Bolivians give Morales a hero's welcome
- 11 years ago
Crowds in La Paz give Bolivian President Evo Morales a hero's welcome late Wednesday evening.
Morales' flight home from Moscow became a dramatic journey when France and Portugal suddenly denied his plane entry over their airspace, forcing the aircraft to make an unexpected landing in Vienna Tuesday.
He said the reason behind the diplomatic row stemmed from a belief that Morales was harbouring U.S. fugitive Edward Snowden onboard;
Morales said that Bolivia refused to be bullied.
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT EVO MORALES SAYING:
"This was an open provocation toward a continent, not just a president. North American imperialism uses its people to terrify and intimidate us. I just want to say they will never frighten us because we are a people of dignity and sovereignty."
Other Latin American countries were also fuming over the incident, calling it "unfriendly and unjustifiable."
The move promoted a 12-nation, South American trading bloc
Morales' flight home from Moscow became a dramatic journey when France and Portugal suddenly denied his plane entry over their airspace, forcing the aircraft to make an unexpected landing in Vienna Tuesday.
He said the reason behind the diplomatic row stemmed from a belief that Morales was harbouring U.S. fugitive Edward Snowden onboard;
Morales said that Bolivia refused to be bullied.
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT EVO MORALES SAYING:
"This was an open provocation toward a continent, not just a president. North American imperialism uses its people to terrify and intimidate us. I just want to say they will never frighten us because we are a people of dignity and sovereignty."
Other Latin American countries were also fuming over the incident, calling it "unfriendly and unjustifiable."
The move promoted a 12-nation, South American trading bloc