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Bolivia's Home-Grown President

By Daphne Eviatar, TheNation.com. Posted January 7, 2006.


Evo Morales may have won at the polls, but Bolivia is still far from a victory.

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On its face, the election of Evo Morales to the presidency of Bolivia would seem like an enormous victory for the left -- another domino in the line of Latin American nations turning away from Washington Consensus-style economics to forge a path of its own. But the question remains whether the first indigenous president in Bolivia's history will be allowed -- by the Bolivian Congress or by the larger international financial and legal system -- to live up to his promises and fulfill the enormous expectations of his supporters. If not, Bolivia could face an even more unstable future.

The symbolic value of a Morales victory cannot be overstated in a country where symbols represent the passions of a people mobilized to change what they see as 500 years of state oppression. Thus the wiphala -- the checkered rainbow flag of indigenous resistance -- flew from every Morales campaign vehicle; technocratic economic policy proposals about how the nation should manage its natural gas industry became symbols of Bolivian "independence" and "self-governance"; and politicians called for the defense of Pachamama (Mother Earth) as they pressed their home-grown solutions for this cash-poor but resource-rich country, urging the rejection of the North American capitalistas.

Massive support for that rejection fueled widespread protests last summer, when hundreds of thousands of Bolivians filled the streets of El Alto and La Paz, blocking roads, burning tires and throwing dynamite until then-President Carlos Mesa finally resigned -- the second president forced out of office in as many years. So for the popular former coca growers' union president to have won the presidency by an overwhelming and closely monitored vote suggests the vitality of Bolivian democracy and development of a new Latin American consensus.

But will Evo Morales be able to live up to his promises?

Evo's campaign slogans promised "nationalization" of oil and gas reserves, "recuperation" of natural resources for Bolivians and a renewed respect for campesinos and workers around the country. "We will nationalize all of Bolivia's natural resources," the charismatic candidate told hundreds of Quechua farmers who crowded into the main square in the town of Cliza, showering him with confetti and draping wreaths of locally grown produce and flowers around his neck. "We cannot give away what was given to us by Pachamama."

Those sorts of promises went over well in the small farming pueblos, where women in their colorful 18th-century-style peasant skirts and shawls literally danced in the streets and waved their broad-brimmed straw hats as Morales rode by in his campaign caravan, the villagers eagerly reaching for the campaign fliers he left in his path. After all, Evo's supporters -- poor indigenous farmers and laborers, who sell their goods for a pittance in local markets and make up the 40 percent of the country the World Bank labels "extremely poor" -- have little other faith left to hold on to.

Years of Washington Consensus-style economic policies, first adopted in the mid-1980s under the label "shock therapy" and expanded in the mid-1990s, when the country privatized its oil, gas, electric and other major industries, have done little to help Bolivia's people, more than 65 percent of whom are still stuck below the poverty line. In fact, despite being the testing ground for much of neoliberal economic policy in the past 20 years, the average Bolivian is now poorer than his grandparents were 50 years ago. The privatization schemes, rather than bringing prosperity as promised, have provoked a wave of anger against international financial institutions and the United States, which was on display all over Bolivia in this presidential election.

And while the U.S. government has expressed deep fears about a Morales presidency, in many ways it's the United States that has put Morales in the position he is in today. In Bolivia the United States is not only a symbol of foreign capital but of the bitter "war on drugs" that strong-armed Bolivia into accepting a U.S.-financed coca eradication campaign that even the World Bank has admitted bears responsibility for Bolivia's continued poverty.


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View:
In the end, the Global South Wins
Posted by: Beentheredonethat on Jan 7, 2006 5:39 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This article underscores the situation that the hamhanded and heavy tactics by the mutlinationals have placed the global North. Because what good is a decision from a court of white people if those in the global South, decide we don't need you and network amongst each other for their needs?

The writer is putting thoughts into Morales' mind, saying that he would not offend the mighty US and not reach out to the Chinese or even the Russians. But my question is, why wouldn't he, what does he have to lose, or we going to send in the Marines?

What do the Bolivians have to lose by offending the national and corporate interests of the West? The natural gas situation in Europe underscores how fragile the Western economies are and how their addiction to petro-energy has undermined them. The Bolivians in their present situation have nothing to lose and everything to gain, for very soon they will be in the same position as the OPEC nations at the global energy poker table, holding a royal flush, with the West holding a pair of deuces.

