Bolivia's crafty opposition leader building popular support

[Minstrel Boy]

Bolivia's crafty opposition leader building popular support

Sun, Jan. 23, 2005
BY TYLER BRIDGES
Knight Ridder Newspapers

LA PAZ, Bolivia - (KRT) - Opposition leader Evo Morales found himself in an uncomfortable position last week: standing on the sidelines during anti-government strikes that shut down the cities of El Alto and Santa Cruz.

But Morales - distrusted by Washington because of his ties to Bolivian coca growers and friendship with Presidents Fidel Castro of Cuba and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela - made a deft move that showed why many analysts here believe he will be a strong contender in the next presidential election, scheduled for 2007. Breaking an unofficial alliance with President Carlos Mesa that has helped prop up his weak government, Morales publicly demanded that Mesa resign and call an early election unless he rolls back recent gasoline and diesel price hikes.

...

It's not easy to categorize Morales, a fiery Aymara Indian who once led the association of Bolivian coca farmers and ran a strong second in the 2002 presidential elections, winning 21 percent of the vote. His party, Movement Toward Socialism, known as MAS, has strongly leftist and anti-American policies.

...

"Chavez has shown us how to work in a democratic fashion and stand tough against imperialism," Morales said. Asked about Cuba's leader, Morales said, "Castro shows us how to live with dignity and fight against (free-market) neo-liberal policies."

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/world/10714738.htm


Evo Morales

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Movement Toward Socialism, known as MAS

of all the socialists... the world would be a much easier peach for the neocons to pick. Damn socialists, what is up with them? Why would they even want this sort of arrangement? I mean, are there actual advantages to it over capitalism?? I'm serious, who are these people who believe that socialism has any merit whatsoever?

[Tinoire]

3. LMAO!

I was thinking the same... Who are these people not to recognize the good hearted sincerity of our State Department? Who are they not to want to give up their way of life to be agricultural employees of the US and the Transnational corporations?

Why on earth would you protest against a law making it illegal to catch rainwater when people in the US have their retirement savings invested in Companies that privatized your water and are prepared to allow you the honor of paying them a fortune to run shiny new pipes to your home? What's a nickel a drop to you guys anyway?

Stop chewing those cocoa leaves and play ball!

here's to hoping the people of Bolivia have don't have 4MoronicYears to look forward to! :toast:

[Tinoire]

2. Oh boy! You go Morales!

a fiery Aymara Indian... "to live with dignity and fight against (free-market) neo-liberal policies"... I'm liking him already! Googling him now...


"He who owes nothing, fears nothing"
-- Evo Morales, on Hunger Strike


Evo Morales and opposition to the US in Bolivia

By Erin Ralston

La Paz, Bolivia. The poorest country in South America may be sending the U.S. an eviction notice.

On June 30, 2002 an historic election was held in which a radical leftist indigenous government won substantial power. Running on a strong anti-neoliberal campaign Evo Morales ("Evo") and his MAS(Movement Toward Socialism) party struck a direct blow to the U.S. and transnational monetary organizations.

Mocked in the American press as a "coca chewing Amymara Indian leader who would nationalize Bolivia's industries, stop payment of its foreign debt and halt American backed efforts to end coca growing." (New York Times July 6, 2002), Evo has the last laugh.

Evo Morales is well known for his leadership of groups of coca unions and their fight against U.S. backed eradication policies, which many believe have only caused further poverty. Earlier this year, after three police officers were killed in a confrontation at the attempted closure of a coca market, Evo's connection with rebellious coca farm workers led to his expulsion from the congress. No evidence was provided supporting his involvement: The U.S. is widely believed to be behind his expulsion.


