Via Reuters: Bolivia’s Morales, Rice discuss coca policy

Bolivia’s new president, Evo Morales, discussed his country’s fight against illegal drugs on Saturday with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and then gave her a guitar decorated with coca leaves.

The horror!

And, amusing:

He said Rice had strummed the lacquered Bolivian instrument but it was unclear whether the top U.S. diplomat could take it home because of U.S. customs laws.

Somehow, I think it will make it home.

In all seriousness, this is an interesting trip, and a positive one, given Morales’ rhetoric during the campaign and my concern that the US administration would take that rhetoric too seriously, especially given the concern over a Morales-Chavez friendship.

The development of the US-Bolivia relationship over the next several years will be interesting, especially since US pressure on coca cultivation in Colombia is likely to increase the incentives for illicit cultivation in Bolivia coupled with Morales’ view the licit coca cultivation should be unmolested.

Further, the degree to which Bolivian ties to Venezuela deepen with will be of issue, however, Bolivia, which is quite poor, needs its ties to the US, and, as such, I do not see Bolivia becoming uncooperative with US policy.