Bolivia's Lithium: Suddenly 'Strategic' When China's Out
Bloomberg breathlessly reports that Bolivia is reconsidering its lithium deals with China and Russia, hinting at a new 'US pivot.' The article discusses Bolivia's immense lithium reserves, framing the decision as an economic calculation. What’s left unsaid is the extensive history of the U.S. government—and its corporate allies—intervening in Latin American nations to secure access to strategic
resources, often through destabilization and coups. Eva Morales, the democratically elected president overthrown in 2019, had previously nationalized Bolivia's lithium, a move explicitly criticized by figures like Elon Musk, who stated, 'We will coup whoever we want!' So, Bolivia's 'rethinking' isn't just about market dynamics; it's about the ghost of 'resource security' operations past, hovering
over the world's largest lithium deposits. It appears global capitalism just prefers its alliances to align with the 'free market' — particularly when that market is American-controlled. How many times must a nation 'rethink' its sovereignty before it's allowed to simply govern itself?