La Paz, September 2 (RHC)-- Bolivian President Evo Morales says he doesn't blame miners themselves for leading violent protests that ended with the torture and assassination of a vice minister, instead blaming what he described as a campaign of manipulation from the national and international opposition.

In an exclusive interview with teleSUR, Evo Morales said: "I would rather say that I feel betrayed by some mining leaders, used by the right wing, who seek bad advisers."  Evo siad that the victory that the right wing won with the recent constitutional referendum on presidential term limits gave it the wings to carry out a process of destabilization, with the support of the U.S. government and the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia.  Evo Morales noted: "Right-wing leaders often travel to the United States and receive their orders from there.  It’s a conspiracy from the U.S. Embassy."

The Bolivian leader said that Washington does not want "rivals" or "competition" in Latin America like the Union of South American Nations, or UNASUR, which is why it is trying to break the regional organization.

In the interview with teleSUR, Evo Morales said: "I deplore very much what happened with the miners.  But some of them let themselves be fooled, many of these cooperatives have been privatized and the mobilization is not a protest.  I am convinced it’s a conspiracy.