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otto
Posted by: otto on Jan 7, 2006 6:47 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Nationalizing industries (taking them away from the U.S. and other first world owners) was the dropping of the second shoe by Fidel Castro in Cuba; it set up the embargo for the past 40 years. For a long time Cuba could survive because of doing business with the Soviet Union; but that came to end when their power collapsed.
Hopefully with allies like Chavez in Venezuela and a growing number of Latin Americans opposed to U.S. power policies, with China's economy getting stronger as that of the U.S begins to fade, and with rich natural resources of their own in fuel, they can carry off their revolution.

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» RE: otto Posted by: aonghus36
Evo Morales' web site
Posted by: aonghus36 on Jan 7, 2006 7:59 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Here it is, apparently his web site;
http://www.evomorales.net/English/index.htm

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» RE: vo Morales' web site Posted by: Michelle
» RE: vo Morales' web site Posted by: aonghus36
Unstabilizing the Southern Hemisphere
Posted by: ftorres on Jan 7, 2006 8:16 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
One can be sure the Bush Administration, the State Department, the CIA, the 109th Congress along with Corporate America (their true masters) and the corporate news media which is nothing more than a propaganda tool for the Bush Administration, will be there to destablize the Morales duly elected democratic presidential office.

They will do all these atrocious acts and more in our names along with threats of using the military. That is what they know best! The will try to do these things and more because they know they have a crop of well paid bribed Latin American fascist thugs in Miami and abroad ready to act upon notice.

The whole problem with Latin America is the US international support for fascism. It doesn't work here in the USA (although they keep trying) so they try somewhere else especially tiny countries with no means of defending themselves with a military.

The facts is, America's meddling in Latin America is about to change. People are now determine to fight for their natural resources and Boliva is no different. Communism might not be the answer to world's problems, but Latin Americans has no choice if they are to defend themselves. After all, Communism is the deadliest enemy fascists fear the most.

Taking Cuba as an example, the socialist government proved to the world that a nation of less than 13 millions can survive with a cruel murderous embargo of 40+ years! Cuba became stronger, more intelligent, more respected and now provides doctors, teachers, military advisors, and superb social services to other countries. Cuba is an icon among the world's third poorest countries young populations. Is it any surprise why determined young leaders Like Chavez and Morales are emerging in Latin America admire Cuba? The truth is, not only South Americans are noticing this, but also an American public which is tired of the corruption based in Washington DC.

But you wouldn't it know this because America keep it's citizens in the dark (and illegally spy on them to boot).

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» RE: Unstabilizing the Southern Hemisphere Posted by: Againstthewindwalking
Interesting but underplays Venuzuella's hand!
Posted by: Againstthewindwalking on Jan 7, 2006 5:55 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Sure it looks grim for Bolivia! This is a perfect example of the "Carrot on a stick" sort of financial aid we've been giving in South America for years! We hang that carrot in front of the starving mule and ride for ever! NOT!! Chavez is making a fortune! There's nothing like a rich liberal to scare the shit out of Bush! Especially one who is none to reach out a hand to a neighbor and ally!

The United states needs to be slacking off the chains not tightening them! If Venuzuella and Bolivia form a partnership, They may be to powerfull for anybody to controll! The best way to deal with Bolivia is to start giving aid without strings attached! A partner beats a slave state any day of the week!

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Interesting Times!
Posted by: memememem on Jan 7, 2006 11:41 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The axis of evil is growing!!!!
Iran visits Chavez
Chavez visits Cuba
China visits Chavez and Iran visits China.
Morales visits Cuba,Spain ( those Traitors), France ( those bad French Traitors also), Spain slashes Bolivian debts, increases aid, France offers Government Training and increased investments, Holland aid,Cuba Teachers and doctors and scholarships...
What will China offer? what will SA? Why did Mandela and Mbeki invite Morales?
How evil are all these people offering aid to the poorest latin american country?
Bush achieved singlehandedly in less than 5 years some form of decolonization /disenfranchisement of the hitherto slave states...
Not that we mind at all.
Madrid, Paris, Beijing, Pretoria and then Brasilia....Not bad for el Indio!

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» RE: Interesting Times! Posted by: ftorres