Bolivia Update

Bolivia's, and potentially all of South America's, water supply is endangered by a ruthless businessman and major force in the criminal organization Quantum. No wait, that's just the plot for the new James Bond movie. Well, at least Bolivia's getting a little screen time.

But more negative press is not what the country needs right now. Bolivia has been making many headlines in the past few months as U.S.-Bolivia relations have soured dramatically.

In late 2005 Evo Morales, the leader of the political party - Movement Toward Socialism and spokesman for, and former farmer of coca (the raw material for cocaine), was elected as Bolivia's first indigenous president. Since the election, Evo's alliance with Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's unwelcomed crackdown on coca production has caused much strife between our government and theirs.

In September Evo expelled the U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, Philip Goldberg. Angered U.S. officials responded by kicking out Bolivia's ambassador, Gustavo Guzman. Martial law was declared in Bolivia after a number of deaths occurred during street riots brought on by the social and political unrest. Days later all U.S. peace corp volunteers were removed from the country.

This month Evo suspended U.S. anti-drug operations. In turn the U.S. added Bolivia to it's anti-narcotic blacklist, causing a cut in trade preferences that could cost South America's poorest country as many as 20,000 jobs. And most recently in the back and forth, Bolivian officials are calling for the U.S. to extradite their former president Sanchez de Lozada who currently resides here in Maryland.

All this to say, Bolivians are facing difficult times of potentially increasing poverty, possible civil war and continued national uncertainty. The more their situation deteriorates the more I look forward to sharing with them veterinary skills to stabilize their financial situation and enhance their quality of life, and Jesus who offers a peace that surpasses all understanding.

"...by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7