.
“We must not fear the people,” Morales said and added that international observers were invited.
He also challenged his adversaries to defend their positions from a democracy instead of deceiving the Bolivian people and manipulating with double talk.