Jacob Ostreicher escaping Bolivia

So the story is that a gang of kidnappers set upon Jacob in Santa Cruz, demanded a ransom and
threatened to kill him...but decided to be nice and deliver him to his home thousands of miles away in Brooklyn. OK. Some believe it, some don't. At Chaplins and other comedy clubs in La Paz, this is a joke; the Russian customers call it skazka - fairy tale.
The sad part is that there are two sides left hurt in this - the Jewish Community and the La Paz government - but the real culprits are the drug dealers, extortionists and political opportunists; the latter of whom exasperated the La Paz governemnt, sending in clowns like Sean Penn and making the situation worse for all.
But what does this hold for the future? Should Bolivia ask extradition, will the US extradite or refuse? If the Brooklyn community thinks they have the US State Dept. and Obama on their side, maybe they are right; but maybe they are wrong, and the historical precedent for politicians is to get the lather and wash their hands. Today the NYT reports that Snowden is seeking asylum in South America in exchange for revealing secrets; the US has had bad year in Latin America, and keeping Jacob in New York might make for bad relations with an entire continent.
So the pendulum might swing the other way, and Jacob might be the token of appeasement the State Department will need.
And what of the lack of response from Melissa Mark-Viverito? She could have been a bridge between the Latin and the Orthodox communities, but she kept out of it, even when offered highly classified information that would have been of use to acquit Jacob and actually bring about better US-Bolivian relations; she is busy these days seeking the Speakers' seat in NYC politics.
So this saga may have more parts. Stay tuned. There may be more info leaked here than Snowden ever had.

Ostreicher case further notes

Hurry up and wait...this is the message from the US pols and big shot activists who claim to be helping Jacob Ostreicher.
Little do they take the time to comprehend that their activism is rude and ignorant, that they do not listen to those who have offered advice on the situation and that they only make more tension.
Presently a NYC Spanish speaking politician has been approached with this mission, and, ironically reproached on one site for not jumping in earlier - although this legislator's district does not include Ostreicher and they are not part of Ostreicher's community. The new batter has a better than average chance, but this situation is full of curve balls; speaking Spanish helps a lot, as does being a left wing politician, but it is not so easy. There is room to hit a grand slam; or, strike out.

Evo Morales, if he were to be briefed on the full extent of this case, I am sure would release Ostreicher and there would be more arrests in Bolivia, and hopefully in the US as well. A colleague
showed me recently an email in which there was nazi help for the GOP congressman in Brooklyn who replaced Weiner; as incidental as this seems to the Ostreicher case, I include it here without further explanation to tease the reader - huelga decir, es relativo pero yo voy a escribir mas de esto cuando me conviene. Este caso es muy complicado y muchos son involucrados - hay planes por cambios en Bolivia para agarrar los recursos - no es gran sorpresa a muchos - y como esto tiene relacion a Ostreicher yo voy a relevar.

Jacob Ostreicher info

The saga of Jacob Ostreicher continues, now NYC Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito is getting involved - why she was not asked earlier is a good question...
She is stepping into a landmine, and as noted earliers this year, there is GOP involvement in this case
which was fabricated to undermine Morales from the beginning - it was meant to start trouble for Bolivia from the Jewish community.
Behind the scenes, many members know this as they have been briefed by someone acting on behalf
of many interests - including US and Bolivian.
GOP henchmen have been trying to incite civil war and assassination in Bolivia - see Melvyn Kohn's
April 2009 post at the UK Hurry up Harry site - and now the trail leads to NY.

To be continued.

Evo Morales asks for a transfer of UN Headquarters to a more neutral country

In today's El Diario/La Prensa, (p. 11) there appears an article about Evo Morales asking that the location of the United Nations headquarters be changed to a 'neutral nation.' Given the complicity of the UN in CIA agression against Latin American countries, going back as far as 1954 when United Fruit took over in Central America, this is a most reasonable request. Switzerland, with its neutrality,
might be a far better choice. Morales then suggests that if they do not change the location, at least rotate its meeting places, "maybe to Geneva or somewhere in Austria is we're talking about Europe; if we're talking about South America, maybe Brazil", he told CNN.
He is presently in NY where he is attending the UN sessions.
One of the reasons for his appeal is that the US does not offer proper security, and he notes that it harbours terrorists. Which is very true. Absolute butchers from Latin America fill the cesspool in Miami.
Alluding to an incident in which the US denied a Venezuelan flight airspace over Puerto Rico, he notes that the US is not friendly to all foreign flights - one recalls the recent stopping of his own plane in Europe, possibly at the instigation of the CIA.
Bolivia in renewing its extradition request for the former president accused of genocide, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada.
And it has not been that long ago that certain Latin American presidents found that the NSA was eavesdropping on them...and not that long ago either that the US got caught bugging phones at the UN.
So yes, there are many arguments for transferring the UN headquarters to a nation with less controversy about its dealings with Latin America.

Brassia orchid in watercolour

Watercolour of a spider (Brassia) orchid.

Red-billed Toucan

Red-billed Toucan, also known as the White-throated Toucan  Ramphastos tucanus.

One of four Ramphastos toucans in Bolivia. 

Toco toucan

Toco toucan. Ramphastos toco. 

