Nobel Winners Invited to Bolivia Ceremony

Dec. 26, 2005, 8:29PM
Nobel Winners Invited to Bolivia Ceremony


By ALVARO ZUAZO Associated Press Writer
© 2005 The Associated Press

LA PAZ, Bolivia — A former coca farmer and street protester expects to be surrounded by Nobel laureates, presidents and social activists when he assumes Bolivia's highest office Jan. 22.

President-elect Evo Morales is inviting three Nobel Peace Prize laureates _ Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Rigoberta Menchu of Guatemala and Adolfo Perez Esquivel of Argentina _ along with literature Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Morales' spokesman Alex Contreras said.

The 46-year-old Aymara Indian, who promised during his campaign to be Washington's "worst nightmare," is planning two separate inaugurations _ the official one at the Congress building, followed by one organized as a traditional Indian ritual.

Morales, a leftist who has promised to nationalize Bolivia's gas and oil reserves, is scheduled to visit Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Jan. 13. The Brazilian financial newspaper Valor said the two will discuss, among other things, Brazil's $1.5 billion investments in Bolivia's gas industry.
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