Bolivia says Peru ties threatened by decision to harbor ex-officials accused in 2003 killings

September 20th, 2009 US closing some programs in BoliviaLA PAZ, Bolivia — The U.S. Embassy in Bolivia says it is closing some democracy-promotion programs at the request of the Bolivian government.

September 12th, 2009 Bolivia to buy presidential plane from RussiaLA PAZ, Bolivia — President Evo Morales says Bolivia has decided to buy a presidential plane from Russia after Moscow offered to set up an aircraft maintenance center in the South American nation. Defense Minister Walker San Miguel announced in early August that Bolivia had agreed to purchase an Antonov presidential plane with satellite phone, Internet links and a meeting room from Russia for $30 million.

August 28th, 2009 Chile, Bolivia discuss access to PacificBARILOCHE, Argentina — Landlocked Bolivia's effort to regain the Pacific coastline it lost in a war with Chile more than a century ago will come up again Friday on the sidelines of the South American presidents' summit. Bolivia's Evo Morales and Chile's Michelle Bachelet plan a bilateral meeting on coastal access that the two presidents say will also cover water resources, economic integration, security and defense.

August 22nd, 2009 Ex-Chavez ally seeks asylum in Peru to evade trialLIMA, Peru — A former ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is in Peru seeking political asylum to avoid corruption charges at home that he contends are politically motivated, his lawyer said Friday. Didalco Bolivar is a former governor who split with Chavez in 2007 when he refused to join the president's newly formed ruling party.

July 29th, 2009 Iran approves $280 million loan for BoliviaLA PAZ, Bolivia — Iran's top diplomat in Bolivia says the Islamic republic has approved a $280 million low-interest loan for President Evo Morales' government to use as it sees fit. Gas and oil exploration are possibilities.

July 1st, 2009 Bolivia leader says Obama 'lied' about cooperationLA PAZ, Bolivia — President Evo Morales on Wednesday accused Barack Obama of lying by pledging to change America's historically heavy-handed relationship with Latin America and then halting $25 million in annual trade benefits for Bolivia. The U.S. on Tuesday said it is ending the import duty waivers because world's No.

June 25th, 2009 CARACAS - Venezuela and the US have agreed to restore their diplomatic ties, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said. Washington cut off diplomatic ties with Caracas after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expelled US ambassador Patrick Duddy from the Andean nation Sep 11, 2008.

June 24th, 2009 Bolivia: 8 Mennonite men accused of raping womenLA PAZ, Bolivia — Eight men from a Mennonite farming community in eastern Bolivia have been accused of raping dozens of females at the settlement, a prosecutor said Tuesday, indicating at least one victim was an underage girl. Prosecutor Freddy Perez told The Associated Press that 60 women, from 11 to 47 years old, have accused the men of rape.

June 19th, 2009 Correction: Peru-BoliviaLIMA, Peru — In stories May 11 and May 12 about Peru granting asylum to two Bolivian officials, The Associated Press erroneously reported that genocide charges were not filed against former President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada and members of his cabinet until after Evo Morales became president in 2006. Bolivia's congress ratified charges against Sanchez de Lozada and the cabinet members in 2004, and prosecutors added five former senior military officials as defendants after Morales' inauguration.

June 19th, 2009 UN: Colombia coca crop down; Peru and Bolivia upBOGOTA — Colombia's coca crop shrank by nearly a fifth last year while cultivation of the bush that is the basis of cocaine rose for a third straight year in Peru and Bolivia, the world's two other coca-producing nations, the United Nations said Friday. The U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime said the 18 percent reduction in Colombia, the world's top cocaine producer, from 2007 owed in part to record manual eradication — as opposed to aerial herbicide spraying — of 96,100 hectares (371 square miles) of the crop.

May 13th, 2009 Peru gives refuge to 2 officials sought by BoliviaLIMA, Peru — Peru gave refuge to two more former Bolivian government ministers who fled genocide charges for the 2003 army killings of dozens of protesters, Peru's foreign minister said Tuesday. Bolivia had been demanding that Peru hand over the two ex-officials as well as a third granted political asylum in April, in a case that has further strained relations between the two South American neighbors.

May 12th, 2009 Asylum fight heating up Bolivia-Peru tensionsLA PAZ, Bolivia — Bolivia demanded Monday that Peru hand over three former government ministers charged with genocide in the 2003 killing of dozens of protesters, and President Evo Morales called asylum an "open provocation of the Bolivian people." Peruvian President Alan Garcia granted asylum to one of the former officials — Jorge Torres — in April and is reviewing requests from the other two. The fight is worsening already poor relations between the neighboring South American nations, which have been at odds since Garcia, an economic liberal, and Morales, a leftist, took office in 2006.

May 2nd, 2009 Morales, Carter eye improved Bolivia-US tiesLA PAZ, Bolivia — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Bolivia's Evo Morales said Saturday they hope their countries are on the road to repairing badly strained relations.

April 30th, 2009 LIMA - Peru suspended from Thursday all flights to and from Mexico over the ongoing flu epidemic, in a decision that Prime Minister Yehude Simon described as 'painful but necessary'. 'We have the right to protect the country,' Simon noted.

January 14th, 2009 LA PAZ - Bolivia broke diplomatic ties with Israel over the 'disproportionate' attacks of the Israeli Army on the Gaza Strip, Bolivian President Evo Morales said Wednesday in La Paz. Morales made the announcement as diplomats accredited in Bolivia greeted the president in accordance with protocol, Bolivian media reported.