Bolivia’s Morales slams ‘drums of war’ against ally Venezuela

Bolivia’s leftist President Evo Morales said Thursday the “drums of war” were damaging Latin America and lashed out at US “aggression” targeting his Venezuelan ally Nicolas Maduro.

“In recent weeks, we have seen the serious damage caused by the drums of war,” Morales told a meeting of European and Latin American lawmakers.

“We condemn all forms of armed violence in our lands and reject the aggression of the United States,” he said, addressing the Euro-Latin American (EUROLAT) parliamentary assembly in the eastern city of Santa Cruz.

“From Bolivia, we renounce and warn the international community that once again seeks to confront fraternal countries, to fragment our Latin American and Caribbean unity,” said the president, a close ally of Venezuela’s socialist leader.

Morales has often repeated support for the socialist regime of the embattled Maduro, and lashed out at what he said were US plans to appropriate Venezuela’s oil wealth.

He recently dismissed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido’s attempts to bring humanitarian aid into the country as a “Trojan Horse” that would precede US military intervention.

Spain’s Ramon Jauregui, co-president of the assembly, told a press conference that the European Union recognized Guaido as interim president, and reiterated its commitment to reject military intervention.