Bolivia vs. NGO's

http://upsidedownworld.org/main/bolivia-archives-31/5446-bolivian-vice-president-garcia-linera-vs-ngos-a-look-at-the-debate

Carmelo Ruiz

Bolivia’s vice president Alvaro Garcia Linera has unleashed an intense debate of international proportions by uttering harsh criticism of four non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) that operate in his country. The statements of the vice president, the number two man in the government of president Evo Morales, motivated intellectuals and activists of several countries to sign on to an open letter vouching for the prestige and integrity of the organizations in question. García Linera responded to them with an open letter of his own, and the controversy continues.

The Bolivian government’s conflict with NGO’s is not new. President Morales has frequently accused activist groups of serving imperialist agendas. But in his government, vice president García Linera has been the most outspoken critic of NGO’s. Other progressive governments in the region, particularly that of Ecuador, have also joined in the diatribe against these organizations.