Harpy Eagle

Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja).

Bolivian butterflies

The above are Bolivian butterflies, in a case in the collection of Gene and Christine Philcox of Long Island. The Latin names are: Heraclides torquatus, Callicore cynasura, Dione juno, Urania leilus, and Smyrna blomfildia.

Bolivia is renowned for its wildlife, from birds to orchids to insects. It is one of the least explored countries in the world, making it ripe for discovery and adventure.

Kestrel

Pencil drawing of a Kestrel, Falco sparverius; the most common raptor in the New World. The Bolivian subspecies is F. s. cearae, found from northeast Brazil south to eastern Bolivia.


The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the smallest and most common raptor in North America. It has been confused with, and therefore called, a Sparrowhawk, to which it is similar in size. It is the largest of the species of Kestrels, and also has one of the largest ranges.

The difference between the female and the male, or tiercel,  as he is known in some circles,  is reflected more in plumage than in size. Males have blue-grey wings with black spade-like spots and white undersides with black barring. The back is rufous, with barring on the lower half. The breast and belly are off-white with black spade-like spots spotting. The tail is rufous, with a white or rufous tip and a black subterminal band.

The back and wings of the female are rufous with dark brown barring. The undersides of the females are creamy to buff with heavy brown streaking. The tail differs from that of the male's, being rufous with eight to ten heavy black bars. Juveniles exhibit coloration patterns similar to the adults’. In both sexes, the head is whitish beneath the eyes, where there are to be found two, vertical black facial markings, one in front and one just behind the eye, going down to the neck. Two black spots (ocelli) can be found on each side of the white or orangish nape, which are believed to be a form of natural mimicry, designed to appear as ‘eyes’ to deter predators. The wings are moderately long, fairly narrow, and taper to a point. although both sexes have a rufous back with noticeable barring. Juveniles are similar in plumage to adults.

The bird ranges in size from 12 to 27 cm (4.7 to 11 in) in length with a wingspan of 50–61 cm (20–24 in), the tail is 11–15 cm (4.3–5.9 in) and the tarsus is 3.2–4 cm (1.3–1.6) the female being the slightly larger of the pair. Males weigh 80–105 g (2.8–3.7 oz), while females weigh 100–120 grams (3.5–4.2 oz).

There are four known vocalizations; the klee or kill, the whine, and the chitter The klee is usually delivered as a rapid series – klee, klee, klee, klee when the kestrel is upset or excited. This call is used in a wide variety of situations and is heard from both sexes, but the larger females typically have lower-pitched voices than the males. The whine call is primarily associated with feeding. The chitter is used in activities which involve interaction between male and female birds, including courtship feeding and the feeding of nestlings. Nestlings can produce calls similar to those of adults at 16 days old.

In the wild birds that survive infancy are believed to live for five years or more, with the oldest record being that of a bird was 11 years and 7 months; captive birds have been known to live up to 17 years.

The bird is distributed from northern Canada to Tierra del Fuego, making use of a wide variety of environments, including prairies, grasslands, meadows, deserts. It thrives both in rural terrain and urban, and any area that provides perches, open space for hunting, and cavities for nesting suits it well. This kestrel is a bird of diverse habitat from spaces above the Arctic Circle to the tropics, from below sea level to elevations of over 4,500 meters (14,764 ft) in the Andes.

The American Kestrel's primary mode of hunting is by perching and waiting for prey to come near, but it also hawks by hovering in the air with rapid wing beats or perching and scanning the ground for prey, which consists largely of smaller birds, mainly sparrows, buntings, warblers; rodents such as mice and voles; lizards and small snakes, and; insects including grasshoppers and dragonflies. There is scant record of such kills as snakes, bats, and squirrels. Prey is almost always caught on the ground. Before striking, the kestrel characteristically bobs its head and tail, then makes a direct flight toward the prey to grab it in its talons.

Despite its small size and rather mundane hunting habits and choice of prey, it is a common bird to be used in falconry, especially by beginners;  most falconers prefer larger birds such as Peregrine Falcons and Northern Goshawks when hunting, but Kestrels are easier to keep and breed than their larger kin. 
 
It nests in cavities in trees, cliffs, buildings, and other structures. The female lays three to seven eggs, which both sexes help to incubate. American Kestrels are cavity nesters, but they are able to adapt to a wide variety of nesting situations. They generally prefer natural cavities (such as in trees) with closed tops and tight fitting entrances, as to provide for maximum protection of the eggs and young. Kestrels occasionally nest in holes created by large woodpeckers, or use the abandoned nests of other birds, such as Red-tailed Hawks, Merlins, and crows. They have been recorded nesting on cliff ledges and building tops, as well as in abandoned cavities in cactuses. American Kestrels also commonly utilize nesting boxes.Three to seven eggs (typically four or five) are laid approximately 24–72 hours apart. The average egg size is 32 mm by 29 mm, 10% larger than average for birds of its body size. The eggs are white to cream in color with brown or grey splotching. Incubation usually lasts 30 days and is mainly the responsibility of the female, although the male incubates 15–20% of the time. Eggs which are lost are typically replaced in 11–12 days. Hatching takes place over three to four days. Hatchlings are altricial, and are only able to sit up after five days. They grow very quickly, reaching an adult weight after 16–17 days. After 28–31 days, their wings develop and they are able to leave the nest.

