Bolivia's Morales criticizes US visa cancellation

LA PAZ, Bolivia (Reuters) - Bolivian President Evo Morales criticized the United States on Thursday for canceling the visa of one of his closest confidantes in the leftist leader's first run-in with Washington since taking power a month ago.

Sen. Leonilda Zurita, a leader of coca farmers whose battle cry was "Long live coca, Death to Yankees!", found out her multiple-entry U.S. visa, which was valid until 2008, had been canceled when she tried to travel to Miami to take part in a meeting organized by a Florida university.

U.S. consular officials said she was viewed as a terrorist, Zurita told reporters.

In Washington, State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli said Zurita's visa was revoked on May 7, 2004, after the U.S. government received "information" about her. He declined to say what that information was.

But he strongly denied the visa was revoked because of Zurita's ties to Morales, pointing out that her visa had been canceled nearly two years ago. Full article.