Unfortunately for the U.S., Evo´s expulsion only helped his case. Running on an a anti-neoliberal, anti-big business, and anti-coca eradication campaign, Evo stood out as the candidate not willing to take orders from the U.S. Embassy. And the U.S. Embassy was forced to respond. The Wednesday before the election U.S. ambassador Manuel Rocha declared, ''As a representative of the United States, I want to remind the Bolivian electorate that if you elect those who want Bolivia to become a major cocaine exporter again, this will endanger the future of U.S. assistance to Bolivia,'

(snip)

Despite the final outcome of the elections Morales assures MAS will be a major force, "For the first time in 17 years neoliberalism is going to have an active opposition. We are going to set out legislation for Bolivia and not for the transnationals." The high school drop out "coca chewing Amymara indian" promises he will be able to negotiate with the WB and IMF and, "would only cut off relations with the U.S. if they fail to recognize Bolivian sovereignty."

http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2002-07/14ralston.cfm

===

BOLIVIA: Who is Evo Morales?

BY ALEJANDRO RODRIGUEZ

In April 2000, Aguas de Tanari, a large multinational corporation, was due to take over the privatised water works in Cochabamba. Water prices were to increase and laws were passed to make it illegal to catch and use rain water. Water would be out of the reach of the majority of residents, 65% of whom live below the poverty line. Mass demonstrations erupted, roads were blocked and running battles where fought with the police and the army until the government gave in. The sell-off was defeated.

(snip)

Long before coca was used to make cocaine, the indigenous people of the Andean region, the Aymara and Quechua, chewed coca leaves as a dietary supplement. The consumption of coca leaves and tea is part of daily life for Bolivia's peasants, miners and workers. The US-led “Plan Dignidad” (dignity plan), which seeks to reduce coca production to zero, is seen by them as an attack on the peasant's livelihoods and the indigenous people's way of life.

This US-financed plan involves US military advisers on the ground ordering Bolivian soldiers to attack, kill and displace peasants with US-made weapons. This has led to resistance among the peasants, with several self-defence groups being formed. In 2001, for the first time since coca eradication began, more police and soldiers were killed than peasants.

Morales has publicly declared that he not only supports the peasants' right to self-defence but is participating in the organisation of these popular self-defence groups with the aim of forming a people's army.

Since early 2001, Morales and the MAS have campaigned across Bolivia for the June 30 presidential election. The MAS platform included: the nationalisation of strategic industries; price reductions and a price freeze on household goods; the provision of basic services for all; defence of free public health and education; increased taxes for the rich; an end to corruption; the redistribution of land to those that work it; a new political apparatus; an end to neo-liberal economic policies; and opposition to a “flexible” work force.

(snip)

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2002/501/501p16b.htm

=====

Oh boy! Pretty soon we may be hearing that Al-Qaeda is in Bolivia!

...

Spoke too soon... It's dead certain now. They're planning to nationalize their Gas... Saddaam's big crime in '78

===

Bolivian Bill to Nationalize Gas Feared by Foreign Interests

Bolivian Bill to Nationalize Gas Feared by Foreign Interests
By Benjamin Melancon,
Posted on Wed Dec 22nd, 2004 at 12:47:17 PM EST

The subhead of the December 20 Miami Herald article "Bolivia approves natural gas law" is enough to know that the proposed law is a victory, of sorts, for the social movements: "Law may stop investment in the sector, cause massive lawsuits."

In November, Herald reporter Tyler Bridges wrote, the House gave preliminary approval to a Movement Toward Socialism measure to have the state unilaterally seize control of the natural gas reserves and impose an immediate and much higher tax than President Carlos Mesa proposed.

As Alex Contreras Baspineiro reported for Narco News on July 19, new hydrocarbons legislation was inevitable after more than ninety percent of participants in Mesa's referendum voted for the government to reclaim all hydrocarbons "at the mouth of the well."

As hoped by many of those voting and also those abstaining, Mesa lost control of his referendum proposal. The often vague language, instead of being used by Mesa to nationalize in name but not in fact, is being interpreted by the Bolivian Congress in accordance with the population's wishes. One of Mesa's questions approved by voters called for nationalizing the gas reserves.

