BOLIVIA-MORALES/NYC SOCCER Evo Morales celebrates birthday in New York with soccer match

Record ID: 132253

  • Title: BOLIVIA-MORALES/NYC SOCCER Evo Morales celebrates birthday in New York with soccer match
  • Date: 27th October 2015
  • Summary: ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CROWD SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MORALES MORALES CUTTING CAKE VARIOUS OF MORALES EATING CAKE
  • Embargoed: 11th November 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1SRENWVNTVEXOXLM8CVY0GWGE
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Bolivian president Evo Morales celebrated his 56th birthday in New York on Monday (October 26). Morales met with major U.S. investors, bankers and financial institutions earlier on Monday.
    To celebrate, Morales played a soccer match with Bolivian expats living in New York.
    "I want to send my regards to the Bolivian people to all of them who live in the United States. I wish you a lot of success," he told his supporters at the event.
    He also mentioned the country's recent victory in the Hague against Chile to gain unfettered access to the Pacific Ocean.
    Landlocked Bolivia lost access to the Pacific following an 1880s war, but it has remained a thorn in the side of relations with its more affluent Andean neighbor ever since.
    In 2013, Bolivia took up the case with the International Court of Justice, demanding Chile negotiate to grant it sovereign access.
    "The first battle in the Hague went well for Bolivia… we are after justice and that is why we have launched this campaign for a decision," Morales said.
    After the soccer match Morales cut cake and spent time with locals taking photographs.
    Last month Bolivia's parliament passed a law that would allow Morales to run for another term if ratified in a national referendum next year. The law, approved in a marathon overnight session by more than two-thirds of lawmakers, would amend the constitution in order to eliminate presidential term limits.
    Morales, who came to power in 2006 and whose approval rating is above 60 percent, argues he would happily give up office but says his supporters are pushing for him to stay.
    Historically one of South America's most unstable countries, Bolivia has enjoyed relative prosperity and calm under Morales, its first indigenous leader. Its economy has tripled in size.
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