Citgo event in Alaska cancelled

An Anchorage event featuring Bolivian President Evo Morales has been cancelled, officials with the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council said. The event, scheduled for Sept. 19-20, was to allow the signing of a charter that would have been taken to the United Nations, and possibly to announce the continuation of a fuel oil giveaway program in partnership with Citgo. AITC issued a press release Sept. 15 saying that world political events kept Morales from leaving his country. No new date has been proposed for the event. Bolivia in August ousted the U.S. ambassador to the country, and in a show of solidarity, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez did the same in his country. The AITC release stated that, “President Evo Morales will have to be rescheduled due to important governmental activities recently taking place in Bolivia. President Morales feels that it is in the best interest for Bolivia to remain in the country right now.” This came at the same time Russia is sending ships and bombers to Venezuela in preparation for joint military exercises. Venezuela-owned Citgo's has offered 100 gallons of fuel oil to those living in rural Alaska. Citgo's oil program provides an estimated 112 million gallons of fuel in winter to be distributed in more than 224,000 households and 250 social service providers in 23 states. These totals include the Citgo-Venezuela Tribal Heating Oil Program administered in Alaska by the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council. The program, being implemented in partnership with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Citizens Energy Corp., was created in 2005 to offset catastrophic events within some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the United States. AITC President Mike Williams announced the planned arrival of Bolivian President Morales in Bethel Aug. 28. Morales was scheduled to fly from Bolivia to Anchorage in the place of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. The Alaska Inter-Tribal Council, the National Tribal Environmental Council and the National Congress of American Indians stated their regret about the cancellation, but expressed intentions to continue to work with the Embassy of Bolivia and look forward to working on international Indigenous issues in the future.