Over a week ago, the Bolivian government said there was only one word that prevented the restoration of diplomatic relations with USA.

Today, Pagina Siete reports Foreign Affairs Minister, David Choquehuanca saying that in a few days or weeks the Bolivian government will be in a position to announce when it will be possible to sign the new framework agreement. Despite this positive news, he disregarded the event that the DEA could go back to Bolivia to help in the fight against narcotrafficking. However, Choquehuanca said this government has signed cooperation agreements with Brazil and Peru.

http://www.paginasiete.bo/2011-08-20/Nacional/Destacados/36Al-003200811.aspx

If the mention is “few” days or weeks… it is so ambiguous and uncertain that is certainly discomforting. In the meantime, narcotrafficking news crowd the headlines on newspapers and TV reports.

Not only Bolivians are arrested all over the world but also cocaine shipments are seized elsewhere. It appears that it does not matter that our textile exports have been reduced by 85% already. It would be desirable that Bolivia could go back to the ATPDEA export preferences. Although, that is highly unlikely since Bolivia has been questioned by the DoS as not sharing antiterrorism information and also for not engaging with the US Government in the fight against drugs.