Spider orchid

Pencil sketch of a Brassia, or spider orchid. 5 species of Brassia are found in Bolivia.

 

Ronald McDonald gets his booed in Bolivia

(NaturalNews) McDonald's happy image and its golden arches aren't the gateway to bliss in Bolivia. This South American country isn't falling for the barrage of advertising and fast food cooking methods that so easily engulf countries like the United States. Bolivians simply don't trust food prepared in such little time. The quick and easy, mass production method of fast food actually turns Bolivians off altogether. Sixty percent of Bolivians are an indigenous population who generally don't find it worth their health or money to step foot in a McDonald's. Despite its economically friendly fastfood prices, McDonald's couldn't coax enough of the indigenous population of Bolivia to eat their BigMacs, McNuggets or McRibs.

One indigenous woman, Esther Choque, waiting for a bus to arrive outside a McDonald's restaurant, said, "The closest I ever came was one day when a rain shower fell and I climbed the steps to keep dry by the door. Then they came out and shooed me away. They said I was dirtying the place. Why would I care if McDonald's leaves [Bolivia]?"

Fast food chain remained for a decade, despite losses every year

The eight remaining McDonald's fast food shops that stuck it out in the Bolivian city's of La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz de la Sierra, had reportedly operated on losses every year for a decade. The McDonald's franchise had been persistent over that time, flexing its franchise's deep pockets to continue business in Bolivia.

Any small business operating in the red for that long would have folded and left the area in less than half that time. Even as persistent as McDonald's was in gaining influence there, it couldn't continue operating in the red. After 14 years of presence in the country, their extensive network couldn't hold up the Bolivian chain. Store after store shut down as Bolivia rejected the McDonald's fast food agenda. Soon enough, they kissed the last McDonald's goodbye.

Deep cultural rejection

The McDonald's impact and its departure from Bolivia was so lasting and important, that marketing managers immediately filmed a documentary called, "Why McDonalds's went broke in Bolivia."

Featuring, cooks, nutritionist, historians, and educators, this documentary breaks down the disgusting reality of how McDonald's food is prepared and why Bolivians reject the whole fast food philosophy of eating.

The rejection isn't necessarily based on the taste or the type of food McDonald's prepared. The rejection of the fast food system stemmed from Bolivian's mindset of how meals are to be properly prepared. Bolivians more so respect their bodies, valuing the quality of what goes into their stomach. The time it takes for fast food to be prepared throws up a warning flag in their minds. Where other cultures see no risk, eating McDonald's every week; Bolivians feel that it just isn't worth the health risk. Bolivians seek well prepared, local meals, and want to know that their food was prepared the right way.

This self respect helps Bolivians avoid processed "restructured meat technology," often used by fast food joints like McDonald's.

The McRib: 70 ingredients all restructured into one

Did you know that the McRib is processed with 70 different ingredients which include azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent often used in producing foamed plastics? McRib's are basically "restructured meat technology" containing a mixture of tripe, heart, and scalded stomach. Proteins are extracted from this muscle mixture and they bind the pork trimmings together so they can be molded in a factory. The McRib is really just a molded blob of restructured meat, advertised and sold like fresh ribs. There's nothing real about it, the preparation or the substance. In fact, McRibs really came about because of a chicken shortage. The restructured meat technology approach kept the McRib on the menu, despite the shortage, and the profits continued rolling in.

This is the very disgusting idea that the Bolivians have rejected in their country.

The Bolivian rejection of McDonald's has set a proper example for the rest of the world to follow.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com

http://www.globalresearch.ca

http://www.theblaze.com

http://www.trueactivist.com/mcdonalds-goes-belly-up-in-bolivia/

Bolivia and Holland sign a deal for lithium battery development

Bolivia and Holland this week signed an agreement for a joint project aimed at the manufatcure of lithium batteries in Bolivia. It was signed in La Paz, between Prince Jaime De Borbon Parma, a minister of foreign affairs for Holland, and the Bolivian minister David Choquehuanca. The manager of Recursos Evaporiticos, Luis Alberto Echazu, explained the deal as being in the making, with the intention of coming up with a master plan in the future for implementing a battery production plant in Bolivia and the creation of a scientific research laboratory.
This type of deal allows Bolivia to profit not only from the mining of lithium, but from production as well. In the past Bolivia has mined a great quantity of metals but the smelting and other refning and manufacturing processes have generally been undertaken outside the country.



Dutch Prince Jaime De Borbon Parma

Bolivia's economic advances

In El Diario/La Prensa, [9 August 2013, p.15] there was an article about Evo Morales' speech on the state of the economy. A basic translation from the Spanish is that at a CAF banking development conference in Sucre, Morales told the listeners that the economic growth gets democratised and the economy comes back. With the gross internal product rate growing well at a rate of 6.5% in the first part of the year, Bolivia is ranked as the third most powerful economy for the region; Morales listed the economic expansion as due to growth in the hydrocarbon, financial services, transport, construction, electricity, public adminstration, manufacturing and agricultural sectors.
He points out that while Bolivia is third, the nations ahead of it have gotten much private investment, which is good and within their rights, but does not resolve the social problems.
"Some outfits with neither social responsibility nor conscience may grow, but do so for a few families, not for the majority", which is the opposite of what is happening in Bolivia.
Bolivia continues to grow economically.
One factor in its growth is diversity; this year, both gold and silver, which Bolivia has in good quantities (see previous post on mining on this site), have depreciated in world markets, but this has not significantly hurt Bolivia. 20 other metals are mined and there are a number of other industry sectors, some still to be developed much further, such as tourism.
Look for Bolivia to grow steadily for a couple more years and then boom afterwards.

