President Morales' allegation is the kind of thing that is extremely difficult to effectively put to rest. It's communication that has more to do with identity ('us vs. them') and emotion than with information. Rumors are a mix of allegations and emotion, combined with a lack of trust in authorities. The only effective way U.S. officials can respond to this kind of charge is to engage with key audiences and talk through the issues involved -- that tends to the emotional component of the rumor dynamic, and builds the officials' credibility. Even then, there are people who will continue to believe or to claim to believe the rumor, because that belief has become part of their identity.
"US Denies Sending Troops to Bolivia," by Fiona Smith - AP (La Paz), 21 June 2006
LA PAZ, Bolivia - President Evo Morales drew a sharp denial from the U.S. Embassy when he claimed in a speech that the United States is sending soldiers disguised as students and tourists to Bolivia.
The accusation, which the U.S. Embassy dismissed as unfounded Wednesday, comes as Morales faces attacks by political opponents for his cozy relationship with President Hugo Chavez's Venezuela, including accepting aid from that country's military.
Morales said in a speech Tuesday that U.S. Ambassador David Greenlee had sought a meeting with him.
"I don't know what he's looking to discuss. I'm not at all afraid of talking — or perhaps he's angry," Morales told thousands of poor supporters.
"But I also have the right to complain because U.S. soldiers disguised as students and tourists are entering the country," said Morales, a leftist who has pledged revolutionary changes for the poor, including his recent move to nationalize Bolivia's natural gas industry.
Morales offered no evidence to back his claim. Spokesman Alex Contreras said Morales would provide evidence, though he did not say when.
The U.S. Embassy called Morales' charge "unfounded," saying in a statement: "We reiterate once more that we are supporting Bolivian democracy in a consistent way."
U.S. military Special Operations teams have been sent to Latin America for the last few years. U.S. officials have said the teams are not covert, and are known to the host governments, but won't say where they're deployed. A report in The Washington Post in April noted the teams were in 20 countries worldwide, and that the Defense Department no longer needs U.S. ambassadors' approval for the missions.
Relations between Bolivia and the U.S. have been frosty since Morales took office in January. While he has built close ties with Venezuela and Cuba, his remarks toward the U.S. have grown increasingly strident.
Earlier this month, Morales said without offering specifics that the U.S. had tried to assassinate him in the past....
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