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Reporter's Notebook: Luis Gomez

All of Bolivia's Social Movements Unite: Reality Changes Once Again

Posted by Luis Gomez - March 9, 2005 at 2:53 pm
Good day, kind readers, this morning the landscape has changed and there is a new story to tell. The social movements in Bolivia, ALL of them, have united to coordinate their efforts, to organize more demonstrations and fight against the new (or recycled) right wing that just last night gave more power to the administration of President Carlos Mesa. Let’s take a look at this immediate history… It was just after 9 in the morning, and about one hundred social movement representatives and journalists were crammed into the small auditorium of the Central Obrera Boliviana (the legendary COB, Bolivian Workers’ Federation). A dozen people sat up front, full of enthusiasm. Take a look at the attendance list, because this phenomenon is nearly unknown in the country’s recent history:
  1. Evo Morales, congressman from the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party, and coca-growers’ leader from the Chapare region.
  2. Felipe Quispe, el Mallku (the Condor) of the Aymara nation and outgoing executive secretary of the Bolivian Farmworkers’ Federation (CSUTCB).
  3. Jaime Solares, executive secretary of the COB.
  4. Roberto de la Cruz, El Alto city councilor, Aymara, known for his participation in the uprising of October, 2003.
  5. The leaders of the Bolivian Landless Movement (MST).
  6. Román Loayza, alternate senator for the MAS and parallell CSUTCB which answers to Evo’s party.
  7. Enrique Mariaca, an engineer from the Committee for the Defense of National Patrimony
  8. Former police official David Vargas, one of the leaders of the so-called Black Februray (2003) when the people revolted against a tax increase from Sánchez de Lozada (at the request of the IMF).
  9. A bit later, Abel Mamani, well-known president of the Federation of Neighborhood Committees, arrived in high spirits.
  10. In Cochabamba, Oscar Olivera, of the Coordinating Committee for the Defense of Gas and Water, and Omar Fernández, leader of the Bolivian irrigating peasant-farmers.
And there were more, of all colors, from all over the country, protesting Carlos Mesa, who was ratified as president: the purpose of his blackmailing resignation, in reality, was to pressure the Bolivian people into a step back in what they were demanding and achieving in the streets, above all on hydrocarbons (but also on water, on justice for the massacres of 2003, on everything they are lacking and the justice they deserve).

The new alliance, which revives an entity known as the Estado Mayor del Pueblo (loosely translated as the People’s General Staff, founded in 2001), has begin to guide the people in resistance against the coalition of political parties and the government, which seeks to restrain the social mobilizations.

In his front-line trench, Mesa gave a press conference at 10 am. The event reprised the points from his speech last night before the National Congress: to retake his government agenda, this time together with the traditional political parties, and not to permit any more social mobilizations.

Mesa has asked the people to demonstrate at noon tomorrow, in all the plazas of Bolivia, against the blockades and marches.

But there was something new as well…

As some sectors of El Alto have remained firm in their blockades demanding the exit of the multinational Suez corporation from the administration of their water services, as the coca growers continue blockading the main highway in the Chapare, as many people have refused to abandon their demands just because Carlos Mesa demands it in order to govern, President Mesa threatened to bring all the blockaders and marchers to justice. That is, apply the law as always: against the poor and working people of this country.

The apparent defeat of the social movements last night was not conclusive. The political class’ rallying behind President Mesa has provoked the social movements and leaders to rally themselves in response. We still don’t know what dimension this might take on for the people, but we know that, for the moment, this new stage of the conflict as not over yet.

Stay tuned to Narco News as updates continue…

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Comments

Smoke signals are getting through

Submitted March 10, 2005 - 12:02 am by Bill Conroy
Luis,

Great coverage of the events in Boliva.

Below is a statement released recently by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. It appears he at least sees some of the nuances of the situation, unlike the bulk of the commercial media in the states. Although Carter's words make sense in theory, the real question is whether the powers that be in Bolivia are really concerned with advancing a people's democracy. Absent good faith in that area, solutions become all that more elusive.

The media script here seems to be that Bolivian President Carlos Mesa took a courageous chance in tendering his resignation for the good of the country, and now the country has embraced him and rejected his resignation, so he now has "renewed" legitimacy. That's the mainstream media line, it seems, that the power of the state has been emboldened in Bolivia, so that the world community should now view it as justified if greater force is used against the opposition -- the people.

That's why your reporting, and the coordination you are doing of the reporting on the scene, is so vital in my eyes. You are getting the truth out, to counter the spin. Mesa and his oligarch backers are all smoke and mirrors; you, Narco News and the people of Boliva are the real fire.

Keep on sending out those smoke signals from the people's fire.

Ciao,

In Support of Bolivian Democracy: A Statement from Jimmy Carter
March 8 - ATLANTA…Statement from former President Jimmy Carter:

"I have watched with concern the increasing tension in Bolivia culminating two days ago in the resignation letter of President Mesa. Over the past 17 months, Bolivia has faced difficult choices on a variety of issues, and these will not be solved simply with a change in the government.

Rather, as with any democracy, the best mechanism for their resolution is through open dialogue and consensus-building among all sectors of society. It is the responsibility of the elected leaders and of all citizens to provide the space and support so that initiatives can be discussed and solutions found in a peaceful and democratic manner.

I urge all Bolivians to maintain calm and reject violence in these difficult days ahead."

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The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide. A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, the Center has helped to improve life for people in more than 65 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; improving mental health care; and teaching farmers to increase crop production. To learn more about The Carter Center, please visit: www.cartercenter.org.

PARA DIFUSIÓN INMEDIATA
8 de marzo 2005

Contacto: Kay Torrance
En Atlanta, 1-404-420-5129

Declaración del ex- Presidente de los EE UU Jimmy Carter en Apoyo a la Democracia Boliviana

ATLANTA…He visto con preocupación la creciente tensión en Bolivia que culminó hace dos días atrás con la carta de renuncia del Presidente Mesa. En los últimos 17 meses su país ha afrontado decisiones difíciles sobre diversos temas, y esos temas no serán resueltos simplemente con un cambio en el gobierno. Por el contrario, como en toda democracia, el mejor mecanismo para su resolución es a través del dialogo abierto y la construcción de consenso entre todos los sectores de la sociedad. Es responsabilidad de los líderes electos y de todos los ciudadanos crear un espacio y brindar el apoyo para que las diferentes iniciativas puedan ser discutidas y se encuentren soluciones de manera pacífica y democrática. Exhorto a todos los bolivianos mantener la calma y rechazar la violencia en estos días difíciles.

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El Centro Carter fue fundado en 1982 por el ex-presidente de los Estados Unidos Jimmy Carter y su esposa Rosalynn, en sociedad con la Universidad de Emory, para promover la paz y la salud mundial. El Centro Carter es una organización no gubernamental sin fines de lucro. El Centro ha ayudado a mejorar la vida de las personas en más de 65 países, resolviendo conflictos, promoviendo la democracia, los derechos humanos y la oportunidad económica; previniendo enfermedades y mejorando los sistemas de salud mental; y capacitando a agricultores sobre métodos para aumentar la producción de sus cultivos. Para saber más sobre el Centro Carter por favor visite: www.cartercenter.org.

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