The social movements of Latin America have become a true nightmare for US imperialism and speak to its impotence and fear when faced with the struggle of the peoples who fight against the FTAA and defend their sovereignty. This was the affirmation of Bolivian leader and parliamentarian Evo Morales during his participation in the Third Hemispheric Conference of the Struggle Against the FTAA, which continued today, Tuesday, January 27, in Havana, Cuba. In his talk, Morales, one of the principal leaders of the Bolivian opposition movement, gave a broad explanation of the Bolivian people´s movement in defense of their national gas which brought about the fall of President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada. In addition, he took advantage of the opportunity to refer to the just demand of Bolivia to recover their sovereign right of access to the sea and expressed thanks for the assistance that Cuban President Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have contributed to this cause. In relation to the FTAA, Evo Morales sustained that this agreement seeks to legalize an economic model that is rejected by the peoples of the continent and protects the transnationals which wish to privatize natural resources as well as essential services. "The approval of the FTAA would be cause for greater popular uprisings against the neo-liberal model, as has already happened in Bolivia. As they seek to keep applying these policies, new Bolivias will be repeated in all of Latin America," he remarked. Referring again to his country, the indigenous movement leader and coca grower rejected the accusations that he is a victim of the US government. "They say that Evo Morales is a drug trafficker and is financed by Cuba and Venezuela for the uprising of the Bolivian people. I think that Bush´s advisors don´t only not understand popular struggles, but they urgently need a psychiatrist," he declared to the applause of the audience. He added that the popular movement is demanding a Constituent Assembly as a necessary measure to re-construct the country without exploiters nor exploited, to recover the natural resources that are property of the Bolivians. We don´t want an exclusive country but a state that decides to live in reciprocity and which does not respond to the interests of US imperialism, remarked Morales Faced with US government accusations that the popular movements are terrorist in nature, the Bolivian deputy sustained that President George W. Bush is the greatest terrorist in the world, since with his wars he massacres the poor peoples in Iraq as well as in Latin America. To that effect, he demanded the immediate withdrawal of the US soldiers that are invading Iraq. Evo Morales concluded his remarks by expressing his confidence in social movements and the struggle of the people, underlining the contribution of hemispheric meetings of the struggle against the FTAA in generating a greater consciousness among the peoples of the continent to come out against imperialism. He renewed his commitment "to defend, along with Fidel, the courageous Cuban people against the attacks of the US government." * José Coronado. CCP/Minga informativa