LA PAZ, (Reuters) – Bolivian army officials say they have started training civilians to use firearms to defend the country, mirroring a similar programme by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has built a militia network in recent years.
Bolivian President Evo Morales, who shares Chavez’s socialist ideology and suspicion of the United States, says he fears Washington may be planning to invade the impoverished country to seize control of its energy and mining resources.
Morales has entrusted soldiers with administrative duties such as handing out welfare benefits to the poor. Now high-ranking military officials say civilians should have a role in national security.
“The state has to be prepared for anything. Let’s not forget we have significant natural resources in Bolivia and we have to defend them, it’s not only up to soldiers,” Colonel Boris Checa told Bolivia television network ATB.
Bolivia has the second-largest reserves of natural gas in South America and big deposits of lithium, silver and tin.
Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera told a news conference on Thursday the army training to civilians includes firearms handling and that both men and women are taking part.
“Our armed forces need to open up … we’re obliged to give (training) to Bolivian citizens,” he said.
ATB television showed images of Bolivian Indians firing arms flanked by people wearing camouflage fatigues and apparently giving instructions.
About 50 people, many wearing traditional Indian clothes, could be seen doing sit-ups and jumping jacks during the report.
“These are activities of indoctrination that we have with the citizenship … so that at any given moment they can proceed to defend our nation,” Colonel Ramiro Siles was quoted as telling one local radio network.
Morales has sought to modernize the armed forces, building barracks, buying vehicles and small fighter planes from China in a bid to boost army morale.
Venezuela’s Chavez, a former paratrooper, has also trained a militia aimed at defending the oil-rich country from a coup attempt or an attack from abroad.
