Paul Murphy demands condemnation of the Bolivia coup
Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach to condemn what he described as a military-led coup in Bolivia, detailing alleged abuses against protesters and supporters of Morales' party, MASH. He criticised the interim leader Jeanine Anez as a white supremacist and questioned the Irish government's response.
Allegations of a coup and abuses
The speaker outlined claims that an elected president was forced to resign by the military, with the army deployed on the streets and shooting and killing protesters. He described supporters of Morales' party, MASH, being dragged from their homes, a MASH mayor paraded through the streets with her hair cut off and covered in paint, indigenous flags torn down, and army uniforms burnt by far-right crowds.
Accusations against the interim leader
Murphy cited the appointment of Jeanine Anez as the military-installed replacement and called her a white supremacist, noting that her cabinet allegedly contains no indigenous ministers. He referenced past tweets attributed to her about a Bolivia without "indigenous satanic rights" and reported comments that the capital city was "not for the Indians," who supposedly belong in the high plateau or El Chaco.
Concerns about security measures and permissions
The speaker referred to a recently signed decree said to effectively permit the armed forces to carry out human rights abuses in attempts to suppress protesters opposing the coup. He challenged the Taoiseach on whether he would speak out or risk effectively endorsing the events by refusing to name them.
Irish government response and other foreign policy remarks
In the exchange, the Taoiseach said he had not been following Bolivia closely but that he would condemn military coups wherever they occur. Murphy also raised separate items in the same session, including British-Irish relations post-Brexit and suggestions to strengthen the BIIGC under the Good Friday Agreement, landing cards, engagement on Israel and Palestine, and the limits of EU action because foreign policy requires unanimity.
Brexit and EU negotiations context
The speaker noted preparations for negotiations with the UK, mentioning possible special councils in January or February and naming Michel Barnier and Phil Hogan as continuing EU figures in the process. He said the next steps would depend on the outcome of the UK elections and emphasised the value of continuity for Ireland's negotiation team, including the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Helen McEntee.
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I want to ask the Taoiseach to condemn the coup in Bolivia. I'd ask him whether he thinks there's any other term that appropriately describes a situation where an elected president is forced to resign by the military, where the army is on the street to protect the coup, shooting and killing protesters, where supporters of Morales' party, MASH, have been dragged out of their homes, where a mayor, from MASH was dragged through the streets, her hair cut off, covered in paint, with indigenous flags being torn off, the uniforms of the army being burnt by crowds of the far right. And in a situation where the military has installed as replacement a woman, Jeanine Anez, who is a white supremacist, who has not a single indigenous person in her cabinet, who was previously tweeted about dreaming of a Bolivia free of indigenous satanic rights. And it was said that the capital city is not for the Indians, they belong in the high plateau, or El Chaco, and has recently signed a decree effectively giving permission for the armed forces to engage in whatever human rights abuses that they want, in trying to put down those protesters who are standing up against the coup. Will the Taoiseach speak out against this coup, or will he continue to effectively endorse this coup by refusing to call it for what it is? Thanks, Deputy Taoiseach. Thanks very much. Deputy Martin earlier asked about the future structure of British-Irish relations post-Brexit, and he rightly pointed out that after Brexit we won't be in a position to meet British ministers in the way we do now. Every three or four times a year at the Council of Ministers in Brussels or more frequently when it comes to the European Council. One of the suggestions we are working on is to strengthen and restructure the BIIGC, and to use that Good Friday Agreement institution as a mechanism to ensure a structured engagement between the Irish government and the British government. And this is something I intend to pursue with the Prime Minister if he is re-elected, or the new Prime Minister if there is one in the next couple of weeks. The matter of landing cards hasn't been discussed, to my knowledge, with the British government, but we will monitor any proposals as they develop. In relation to Israel and Palestine, I haven't had any engagement with the Israeli government or Israeli politicians, but I have met with the leadership of the Palestinian Authority when they came to Dublin. The Taj, however, is actually in Israel and Palestine this week and is continuing his efforts to deepen our engagement in the region and help to bring peace to the territories. I think Deputy Boyd Barrett asked about meaningful EU action like sanctions. The simple fact is that when it comes to issues like defence and common foreign security policy, the EU only acts with unanimity. And there won't be EU action given that the 28 countries are not unanimous in their positions on Israel. Some being very pro-Israel and being very supportive of Israel, and others being closer to the Palestinians. So without a move to QMV on foreign policy, I don't see any EU-wide sanctions being imposed or action being taken. I've met with President von der Leyen twice now, and I hope she'll be able to visit Dublin soon. We'll be at the European Council next week, next Thursday and Friday, and we'll actually be watching the votes. The results come in on Thursday and Friday at the European Council, so it promises to be an interesting one. And the next steps will really depend on the results of the UK elections. But there is the possibility of a special council in January or February to set out the EU's negotiation guidelines for the next phase of talks, which is negotiations with the UK on the free trade agreement and security and political partnership. But that's all a few steps ahead, because we don't yet know what the outcome of the UK elections will be next week. Michel Barnier will remain in a role as a negotiator on behalf of the EU, and Phil Hogan as Trade Commissioner will have a central role being the Trade Commissioner, given that a huge part of the future relationship is going to be free trade. In terms of Irish issues, at least I hope we'll still have the team of me, the Táinista and Helen McEntee in place for the next phase of discussions, and I think it would be very much in the country's interest that that be the case, given the context and competencies that we've built up over the past two and a half years in representing Ireland when it comes to Brexit. I'll have to be honest and say I haven't been following the events in Bolivia closely, but absolutely I would condemn any military coups wherever they occur.
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