Bolivian President Evo Morales has criticized South American countries that rolled out the red carpet for, and jointly participated with, U.S. armed forces in a recent regional military exercise.
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Morales chastised Brazil, Peru and Colombia for allowing the week-long military exercise to take place in the Brazilian Amazon since Nov. 6. He made his comments during an event marking the handover of the building complex housing the former United States Agency for International Development headquarters to the Bolivian Armed Forces.
"We condemn that some armies in South America are inviting the United States to come here and carry out bilateral (military) exercises," he said, according to Sputnik.
"The armed forces that do joint exercises with the United States are deceiving their people," the president added as he went on to exhort the Bolivian military to remain alert in its defense of dignity and sovereignty — not only for Bolivia, but all of Latin America.
Morales weighed in on U.S. sanctions levelled against Venezuela, describing them as “new threats,” while urging some European countries to "not make the same mistake of punishing Venezuela” in the same manner.
He went on to refer to the U.S. government as being the “real threat to world security and peace” for its systematic refusal to ratify international human rights and environmental treaties. The Indigenous leader added that Washington promotes fear and warfare by selling weaponry around the world.
"Threats (from the United States) will continue,” Morales said, adding that “we have shown that without interference, without military bases, it's possible to free ourselves."