Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada

I got my degree in philosophy and English literature; those were my main interests.

There is a national consensus building here that drugs are doing a great deal of damage to the Bolivian society.

Bolivia was the first country to stop hyperinflation in a democracy without depriving people of their civil rights and without violating human rights.

Democracy is not perfect.

As a political exile, you always think you're going home next year.

I only became involved in politics when democracy returned to Bolivia. Then, unluckily in democracy, we ran into the inheritance of 20 years of military government, a great deal of debt, and a great deal of expense.

Whoever gives in to terrorism has to be prepared to do so many times.

Everybody has to remember that economics is very tied to politics.

It's difficult to explain a giraffe to a Bolivian who lives on the Altiplano. But when they see one, I think they'll like it.

Taking power is fine. But what do you do when you are in power?

Around the continent, governments worry that indigenous groups are fertile ground for extremist, terrorist groups. We are trying to make sure that doesn't happen here.

You have troubles with violent indigenous movement around the continent. Here, we are putting more power in their hands and creating a nonviolent indigenous society.