Apology to Bolivia

The embarrassing incident in Europe over the Bolivian plane has caused waves internationally. The following is from the BBC in London:

 

 

 

Four South American countries say they will recall some of their ambassadors after the Bolivian president's plane was banned from European airspace.

Evo Morales' plane, returning from Russia, was rerouted to Austria, amid rumours that American fugitive Edward Snowden was on board.

Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Uruguay say the incident violated international law.

Envoys will be recalled from France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, they say.

Mr Snowden, a former CIA contractor, is wanted by Washington on charges of leaking secrets about US surveillance schemes.
'Hostile act'
Speaking at a summit in Montevideo, the Uruguayan foreign minister, Luis Almagro, said the actions of the European governments were "groundless, discriminatory and arbitrary".

He went on: "The gravity of the situation - which is a typical neo-colonial practice - is an unusual, unfriendly and hostile act which violates human rights and affects the freedom of transit, displacement and immunity that is enjoyed by every head of state."

The European countries have called the incident a "misunderstanding". France has apologised, blaming "conflicting information" while Spain said it had been told Mr Snowden had been on the plane.

On Friday, Mr Snowden said he sought asylum in Russia as he was unable to travel to Latin America.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

We repudiate any action aimed at undermining the authority of countries to grant and fully implement the right of asylum”

End Quote Mercosur statement

He spoke at a Moscow airport, in his first appearance in three weeks, after meeting human rights groups and lawyers.

He has been in the transit area at Sheremetyevo airport since arriving from Hong Kong on 23 June.

The American has sent requests for political asylum to at least 21 countries, most of which have turned him down.

However, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela have indicated they could take him in.
South American anger
The decision by South American nations to recall four of their Europe envoys was taken in the framework of the presidential summit of the regional trade bloc, Mercosur, which comprises Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Uruguay.

Some European countries are likely to close their airspace again to any plane suspected of carrying the fugitive.

In a statement, Mercosur said: "We repudiate any action aimed at undermining the authority of countries to grant and fully implement the right of asylum."

It called for "solidarity with the governments of Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela, which have offered to grant asylum to Mr Edward Snowden".

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Mercosur would also demand "explanations and public apologies" from France, Italy, Spain and Portugal over the plane forced landing.

Bolivia, which is an associate member of Mercosur, summoned the ambassadors of the four European countries last week over the diversion of the plane, which it called an act of aggression.

The kidnapping of Evo Morales

The 'kidnapping' of the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, has made international waves
as the following New York Times articles demonstrates. The US fears that Snowden was on board
were unfounded, this former spook remains at Sheremetryevo Aeroport in no-man's-land with his passport revoked. However, the US has now lost any support it had over the Morales incident, and it will actually be easier for Snowden to find haven; expect Ecuador to grant it. Also, Ecuador has found a bug in its London embassy, planted by the CIA - which has infiltrated the UK intel forces. Sad that the UK will be left to take the blame for the bug, hopefully the truth will emerge and both Ecuador and the UK will be better able to thwart the CIA/NSA and other US spy agencies.

Helmut Fohringer/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales, speaking to reporters at an airport near Vienna. France and Portugal had blocked his plane.

By WILLIAM NEUMAN and ALISON SMALE

Published: July 3, 2013

CARACAS, Venezuela — The geopolitical storm churned up by Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive American intelligence contractor, continued to spread on Wednesday as Latin American leaders roundly condemned the refusal to let Bolivia’s president fly over several European nations, rallying to his side after Bolivian officials said the president’s plane had been thwarted because of suspicions that Mr. Snowden was on board.

Calling it a grave offense to their entire region, Latin American officials said they would hold an emergency meeting of the Union of South American Nations on Thursday.

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina said the episode had “vestiges of a colonialism that we thought was completely overcome,” describing it as a humiliating act that affected all of South America.

President Rafael Correa of Ecuador said in a post on Twitter that the situation was “extremely serious” and called it an “affront to all America,” referring to Latin America.

The diplomatic and political tempest over Mr. Snowden and his revelations of far-reaching American espionage programs has swept up adversaries and allies from across the globe.

Tensions emerged right away between the United States and the two major powers Mr. Snowden has fled to, China and Russia, over their refusal to detain him and turn him over to the American authorities.

The discord soon spread to some of America’s closest allies in Europe. After newspaper reports based on documents Mr. Showden compiled as a contractor for the National Security Agency showed that the United States had been spying on an array of embassies and diplomatic missions, including the European Union’s offices in Washington, Brussels and New York, the outrage rattled prospects for a trans-Atlantic free-trade agreement.

