ABSTRACT
President Morales quickly abandoned the neoliberal policies that had prevailed in Bolivia since 1985, introducing major changes to the direction, content, and tone of Bolivian foreign policy. In a series of bold strokes, his administration redefined Bolivia’s allies and adversaries in the region and the world. The Morales government played a prominent role in a wider range of international forums, pursuing goals of greater social justice, national sovereignty, and democracy in world affairs. It also expanded ties with Europe and Asia and participated in a growing number of regional organizations. On the maritime issue, President Morales pursued legal recourse with Chile at the International Court of Justice, simultaneously working with Peru to improve Bolivian access to the Pacific through the port of Ilo. Finally, the Morales administration revamped Bolivia’s long-standing, dependent relationship with the United States in pursuit of enhanced sovereignty and greater independence. In implementing a major reorientation of Bolivian foreign policy, President Morales often benefitted from auspicious timing. Highly sympathetic governments in Cuba, Ecuador, and Venezuela, together with left-of-center governments in Argentina and Brazil, gave Bolivia unaccustomed space in the international arena. Moreover, the decline in US influence gave rise to other economic powers, like Brazil, China, and India, that contributed an ever-growing share of investment and trade.
