Iran to open television station in Bolivia

On Feb. 18, Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales, announced at a gathering of coca farmers from Chapare that Iran plans to open a television station “for all of Latin America” in Bolivia’s Andean foothills.

Evo Morales (left) and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Discussions about the project date back to September 2007. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met with Morales then and signed several trade and cooperation agreements. During that visit, Ahmadinejad discussed Iran’s plans for opening a Spanish- language satellite television channel and investing $1 billion in Bolivia’s oil and gas industry.

The day following Morales’ announcement, a U.S. congressional delegation met with him in La Paz. They proceeded to smooth out tensions in typical Washington fashion—the delegation warned Morales against expanding ties with Iran and added some economic threats for good measure.

Referring to the pending expiration of a trade deal that grants duty exemptions to imports from Bolivia and other Andean countries, Congressman Jerry Weller said: “There is a very high level of concern regarding the activities of Iran in Latin America. If this concern continues to grow in our Congress, it will become more difficult to extend these preferences in the future.”

Bolivia cannot afford to take such threats lightly. The loss of the trade benefits would have a substantial economic impact on South America’s poorest country. In 2007, Bolivia exported $385 million to the United States under the terms of the agreement, which provides an estimated 50,000 jobs.

Just days after the new television station was announced, Iran’s industry and mining minister, Ali-Akbar Mehrabian, declared that more than 30 industrial projects will be inaugurated between Iran and Venezuela in 2008. Venezuela’s revolutionary government has been a leading force in building unity among anti-imperialist countries and has cultivated strong relationships with both Bolivia and Iran.

Ever since the 1979 Iranian revolution, the U.S. government has pursued regime-change in Iran, painting it as a threat to the world. The Bush administration is currently pressuring the U.N. Security Council to impose a third set of sanctions against Iran.

Washington policy makers worry about Iran’s expanding strategic ties to independent Latin American countries that are not led by U.S. clients, including Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua. The growing anti-imperialist alliance stands to stifle the U.S. government’s efforts at isolating and weakening them.