The United States and Europe have emphasized the importance of the trade talks, saying they would create the world’s largest free trade zone and stimulate growth. But on Wednesday, France said it would be wise for the talks to be suspended for two weeks to give Washington time to supply information about its spying program.

Hours later, José Manuel Barroso, the head of the union’s governing commission, announced a compromise in which trade talks could start as planned, but only if the United States opened talks at the same time on its intelligence operations.

Seeking to keep the trade talks on track, President Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany later responded with an agreement that security officials from their countries would hold a “high-level meeting” in coming days, Ms. Merkel’s spokesman said in a statement.

In a telephone call to President Obama on Wednesday evening, the chancellor noted that a visit to Washington by senior officials from the German government and its intelligence services offered the chance for an “intensive discussion” of concerns over the scope of American intelligence activities, data protection and privacy, the statement said.

But French officials, speaking to reporters, made it clear that they would still favor delaying trade talks if there was no movement from the Americans on the espionage by next week.

And now, the uproar has encompassed Latin America as well.

“In some sense, it parallels ironically what the N.S.A. is doing,” said Faiza Patel, a co-director of the liberty and national security program of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, a research and advocacy organization. “The N.S.A. is reaching its tentacles aross the world.”

Mr. Snowden and his disclosures have touched different chords in each region. In Europe, Ms. Patel noted, they have provoked memories of the police states created by fascism and communism, with their heavy-handed surveillance of their own people. In Latin America, she said, they have touched on a wellspring of resentment over the legacy of colonialism and American power, as well as the region’s own history of secretive dictatorships.       

The latest burst of outrage came in response to the diversion of a plane carrying Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales, as he was flying home from Moscow on Tuesday. He had attended a meeting of nations that export natural gas and had told Russian television that he was open to giving asylum to Mr. Snowden.

Mr. Snowden has been holed up at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow for more than a week, hoping to receive a positive response to the asylum requests he has made to several countries, and Mr. Morales’s remark may have set off suspicion that he was bringing the fugitive aboard.

After taking off from Moscow, Mr. Morales’s plane sought permission to land in France to refuel, according to Carlos Romero, the minister of government in La Paz, Bolivia. But France refused and denied the plane permission to enter French airspace, Bolivian officials said. Portugal had previously refused to let the plane land for refueling in Lisbon.

Mr. Morales was given permission to land in Vienna, where he spent the night. Officials said that as a new flight plan was being drawn up, Italy also denied permission for Mr. Morales’s plane to use its airspace. Bolivia’s foreign minister, David Choquehuanca, said the refusals stemmed from “unfounded suspicions that Mr. Snowden was on the plane.”

Karl-Heinz Grundböck, a spokesman for the Austrian Interior Ministry, said that the Austrian border authorities carried out a routine check of the passports of everyone aboard Mr. Morales’s plane after it landed and that they were also granted permission to search the plane to ensure that Mr. Snowden was not aboard. “The rumors were just that,” Mr. Grundböck said.

But in La Paz, officials said no search had taken place, contending that it would be improper to search the plane of a head of state. As for the forced diversion of the flight, the vice president of Bolivia, Álvaro García Linera, equated it to a kidnapping.

“Yesterday was one of the most shameful pages in the political history of some countries in Europe,” Mr. García Linera said in La Paz on Wednesday.

French officials apologized on Wednesday, saying they had never meant to block Mr. Morales from their airspace and reversed the decision after learning that the Bolivian president was aboard.

“There was conflicting information about the passengers who were on board,” said the French president, François Hollande. “When I knew it was the plane of the Bolivian president, I immediately gave permission for it to fly” over French territory, he said.

Some Latin American officials blamed the United States, insisting that the Obama administration had instructed its European allies to stop Mr. Morales’s plane on the suspicion that it carried Mr. Snowden, who is wanted on charges of violating espionage laws for divulging secrets about American surveillance programs. The White House declined to comment on whether the American government had anything to do with the plane’s diversion.

At the State Department, a spokeswoman, Jennifer Psaki, declined to say whether American authorities had asked other countries to deny airspace to the Bolivian plane. “I would point you to them to describe why they made decisions if they made decisions,” Ms. Psaki told reporters.

After European nations eventually cleared Mr. Morales to fly, he took off from the Vienna airport about 11:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the foreign minister of Ecuador, Ricardo Patiño, said on Wednesday in Quito that his government had discovered a hidden microphone in the office of its ambassador in London. The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, who has been acting as an adviser to Mr. Snowden, has been living in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London for more than a year, given asylum there to escape extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning on sexual assault allegations.

Mr. Patiño, whose country is a possible asylum destination for Mr. Snowden, said that the device was linked to a private British security firm and that he was asking British authorities for help in finding out who was behind the bugging.

