Evo Morales speaks in New York

Last night, 21 September, the Amigos de Bolivia crew went to hear Evo Morales speak at the Community Church on East 35th Street, after a session at the UN and a talk at Hunter College the day before. The line was around the block by 5pm, with the speech commencing at 7pm. A full house cheered him on with shouts of Evo! Evo! and he delivered in top form.
The subject was the rights of Mother Earth, and he made many references to capitalism and its role in impoverishing people around the world. Fidel Castro, he pointed out, made the remark 15-20 years ago that rich nations ought to recognise their ecological debt to the world; Morales noted that at first he did not realise the significance of that remark. But now with melting glaciers, dry spells, cold snaps that kill millions of fish, water levels receeding and other problems, he finds it very significant.
He rejected the Copenhagen accord which would have allowed for a rise of 2 degrees Centigrade worldwide, noting that an existing rise of .7-.89 degress was already in effect and was unbearable.
Such policies have not earned him praise among the corporate rulers, and one doubts that this speech will get the coverage it deserves -as so many papers are so indebted to the corporations which advertise in them - from the New York Post to even the Guardian (see the outing of this paper for its large 4X4 ads at http://www.hempforvictory.blogspot.com). He noted that after 9/11 the rich countries labeled him and some of his colleagues as drug dealers and, yes, terrorrists.
He ended saying he was actually a bit nervous, peasant farmer that he was, speaking to a crowd in a part of the world that labeled him drug dealer and a terrorist.
We are glad he stood up to his detractors, and look forward to hearing more from him in the future.