Evo Morales -- The joke is on you

Bolivia´s president-elect Evo Morales met with Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero on Wednesday as he began a three-nation tour of Europe prior to his scheduled inauguration next month. Ever since a radio comic pretending to be Zapatero telephoned the new Bolivian leader after his Dec. 18 landslide victory and welcomed him into the "new order" and "axis" with Cuba and Venezuela, the Morales visit was a long awaited one.

"He asked if it really is me," Zapatero told reporters after a jocular Morales whispered in his ear as they shook hands in front of a hoard of cameras on Wednesday.

The bogus phone conversation was broadcast during a popular morning show on the COPE radio network, which is owned by the Spanish Bishops´ Conference. The joke sparked a diplomatic row between Spain, Bolivia and the Vatican, which ended with an official apology from COPE even though there is no love lost between Zapatero´s government and the Catholic Church. Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos told the papal envoy to Spain that the incident was "deplorable," and could harm Spanish interests in Bolivia. The Ministry of Communications said it would investigate whether sanctions were warranted.

Despite the threats and the diplomatic brouhaha, the Morales-Zapatero radio prank was met with humor by Spaniards who are use to seeing imitators ridicule their leaders, including King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, on nightly television comedy programs. For a country that was held under the grips of Francisco Franco´s dictatorship for 36 years, Spaniards are proud to say that they can publicly poke fun of their politicians and other world figures without fearing jail time.

It was unclear whether Zapatero and Morales spoke further about the incident. There were more pressing issues on the agenda such as calming businessmen´s fears that the incoming leftist government would confiscate Spanish holdings in Bolivia. Zapatero, who played down the visit and didn´t attend a news conference with Morales (photo above), has also been under intense pressure from other European leaders who fear that his over-friendliness with the Bolivian president-elect could be interpreted as a sign that he supports Morales´ promise not to curtail coca farming in his country, which could lead to increase cocaine shipments. Thursday´s New York Times best summed up the visit in its headline: "Bolivian receives chilly reception in Spain."