DECLARED AIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1943, Page 3

DECLARED AIMS

OF THE NEW BOLIVIAN government POLICY TOWARDS UNITED NATIONS. OPINION IN UNITED STATES. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, December 20. A radio announcement from La Paz, Bolivia, today said that numbers of persons were killed and wounded in a gun battle which lasted four hours till a regiment of Federal police ceased its resistance. The revolutionary leader, Estenssoro, in a broadcast to the Bolivian people, said: “The work of iniquity has ended. The nation has ceased to be the personal property of the Penaranda-Riy vera-Castillo family.” In an interview Estenssoro declared: “Bolivia will respect the Atlantic Charter and other obligations.” He added that the new Government does not alter Bolivia’s international position at the side of the United Nations.

The Associated Press points out that Estenssoro, a former Finance Minister, was arrested in 1941 in connection with an allegedly attempted pro-Nazi movement. The new Bolivian Government includes: President, Major Gualberto Vallorroel; Minister of Foreign Affaris, Jose Tamayo; Finance Minister, Senor Estenssoro; Minister of the Interior, Major Alberto Taborga. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says that though Senor Estenssoro’s regime has apparently a leaning to Argentina, if not to the Axis, it is not expected to affect materially the conduct of the war.

Washington officials explain that Bolivia’s principal importance is its tungsten mines, but America at present possesses a huge surplus of tungsten, in addition to a three years’ supply of tin. Moreover, Senor Estenssoro could hardly afford to halt exports because the Bolivian Government obtains 80 per cent of its revenue from export taxes on tin and tungsten. The Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, refused to indicate at a * Press conference whether the United States would recognise the Estenssoro regime.