coca = good

i saw this article while riding the bus in the bee, and figured i'd try and find it online when i got home.

the article, which is about hugo chavez, president of venezuala offering to buy coca products from bolivia. pretty interesting idea, and something that could actually help to cut back on production of cocaine. the coca plant can be used for many legal substances, and has deep cultural significance in bolivia.

i've said before that i like chavez (or at least i thought i did, i can't find a blog post about it). there may be things where i would quibble with him, but this is another example of positive ways to help a country. it doesn't just have to be about funding "wars" and overthrowing governments (i'm not pointing any fingers here, don't get testy uncle sam). here's some other proposals, "Among his foreign aid programs is a promised refinery for Nicaragua, cut-rate fuels for Ecuador and continuing bond purchases from Argentina."

pretty good stuff.