Scarlet Macaws

These are Scarlet Macaws, painted by Ken Gibson of New York. Lots of these in fact in that city,
but they are native to Central and South America, especially Bolivia. In some parts of Mexico and Central America they have been driven to the point of extinction.
There are two subspecies, Ara macao macao, pictured here, and A. m. caynoptera.
The latter is believed to have more blue on the tips of the yellow wing feathers, but that may not
be as definitive as some are inclined to believe.
At one point buyers prefered 'Bolivians' - so much so that Bolivian dealers bought from Colombia
and relabeled as 'Bolivian'.
There are also orangey individuals, once sold as a subspecies, but now known to be late in the season
birds whose plumage has been affected by the sun. Very spectacular effect - known as 'Tangerine'
macaws.
Best to see these in the wild! Flocks of over 100 can be seen in the Bolivian jungles, feeding on the fruits and nuts high up in the canopy.
Bolivia is home to more species of macaw than any other country.

Bolivia expels USAID

 

Bolivian President Evo Morales expels USAID

Evo Morales accused USAID of meddling in the affairs of the Bolivian people

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Bolivian President Evo Morales has said he will expel the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Mr Morales accused the agency of seeking to "conspire against" the Bolivian people and his government.
US state department spokesman Patrick Ventrell rejected the allegations as "baseless and unfounded".
USAID has been working in Bolivia for almost five decades, and had a budget of $52.1m (£33.4m) for the country in 2010, according to its website.
The agency said it deeply regretted Mr Morales' decision.
'Nationalise dignity' On previous May Days, Mr Morales had announced the nationalisation of key industries, such as hydroelectric power and the electricity grid.
But on Wednesday he said he "would only nationalise the dignity of the Bolivian people".
Speaking at a rally in La Paz, the president said there was "no lack of US institutions which continue to conspire against our people and especially the national government, which is why we're going to take the opportunity to announce on this May Day that we've decided to expel USAID".
He then turned to his Foreign Minister, David Choquehuanca, and asked him to inform the US embassy of his decision.
The president said the expulsion was in protest at a recent remark by US Secretary of State John Kerry, who referred to Latin America as "the backyard of the United States".
Mr Kerry made the remark as he tried to persuade US Congressmen of the importance of the region.
Mr Morales has threatened USAID with expulsion in the past, saying that its programmes have "political rather than social" ends. He has also accused it of "manipulating" and "using" union leaders.
Mr Ventrell said Mr Morales' decision "harms the Bolivian people".
"We think the programmes have been positive for the Bolivian people, and fully co-ordinated with the Bolivian government and appropriate agencies under their own national development plan," he said.
In a statement USAID said: "Those who will be most hurt by the Bolivian government's decision are the Bolivian citizens who have benefited from our collaborative work on education, agriculture, health, alternative development, and the environment."
Coca disputes Mr Morales, who heads his country's union of coca growers, has also been critical in the past of US counter-narcotic programmes in Bolivia, repeatedly stating that the fight against drugs is driven by geopolitical interests.
In 2008, Mr Morales expelled the US ambassador and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for allegedly conspiring against his government.
Bolivia is among the top three producers of coca in the world, according to the United Nations World Drug report. Coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine, has been used in the Andes for thousands of years as a mild stimulant and sacred herbal medicine.
USAID cites as its main aims the strengthening of Bolivia's health system and the provision of "equal access to health care by eliminating social exclusion", as well as improving "the livelihoods of economically and socially disadvantaged people by increasing income and managing natural resources".
The agency also supports programmes to help Bolivian farmers to replace coca with other crops.
The US government had a separate budget of $20.3m (£13m) for its counter-narcotics and military programme in 2010, but it is not clear which agency distributes that money in Bolivia.
Evo Morales became Bolivia's first indigenous president in 2005.

Quakers sponsoring of Bolivian students

Learning the Life of the Spirit

 

While frosty spring winds kiss the crocuses in much of the North, let us whisk you away for a moment to warm, mild Cochabamba to meet Gaby Chambi Perca, Friendly Farmer in training.

Gaby just started her ninth semester in Agronomy and Animal Husbandry at the University of San Simón, thanks to a BQEF sponsorship by a US family.

International Lecturers:

Last semester, Gaby’s section had a workshop on calf management. A lecturer from Argentina taught about life in the calf’s early days, and particularly the importance of colostrum for the calf. Gaby also had a practicum on Santa Maria Farm.

Model Farm Organics:

Her studies have also included a visit to the model organic farm in Pairumani, where she learned about the machinery and implements used, and about the farm's strict organic standards which require, for example, that they not use seeds from foreign markets.

Vibrant School and Church Communities; Visits Home:

Gaby shared other highlights about her residence life, church, and visits home:

"In the School of Agriculture Residence Hall where I live, we shared a barbeque to celebrate Students' Day. In my church, "Life for All"...recently we had a retreat for young people...(read more)

Imagine Getting to Know a Bolivian Friend:

55 energetic, dedicated young Quakers have scholarships to university and technical schools this year. That's 55 Bolivian Friends who are gaining the skills and confidence needed to assume leadership roles in a vibrant, emerging nation. 25 of these were awarded on faith and are in need of sponsorship.

Would you or your family or meeting enjoy getting to know Bolivian Quakers better? Sponsorship is a wonderful opportunity to do just that. Students write their sponsors several times a year, with photos and stories about their studies, families, churches and community.

To find out how you can help nurture and celebrate the spirit of young Bolivian Friends like Gaby while developing a special friendship, visit our scholarships and sponsorships page.

"An investment in Bolivian Quaker young people brings a whole lot of value for a small amount of money", as one of our supporters says.

