Morales: 'It's our obligation to preserve the rights of Mother Earth'
- 9 years ago
Ahead of the UN Climate Conference, which opens in Paris in less than a month, French President François Hollande hosted his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales on Monday. The two heads of state discussed, in particular, the fight against global warming and poverty. Evo Morales spoke to FRANCE 24's Marc Perelman.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Bolivian President Evo Morales expressed hope that a deal will be reached at the climate summit in Paris, saying that past failures cannot be repeated given the urgency of the situation. "Our obligation as citizens is to preserve the rights of Mother Earth", he said.
Morales admitted he was disappointed by Barack Obama, saying the US leader is too influenced by business lobbies. "I have a feeling that in the United States, it isn't Obama or his party who are governing. The United States is governed by multinational companies, corporations, the oil industry", he said. Morales added that even on Cuba, he did not trust that Obama would go very far and lift the embargo.
Morales offered hope that peace in Colombia was "very close" and said he had urged the FARC rebels to lay down their weapons and fight through the ballot box.
Finally, he brushed aside claims that he was engineering a revision of the Bolivian constitution in order to remain in power, arguing that this was merely the will of the people.
A constitutional amendment will be put to a referendum next February that would allow Morales to run for a fourth term. "Political stability guarantees the economic prosperity of a country", the Bolivian leader insisted.
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In an interview with FRANCE 24, Bolivian President Evo Morales expressed hope that a deal will be reached at the climate summit in Paris, saying that past failures cannot be repeated given the urgency of the situation. "Our obligation as citizens is to preserve the rights of Mother Earth", he said.
Morales admitted he was disappointed by Barack Obama, saying the US leader is too influenced by business lobbies. "I have a feeling that in the United States, it isn't Obama or his party who are governing. The United States is governed by multinational companies, corporations, the oil industry", he said. Morales added that even on Cuba, he did not trust that Obama would go very far and lift the embargo.
Morales offered hope that peace in Colombia was "very close" and said he had urged the FARC rebels to lay down their weapons and fight through the ballot box.
Finally, he brushed aside claims that he was engineering a revision of the Bolivian constitution in order to remain in power, arguing that this was merely the will of the people.
A constitutional amendment will be put to a referendum next February that would allow Morales to run for a fourth term. "Political stability guarantees the economic prosperity of a country", the Bolivian leader insisted.
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