La Paz, Jan 1 (EFE).- Bolivia will have a nuclear power industry in the near future, President Evo Morales said Wednesday during a military ceremony in the central region of Cochabamba.

"I want to tell you, we are not far... from having atomic energy because we have sufficient prime material and we have the right," the head of state said.

Bolivia has uranium deposits, though they have yet to be quantified or thoroughly evaluated.

Morales said in late October that Bolivia was getting assistance from France and Argentina in developing nuclear energy for power and medical purposes.

In his comments Wednesday, the leader of the natural gas-rich Andean nation noted that his October announcement had spurred criticism from people who seem to think nuclear power is the exclusive preserve of industrialized countries.

Some developed countries want to "deprive" countries like Bolivia of atomic energy, Morales told the military officers.

Nuclear power will figure in the agenda the government is formulating with an eye toward establishing development goals to be met by Bolivia's bicentennial in 2025, the president said.