The German Lithium-Coup

Bolivian President Evo Morales in Berlin 2015

by Ralph T. Niemeyer

When the ousted president of the Plurinational Republic of Bolivia was received by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on 4th November 2015 economic cooperation was a main topic between the two leaders. SIEMENS and other german major corporations had vital business interests in the southern american country.

One of these interests became a boomerang for Evo Morales, it appears, as it had to do with the Lithium deposits that German and US-American car manufacturers like TESLA are eager to secure for their electric battery production.

“Germany should become a leading location for battery cell production. A large part of production costs is linked to raw materials,” German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said.

“German industry is therefore well advised to secure its needs for lithium early in order to avoid falling behind and slipping into dependency,” Altmaier said, adding the deal was “an important building block” to secure this supply.

On 4th November the Bolivian government suddenly decided to put the joint venture on ice amid protests of the farmers in the region of Potosi where the production of Lithium has led to environmental disaster as the ground water got contaminated.

Only six days later, on 10th November, a military coup d’état that ousted President Evo Morales who was under pressure over allegations that his 3rd re-election that he claimed he had secured with 46% over 36% lead over his opponent, swept a neo-fascist lawmaker into power as interim president.

A report of the Washington based Organisation of American States, OAS, that oversaw the electoral process criticised some in-transparency but so far failed to provide any solid proof for manipulations.

Nevertheless, western media still claims that there were irregularities in the electoral process but fails to give any clear verifiable evidence for such which can only be judged as providing the smokescreen for covering up what is the real interest: a battery cell production at large scale for German and US-American car manufacturers who just signed a deal for TESLA’s plant in Brandenburg near Berlin.

When being asked 4 years ago in Berlin whether he didn’t fear a military coup like it happened once in Venezuela, President Morales replied that it had become less dangerous since he declared the US Ambassador persona-non-grata. He probably never expected to be stabbed in the back by Angela Merkel rather than a “Gringo”.

Watch the Film about Evo Morales in Berlin here:

4. Nov.2015 Berlin: Evo Morales, Präsident des Plurinationalen Staates Bolivien – YouTube

1 Comment

  • […] by dictating poorer and underdeveloped countries of the world to surrender their resources such as Lithium from Bolivia for which one stages a right wing coup d’état or Cobalt from Democratic Republic of Congo […]

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