Bolivia's BRICS Bid: 'US Will Think Twice Before Grotesquely Intervening in Internal Affairs'

© AFP 2023 DANIEL WALKERBanderas de Bolivia (Imagen referencial)
Banderas de Bolivia (Imagen referencial) - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 02.08.2023
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Bolivia's desire to join the BRICS "is a highly strategic move by the government," analyst Gabriel Villalba told Sputnik. According to the expert, with the Latin American country entering the bloc, "the United States is going to think twice before intervening directly and grotesquely in internal politics."
The Bolivian government had officially communicated its willingness to join BRICS as a first step in a "long" but "correct" process, according to Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta.
The statement comes as a number of other countries, including African ones, also expressed their desire to join the club. Among them are Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and others.
La Paz's move is viewed as "highly strategic" by Gabriel Villalba, analyst and director of the Center for Geopolitical Studies of Our America (CENAC), who noted that BRICS could provide Bolivia with "new allies in this multipolar world that can face the attacks of the US."

"If Bolivia formally joins BRICS, of course the US will think twice before intervening directly and grotesquely in Bolivia's internal and international politics as it did in 2019," the specialist told Sputnik.

The analyst highlighted that Bolivia has built new relationship paradigms at the regional and global level, particularly since the administration of Ex-President Evo Morales (2006-2019) and the establishment of the Constitution in 2009. According to his point of view, the South American country opened up to new world associations based on the basic principle of non-intervention in internal affairs.

"Bolivia separates from that old logic of understanding of imperial powers as bosses, that is, it sees all countries of the world as partners and on equal terms," ​​the geopolitical expert lawyer Gabriel Villalba said.

Ditching the dollar

Villalba has also highlighted BRICS' decision to start giving rise to their economic and financial transactions in their own currencies and that is in line with the “Bolivianization process” — giving greater relevance to the Bolivian currency in an attempt to move away from the greenback.

"Some time ago, multipolarism was only expressed in political and ideological guidelines, but recently, in the latest crises of global capitalism, it is a financial and economic advent," Villalba pointed out.

In this sense, Bolivia joining this new scenario "is extremely encouraging" for the expert.

"Without a doubt, this economic and financial multipolar world that BRICS is developing is adding to and deconstructing those old philosophies of an empire in decline," he said.

A favorable adhesion

Bolivia is not the only one interested in joining the BRICS group. South America is brimming with interest on this score as can be seen with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, recently announcing that his country officially applied for BRICS membership, while the Argentine government also formally requested its inclusion in the club in September 2022.
Earlier, South African Ambassador to Moscow Mzuvukile Jeff Maqetuka told Sputnik in an interview that all five BRICS countries welcome the expansion of the bloc, but that it is necessary to determine the modalities of admitting new members and that this issue should be decided collectively.
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Villalba is upbeat about Latin American countries' pursuit of joining the club that concentrates more than 31.5% of world GDP. Additionally, he highlights South America is abundant with riches for instance, the continent has the largest lithium reserves on the planet, and the largest reserves of fresh water and diversity.

"The country holds the largest amount of this global strategic resource that will mean the transition from the technological era of fossil fuels to the technological era of lithium ion, which is already being developed on a global scale," Villalba says.

Bolivia also enjoys vibrant economic growth. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) indicated that, between 2009 and 2019, the country had an average economic growth rate of 4.9% in its GDP.
"Bolivia stands out for its persistent economic growth, it is the country with the highest perpetual growth in Latin America. This has to do with its strategic policy but also with its political decision to nationalize hydrocarbons," explained the expert, who added that before the profits were mostly taken by transnational companies.

"This political and sovereignty formula adapts to the guidelines of the BRICS in their international financial economic policy and their connection with other global powers," he said.

Egypt and Ethiopia are among the last countries in Africa that have officially applied for membership from the African continent.
The upcoming BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on August 22-24 is expected to be attended by the leaders of China, India, Brazil, South Africa. Russian President Vladimir Putin will join the event online.
The issue of BRICS expansion is expected to be on the summit's agenda. Since BRICS announced plans to expand the organization and become more inclusive, more than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining the group, according to Anil Sooklal, South Africa's ambassador-at-large for Asia and BRICS and the country's BRICS sherpa.
Bolivia will participate in the 15th Summit of the BRICS group and according to South African Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Parks Tau, all 54 African counties have been invited to the forthcoming BRICS Summit.
Delegates attend a Business Forum organised during the 10th BRICS summit on July 25, 2018 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 01.08.2023
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