Bolivia's president to meet with racers

Bolivia's President Evo Morales will travel Sunday to Uyuni, in southwest Potosi department, to meet with racers competing in the 2014 Dakar Rally, the government said Thursday. "President Morales will be in Uyuni on Sunday to welcome the competitors in the Dakar Rally," Communication Minister Amanda Davila told reporters at a press conference in La Paz. The rugged off-road race, one of the most dangerous competitions in the world, will for the first time traverse Bolivian territory on Jan. 12 and 13, said Davila. The Bolivian route takes competitors to such tourism sites as the Uyuni Salt Flat. Juan Ramon Quintana, minister of the Presidency, said Morales will greet competitors in the motorcycle and quad divisions, which will be traveling the Bolivia route, and give the starting signal for the second stage of the race through Bolivia on Jan. 13. Morales will also be hosting a dinner for the racers the night before. The 2014 Dakar Rally began on Jan. 5 in Argentina and will finish on Jan. 18 in Chile. Auto and truck racers are taking a different route that does not include Bolivia. On Jan. 12, participants will arrive in Villazon and then continue to Tupiza, Atocha and Uyuni, where the overnight camp is located. On Jan. 13, they will depart from Uyuni and head to Salinas de Garci Mendoza, in Oruro. They then leave Bolivia for Calama, in Chile.