El Presidente

Greetings, I thought that I would post some interesting information on a landmark event in the Western Hemisphere. A man named Evo Morales was sworn in as president of Bolivia yesterday. What is remarkable is that this man is an Amerindian, part of the indigenous Aymara people who along with the Quechua Indians, have been oppressed and cut off from any political power while making a simple living as tin and silver miners and coca farmers. Morales is the first indigenous president of Bolivia (where over 60 laim Amerindian ancestry) and of any country in Latin America. He has promised to change history and give voice to the downtrodden in hopes to pull them out of poverty, and that his government will move to put an end to discrimination dating to the Spanish conquest in 1520 and from the spirit of colonialism which has dominated his people since then. After being sworn in and asking for a moment of silence for Inca martyrs and the revolutionary Che Guevara, he said these words:

"I want to say to you, my Indian brothers concentrated here in Bolivia, that the 500-year campaign of resistance has not been in vain. This democratic, cultural fight is part of the fight of our ancestors, it is the continuity of the fight of Tupac Katari, it is a continuity of the fight of Che Guevara."

Evo Morales also promised to be "America's nightmare" speaking against U.S. policies and boldly declaring that the United States could not use the fight against drugs "as an excuse" to "dominate and submit other peoples. It will truly be interesting to see the relationship between Bolivia and America in these next years. It is people like Morales who can make big changes in the world and fight against the system... as Bunny Wailer said, "its the Roots, Radics and Rockers", JAH know. Coincidently, Bolivia also shares Ethiopia's colors of red, gold and green. So you can see Evo Morales representing the liberation colors in photos, same way. Rally 'round the flag! Rastafari!

JAHsh