Bridges wrote:

Mesa said it really meant giving the state greater control over the reserves while keeping them under foreign control.
But with polls showing that most voters thought it did actually mean nationalization, Movement Toward Socialism and the more moderate and conservative political parties used that to rewrite Mesa's proposal.

The president and his top aides hope that the moderates and conservatives will have a change of heart and produce a bill acceptable to the foreign community.

(Wow! Talka about selling your people down the river!))

(snip)

Foreign Elite Opposition

Wealthy foreign companies, who will have to pay much more for Bolivia's gas and lose control over its development, oppose the bill. Already they are putting pressure on Bolivia through their agents and the institutions of neo-colonialism, customarily known as "the international community" in establishment press reports such as Bridges':

Foreign companies and their allies in the international community have said the law would amount to the forced nationalization of the reserves.

This would prompt lawsuits by the foreign companies and would likely prompt a reduction in aid by the United States, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Inter-American Development Bank, sources in the international community said.

The Brazilian government has also pointedly warned leaders of Congress against passing the bill since the Brazilian petroleum company, Petrobras, is the largest investor in Bolivia.

(snip)

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2004/12/22/124717/47

==

Bolivians Demand Recovery of Gas From Foreign Corporations
With the Referendum Over, the Battle Moves to Congress and to the Streets


By Alex Contreras Baspineiro
Narco News South American Bureau Chief
July 19, 2004

COCHABAMBA, BOLIVIA: More than ninety percent of the people who actively participated in Bolivia’s binding referendum yesterday voted for the current government of Carlos Mesa to reclaim all hydrocarbons “at the mouth of the well” as property of the Bolivian State.

The phrase “mouth of the well” refers to the places where natural gas, petroleum, and other hydrocarbons extracted here are measured. Under ex-President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada’s Hydrocarbons Law 1689, these places were under the control of transnational corporations; now they must pass into State hands.

Despite threats from small radical groups of a boycott, roadblocks, and destruction of polling centers and ballots on the day of the referendum, these groups lacked the support of the people in both rural and urban areas.

(snip)

The “Yes” Vote Wins

The first question – “Do you agree with the repeal of Hydrocarbons Law 1689 passed by Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada” – received 86.6 percent support, with 13.4 voting against.

The second question – “Do you agree with the recovery of all hydrocarbon property from ’the mouth of the well’ for the Bolivian State?” – won the most support, with 92.1 percent voting “yes” and only 7.9 percent voting “no.”

The third question – “Do agree with re-founding Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (state oil company), recovering state property held in Bolivians’ stocks in the privatized oil companies, in a way that will allow it to participate in the entire process of producing hydrocarbons?” – received 87.1 percent support, with 12.9 percent voting against.

(snip)

http://www.narconews.com/Issue33/article1006.html

===

Oh boy... And not just Al-Qaeda but Al-Qaeda training centers I'm sure!

What's wrong with these people? Have they no work-houses? Have they no "centrist" coalitions doing cost analyses for them and touting the wonders of tricke-down economics ? ;) Woohoo! Go Bolivia!

[Judi Lynn]

4. When you can imagine a regime so twisted it would pass a law

making it ILLEGAL to catch rainwater to drink, you have to realize the wrong people have been running things. This is beyond sick. It's pure evil, nothing less.

Only having a moment to grab a link, I found this, from a few years ago which is worth considering, relating to the U.S.'s attempt to control even Bolivia:

Terrorist-of-the-State
Manuel Rocha's Strategy of Terror Shows the Illegitimacy of Quiroga Regime

Narco News Commentary: The US State Department says there are no "terrorist organizations" in Bolivia. So it is a sign of the illegitimacy of the current regime of President Jorge Quiroga, and the inherent weakness of the strategy of the Viceroy who runs Quiroga, US Ambassador to Bolivia Manuel Rocha, that the two participated in this week's name-calling fest posing as an "anti-terrorism" conference, in a publicity ploy, now, to label all social movements in Bolivia as "terrorist."

