Day Highlighted by Bolivian Solidarity

Day Highlighted by Bolivian Solidarity

President Evo Morales was not able to attend the Americas Social Forum (ASF) yesterday. Despite this, Bolivian solidarity was a recurring theme throughout the day. In the morning a workshop was held on “Racism and Resistance within the Social Changes of Bolivia and the Americas” organized by the Solon Foundation. According to Maria Tomasa Bulux of Mujeres Unidas y Activas in San Francisco, and one of the GGJ delegates to the ASF, “The mass media has nothing to do with reality. Today we learned of a massacre in Bolivia of 28 campesinos by those opposed to the government. We did not learn about this in the United States press. ”

Wealthy oligarchs in the eastern part of Bolivia, the region known as Media Luna, have been resisting the nationalization of oil and gas resources by the Morales government. Before Morales was was elected, 80% of oil and gas revenues left Bolivia. Upon taking office he nationalized these resources and began to renegotiate contracts with multi-national companies so that 80% of the revenues would stay in the country. This redistribution of wealth to the majority of Bolivians sparked a violent reaction by the wealthy landowners who control the state governments where the oil and gas reserves are located. Most of the revenues from oil and gas go to the Media Luna states.

Chavez has also called for land redistribution. The highest concentration of land ownership in the world is in Bolivia where 2/3 of the land is owned by less than 1% of the population. Protests began and turned violent after Morales trounced the opposition in a recent recall election. In Pando, anti-government thugs ambushed and massacred 28 campesinos who were rallying in support of Morales on September 11.

According to Rubén Solís of Southwest Workers Union, who also attended the workshop, “Campesinos have demanded land in the Media Luna region which is primarily forest land to manage it and protect it from clear cutting. The government is also demanding that the wealthy landowners pay taxes, which until now they have never done. Morales has established a consultation process with various social movement organizations that convene every day at 4am.”

The United States government has tried to undermine the Morales government. The ambassador to Bolivia was meeting with the opposition, and was expelled from the country. The U.S. has also been funding groups in Bolivia through USAID but will not disclose who these groups are.

Yesterday afternoon, a rally in support of the Bolivian government was held in the Plaza of the Martyrs in the Autonomous University of San Carlos, the site of the ASF. President Morales sent a message to the ASF denouncing the violence by the wealthy oligarchs and proposing 10 mandates to save the planet, humanity and life, including 1) an end to the capitalist system, 2) renouncing war, 3) an end to imperialism and colonialism, 4) guaranteeing access to water for everyone, 5) ending dependency on fossil fuels, 6) respecting Mother Earth, 7) that basic services such as water, health, electricity, and education should be human rights, 8) that we consume what we need and end consumerism, 9) that food be produced locally and consumed locally, and finally that we live in unity respecting our differences. The full text of the message is posted in Spanish on this blog.