Bolivians unfurl massive flag in support for sea access claim

[rooster59]

Bolivians unfurl massive flag in support for sea access claim

 

A soldier holds a flag during the maritime flag day in la Apacheta, near El Alto, Bolivia March 10, 2018. REUTERS/David Mercado

 

LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivia unfurled a nearly 200-km long (124 miles) bright blue flag on Saturday in a show of support for the landlocked country's bid to regain sovereign access to the sea.

 

Tens of thousands of Bolivians held the so-called "flag of maritime revindication," which stretched like a long ribbon along a highway in the Andes between the towns Oruro and Apacheta, on the outskirts of La Paz.

 

The display of patriotism aims to cheer on Bolivia's legal team ahead of oral arguments it will deliver at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the country's claim to sovereign access to Chile's Pacific coast.

 

Bolivia lost its access to the Pacific Ocean in a late 19th century war with Chile, but maintains a navy and wants a corridor to the sea to boost its exports of natural gas and minerals.

 

"We'll show the International Court of Justice and all people on the planet that our cause is just, reasonable and sound," President Evo Morales said after flying over the flag in a helicopter.

 

Morales has faced street protests in recent months over his plan to seek a fourth presidential term next year, after a court eliminated term limits last year.

 

Bolivia and Chile will start nine days of oral arguments before the ICJ on March 19.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-03-11

[eliotness]

It the International court came out on the side of Bolivia it would open a huge can of worms.  Think how much land has been taken over (conquered) since the late 19th century and then why stop there, go further back -  it just ain't going to happen.

Edited March 11, 2018 by eliotness
Spelling error

[keeniau96]

Bolivia had a fair stretch of seashore but wanted to grab some valuable natural fertilizer to the south. So they united with Peru for what looked like an easy go but the Chileans fought back on land and sea, eventually invading Peru and forcing a peace. The terms included stripping Bolivia of sea access, now they are whining and hoping to win by legal legerdemain what they could not get by war.

[stevenl]

26 minutes ago, keeniau96 said:

Bolivia had a fair stretch of seashore but wanted to grab some valuable natural fertilizer to the south. So they united with Peru for what looked like an easy go but the Chileans fought back on land and sea, eventually invading Peru and forcing a peace. The terms included stripping Bolivia of sea access, now they are whining and hoping to win by legal legerdemain what they could not get by war.

The bases for this case is different, " Surprisingly, the case does not challenge the border treaties signed by both countries which Evo Morales has always been against. The basis of the case stems from two bilateral negotiations in the 1970s and 1950s where a sovereign route to the pacific was allegedly promised by Chile but never eventuated. Bolivia argues "the rights of expectations" for their case which is a legal commercial term that's never been used in the ICJ. "

 

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_border_dispute

[Jingthing]

I hope this can work out to their mutual benefit.