Any Chance of Improvement in Bolivia-US relations?

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Believing that Obama represents a chance at real progressive institutional reform is like believing that Reagan represented a chance at free trade and free markets: it's the pinnacle of naivete.

Nevertheless, Obama has eased away from the ridicliously radical, thuggish, and brute force for its own shake stance of the neoconservatives. Evo Morales, the popular, frugal, and democratic President of Bolivia, stepped on some US Administration toes when he kicked out Drug Enforcement Agents from Bolivia (under the pretense that Bolivia could handle its own domestic affairs) and expelled the US ambassador for meeting with opposition parties (an act considered rather unnerving to him, given the US track record). The US, likewise, expelled the Bolivian ambassador.

Morales considers expelling the US ambassador a mistake and hopes that an Obama administration will renew US-Bolivia diplomatic relations. Is Morales, like so many domestic US progressives (including Obama's massive netroots base, who he derisively ridiculed as the "online audience"), being naively optimistic? Can we hope for a new administration policy respectful of Bolivia's indepedence and national soverignty? Or will Obama continue business as usual?

Let me just add that I find a person from one of the poorest regions of the poorest countries coming to office as President (as Morales did) a lot more inspiring than Obama's PR campaign.

Timeline Bolivia

Morales urges better ties with US

It's really up to Obama and the U.S. - on this. If they act in an objectionable manner Morales will draw the appropriate conclusions. Giving the new administration a chance makes sense.

I doubt that the almost Clintonesque Democrat, Obama, will treat South America any better than other Presidents. He will not break the norm, given his stance on "Free Trade" (corporate monopolistic trade) in the Americas.

I don't think they want to make it any worse... We need the tin... There's over a century of mistrust to overcome. It depends on how badly the State Department wants it.