Click here to donate online via Network for Good

or send checks to:
Bolivian Quaker Education Fund, Inc.
65 Spring St.
Fredonia, NY 14063-2128

Please contact us if you would like to donate stock, at office@bqef.org

May Love and Light fill your life and labors,

Jens, Barbara, Vickey, and all of us here at Bolivian Quaker Education Fund

Bolivian Cattleyas

Bolivia is home to some 2000 or more orchids, including of course Cattleyas -
C. nobilior, C. violacea and C. luteola. The first of these grows in Santa Cruz and
I found a great video of an expedition in search of these you can click on here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0Uln6zl7R8&noredirect=1


C. nobilior   (above)


C. luteola    (above)
C. violacea (below)

British bred Blue-throated Macaws to be released in Bolivia

Rare macaws bred in Cornwall to be flown to Bolivia

The trust said about 130 blue-throated macaws survived in the wild

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Six rare parrots which have been bred in Cornwall are being flown to a new life in the wild in Bolivia.

The Blue Throated Macaws are heading to South America, 6,000 miles away (9,660 km) from their home at Paradise Park in Hayle.

It is part of a project to re-populate parrots in the wild organised by the World Parrot Trust based in Cornwall.

The trust said current figures show up to 120 Blue Throated Macaws live in the wild in Bolivia.

The numbers have reduced by more than 50% compared to 2007, when there were 250 in Bolivia.

Earlier figures show there were 1,000 of the birds living in the wild in 1980.
'Quite a boost'
They are now only found in Llanos de Mojos in northern Bolivia.

David Woolcock, the curator of Paradise Park, where the trust is based, said: "I can't emphasise enough how rare these birds are.

"To send six birds out from here, joined by seven from America and seven from Canada. That's quite a boost to the wild population."

It is not the first time the trust has sent bred-birds back into the wild from Cornwall.

Alison Hales, from the park, said: "The very first species the trust helped was the echo parakeet in Mauritius.

"The parakeet was down to just seven individuals. It's taken a very long time, but the numbers have crept up, and now it has reached 500 individuals."

Bolivian Quaker Education Fund Invitation 2013

Learning the Life of the Spirit

 

Many Friends in Bolivia - where it is unusually cold this summer season - are returning to school and university after their annual break.
Here, we invite you to join us in visiting among Bolivian Friends, perhaps help make arrangements for a Bolivian Friend to visit here, and share a word (or two) about our new address.
_________________________________________________________________________

You're Invited! 2013 Quaker Service & Study Tour by Barbara Stanford, BQEF Board Member

Visiting Bolivian Quakers in their homes and churches - on the slopes of the Andes, on the high plains around Lake Titicaca, and in the cities of El Alto and La Paz - was one of the highlights of my life. The Quaker Service and Study Tour gave me rich, horizon-expanding opportunities to know and understand Friends in Bolivia and their struggles and dreams.

I visited with BQEF scholarship students and heard about the challenge of moving from remote Aymara-speaking villages to university where materials are in Spanish and English, and about their dreams for improving the lives of their families and communities. We heard their music and song and ate their wonderful food, prepared and shared with warmth and generosity.
I worshiped in a Quaker church whose worship form was very different from mine, but where the Spirit was just as available, and where the congregation was warm and welcoming.

I met farmers raising llamas and hardy crops in some of Earth’s most difficult environments - farmers who were facing ever-greater challenges from the very visible effects of climate change.
For our service project, we worked with parents and staff to complete a drainage project in the courtyard of the Quaker-run Student Residence in the beautiful Sorata valley. We ate, studied, and played with the delightful young people who live there during the school week. And we visited one of the remote mountainside homes from which students had to walk hours to go to school before the Residence was available.
This is an exciting time to visit one of the most beautiful countries in the world - Bolivia is experiencing dramatic social and political change as the indigenous majority emerges from centuries of oppression. The 2013 Quaker Service and Study Tour of Bolivia is now forming. This year, join us in working with individual BQEF scholarship students to help improve their English skills, so necessary for their studies.

Trip extensions are also available. Choose from Cusco - Machu Picchu, a visit to the vanishing Amazon jungle, to "The Mirror of the Heavens" (Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest lithium-rich salt flat), and/or additional volunteering post-trip in Bolivia.

For more information about the trip, see www.TreasuresoftheAndes.com or contact Barbara Flynn at info@treasuresoftheandes.com, 707-823-6034 (California).

For more information about our scholarship students and the Student Residence in the beautiful Sorata valley, visit www.bqef.org._________________________________________________________________________

We've Moved!

We thank "Founder and Spark Plug" - now President Emeritus - Newton Garver for over a decade of servant leadership, and gladly help lighten his load by moving our U.S. office from his home. Newton will continue serving in an advisory and development capacity.

Our new address, effective now:

Bolivian Quaker Education Fund, Inc.
65 Spring Street
Fredonia, NY 14063

Meanwhile, some things haven't changed. Our email and website are still:
office@bqef.org
www.bqef.org

Please send your ideas, questions, volunteer inquiries, and donations to our new address shown above (and at the bottom of this email)._________________________________________________________________________

Hands-on: Help arrange for a Bolivian Friend to meet US Quakers.