Adding injury to insult, the accusations were made by the very same Bolivian military officials who presided over recent massacres of unarmed civilians, inadvertently calling the question: If there are "terrorists" in Bolivia, are they the unarmed civilians, or are they those who have relied upon force, assassination and intimidation to get their way?

The Terrorism-Fest was scheduled to coincide with the government's strategy against the coca growers of the Chapare region, and on a week when Bolivian authorities arrested globally respected labor leader Oscar Olivera as a tactic to intimidate social movements. And it came days after US Ambassador Manuel Rocha labeled the military's violent behavior as "heroic" and "sacrificial," and then attacked the social movements that engage in sit-ins and blockades on the nation's highways.
(snip/...)

http://www.narconews.com/rochaterrorism.html

Bolivian peasants or narco-terrorists?
by Reverend Damuzi (22 Jul, 2002) Terrorism in the name of drug war has become commonplace in Bolivia.


A legal plantation in the Yungas region of La Paz, Bolivia.
Women and children die first

It was 1997, a warm April day in the Chapare, Bolivia's principle coca-growing region. A respected 53-year-old elder woman, Alberta Orellana Garcia, was kneeling on the ground in front of a narcotics agent, begging him not to destroy the coca fields that fed her family. Her eldest son watched, petrified, as the narc pulled out a gun and shot her in the head, spilling her brains onto the earth.

The local town of Chapare erupted in shock and anger. A large group of coca growers closed in on the local eradication office and tore it to the ground. Shortly afterward, the government retaliated with armed officers firing tear gas.

The coca in the Garcia's fields was potentially legal under Bolivian law, for in Bolivia there is a long coca-growing tradition with roots deep in indigenous culture. Coca is not just for export, but is used by local peoples for food and teas.
(snip)

"What you have now is the eradication of the large bulk of the Chapare coca crop with nothing to replace it as a source of income to those families. So since April of 1998, what we have seen is already really poor regions become much poorer with higher rates of infant mortality. As a result coca growers have continued to resist eradication, setting off widespread conflicts last year and this year as well."

The drug war has transformed Bolivia's political landscape into a collage of nightmare images. Drug war protesters are often shot in the streets. Women and children are jailed together while they await their day in court – often years later. Prison conditions are so intolerable that in 1999, in San Sebastian women's jail, four female inmates stitched their own mouths shut in protest.1 Alas, to no avail. The international media has shut not only its ears, but its eyes as well to the plight of Bolivia.
(snip/...)

http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/2409.html

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I'm convinced if Bolivian citizens don't find a way to make themselves safer, they are going to see this great man slaughtered, just like others who have tried to protect their people from the foreign interests who seek to control their lives.

Coca has ALWAYS been a staple of Bolivian life. Can't remember a time I ever thought of Bolivian people WITHOUT it, can you? How DARE our power-mad idiots to try to butt into their world.

[FlemingsGhost]

5. "Lula," Chavez ... and now, Morales.

South America just might become a very large stick in the eye of the "free" market imperialists.

When Colombia wakes up, I'll know it's for real ...

[aneerkoinos]

6. LOL

"His party, Movement Toward Socialism, known as MAS, has strongly leftist and anti-American policies."


Dam those indigenous ANTI-AMERICAN peoples of América!!!!!!!!!!




Pee on you, Gringolandia...

[Dirk39]

7. Hey comrade, I see through your game...

and if Gringolandia is drinking your piss without paying, you will label him as a threat to the free world.
You're a strongly leftist and anti-American, -freedom, -market, -god.

Bless America,
Dirk

[aneerkoinos]

9. Yes tavaritch,

My game is in the open, for all to see... transparent is my middle name! :)

[Robbien]

8. If we were not so tied up in the Middle East

we could have allocated more covert resources to South America to do a better job of squashing all these socialists. If we had a better relationship with the UN, we could have driven some real wedges in the developing nations union.

A silver lining of a very dark cloud.