Would you like to help arrange visits of English-speaking Bolivian Quakers to U.S. Yearly Meetings and Friendly gatherings this summer? Workshop and interest group deadlines are fast approaching. Please email us today at office@bqef.org if you'd like to help arrange a visit, in your area or elsewhere. ________________________________________________________________________

Together

...we can continue to nurture and celebrate the spirit of young Bolivian Friends in their dreams of education and fellowship, with your support.

"An investment in Bolivian Quaker young people brings a whole lot of value for a small amount of money" as one of our supporters said.
Please click here to donate online via Network for Good

or send checks to:
Bolivian Quaker Education Fund, Inc.
65 Spring Street
Fredonia, NY 14063-2128

Please contact us if you would like to donate stock, at office@bqef.org

May Light and Love bless your lives and endeavors.

Jens, Barbara, Vickey, Bernabé, Juan, Alicia, and all of us here at BQEF and BQE-Bo.

World's Largest Wetland in Bolivia

Trinidad, Bolivia — To mark the annual World Wetlands Day, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance has designated the Bolivian Llanos De Moxos wetland its largest site ever.

At more than 6.9 million hectares, the site is equivalent to the size of the Netherlands and Belgium together, and is prized for its rich natural diversity, as well as cultural value.

“WWF applauds the government of Bolivia for taking bold action to protect these vital ecosystems,” said Jim Leape, WWF International Director General.

“The Amazon basin, covering nine countries, supports native species and the millions of people who live there – and plays an essential role in regulating the climate we all depend on. Healthy wetlands support the proper functioning of the whole Amazon,” Leape added.

The Llanos de Moxos, located near the borders of Bolivia, Peru and Brazil, consists of tropical savannas with cyclical droughts and floods.

These wetlands are especially prized for their rich natural diversity: 131 species of mammals have been identified to date, 568 different birds, 102 reptiles, 62 amphibians, 625 fish and at least 1,000 plant species. Several species – including the giant otter and the Bolivian river dolphin – have been identified as vulnerable, endangered or at critical risk of extinction.

The region is traversed by three major rivers, the Beni in the west, the Iténez or Guaporé to the east, and the Mamoré in the central region. These rivers converge to form the Madeira River, the major southern tributary of the Amazon River.

The Llanos de Moxos wetlands are important to avoid floods, maintain minimum flows in the rivers during the dry season and regulate the region’s hydrological cycle.

The area is sparsely populated, comprising seven indigenous territories and eight protected areas. Peasant communities and private properties also exist in the region, both mainly dedicated to farming.

The region was inhabited by pre-Columbian cultures from 800 B.C. to 1200 A.D. These together formed the “Moxos water-based cultures” typified by the clever use of hydraulic infrastructure for water management of the vast territory covered by the llanos, or plains, which sustained intensive agricultural production on which these ancient peoples survived.

The Bolivian Government Commitment
“We recognize the significant role of these wetlands in the conservation of Mother Earth, as well as the importance of the declaration confirming the Llanos de Moxos as internationally protected wetlands. We are proud to confirm to the world that the government of Bolivia is committed, in collaboration with social actors, to assuming the preservation of these areas as evidence of our efforts to achieve development for all our citizens," stated Juan Pablo Cardozo Arnez, Bolivian Deputy Minister for the Environment.

"This is an important step as we continue to forge a truly harmonious relationship between our peoples and Mother Earth,” Arnez added.

The Deputy Minister went on to say: “Echoing the words of our President Evo Morales, we call upon all countries to incorporate [environmental] rights into their legislation and to comply with existing international agreements in this respect, so that human beings can begin to live in complete harmony and equilibrium with Mother Earth.”

Ramsar Convention
The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance is an intergovernmental treaty, signed by 160 countries in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. The Ramsar Convention’s mission is the conservation and wise use of wetlands, with the goal of achieving sustainable development.

The designation of Llanos de Moxos is the product of a cooperative effort led by the government of of Beni Department, and Bolivia’s Environment and Water Ministry and Vice-Ministry of the Environment. WWF did the technical studies under the Ramsar Convention framework to qualify for designation as a wetland of international importance.

Bolivia acceded to the Ramsar Convention in 1990 and ratified it on 7 May 2002. It has eight other Ramsar sites: Los Lípez in south western Potosi Department; Lake Titicaca (La Paz Department), the Taczara basin in Tarija Department, Lakes Poopó and Uru Uru (Oruro Department), the Bolivian Pantanal, the Izozog Marshes and the Parapetí River in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

“The Moxos’ declaration is a victory for wetlands conservation in the Amazon region. It will help protect different ecosystems and landscapes, guarantee a balanced provision of goods and services for Amazonian inhabitants and secure the future of this rich but fragile area,” said Luis Pabón, WWF-Bolivia Country Director.

“But most important is the challenge the Bolivian government and society are assuming, committing to protect the Llanos de Moxos in the long term. This declaration is clear evidence of how, here in Latin America and especially in Bolivia, supporting government conservation processes and policies can lead to important achievements,” he added.

Palms in Lake Rogaguado, Beni, Bolivia.

© WWF-Bolivia / Omar RochaEnlarge

Related links

• More information on the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands