CONTENTS

1. TIPNIS consultation extended after community resistance
The MAS government has extended the consultation in the TIPNIS for an extra two months after delays in reaching isolated communities in the region. The new deadline will be 7 November, after the government rejected calls by some MAS deputies to keep the process open-ended.

According to the Ministry of Public Works, 32 out of 69 communities had been consulted by the end of the original August deadline. Minister of Government Carlos Romero blamed the delay primarily on weather conditions, as low water levels had made it difficult for the consultation brigades to travel by river in the region. However, many communities continue to refuse to cooperate with the consultation, which has also impeded the process. Following a meeting between local community leaders and CIDOB, the lowland indigenous people’s confederation, twenty communities in the north of TIPNIS announced they will peacefully resist the consultation.

In La Paz, the Justice Tribunal threw out a legal challenge against the consultation made by the indigenous leader Fernando Vargas. Vargas had launched an appeal directed against state ministers, authorities in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), arguing that the judicial ruling on the consultation should have been made in front of a public audience, as required by the Constitution.

Finally, the indigenous magistrate Gualberto Cusi, a member of the Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal, has withdrawn charges he made against the government, which he had accused of political interference in an earlier case challenging the legality of the consulta law.

2. Freedom of expression concerns as government takes legal action against newspapers
Two newspapers and a Catholic news agency have been charged by the government with ‘disseminating and inciting racism or discrimination’, prompting media in Bolivia and international watchdogs to express concern for freedom of expression. Agencia de Noticias Fides (ANF), El Diario and Página Siete were accused by the government of distorting the meaning of President Morales’s comments on differences between east and west Bolivia in a way that could provoke regional confrontation.

During a speech on food security in Tiwanaku, ANF reported Morales as saying that ‘In the east of Bolivia, where there is production all year round, I would say that it is only a lack of will that makes us poor or not have food. In the Altiplano, it’s different. If there is frost, if there is no rain or if there is hail, then there is no food. But in the east, we only go hungry because of laziness’. The two newspapers later picked up the story under headlines ‘Evo accuses eastern Bolivians of laziness’ and ‘Morales thinks the east is lazy’. The government then brought charges against all three media under the Law against Racism and Discrimination, which was sanctioned in 2010 despite considerable protest from press groups about its possible effect on free speech.

Press groups demonstrated against the charges in La Paz and in other cities, The National Association of Journalists (ANP) has argued that if there has been distortion of the president’s words, then the matter is covered under the Press Law. This would mean that the issue would be dealt with by newspaper editors through a self-regulatory mechanism, rather than being treated as a criminal matter. The ANP’s position has been supported by the international press freedom NGO, Reporters Without Borders, while the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists has also urged the MAS government to drop the lawsuit.

3. Protests over illegal coca plantations and ‘ecological’ military deployment
Consensus has been reached between the government and coca growers (cocaleros) in the Yungas de Vandiola region following protests over the eradication of crops. Cocaleros imposed a blockade at Epizana, blocking transport on the old Cochabamba-Santa Cruz road, while reports suggested that several people were injured in clashes with the authorities. Government Minister Carlos Romero denied there had been any confrontation.

Following talks between community leaders from Machu Yungas and the vice-minister for social defence and controlled substances, Felipe Cáceres, it was agreed that 42 catos (a traditional measurement equalling around 40m2) planted by recent arrivals to the area could be eradicated by the government. Local leader Mario Torrico said that the coca growers who are to lose their plantations would be given help in growing fruit as a substitute.

There was further anger at government plans to send in three hundred soldiers to the Carrasco National Park to prevent further illegal plantations once the programme of eradication had been completed. The Juan Maraza ‘ecological regiment’ will also to be deployed in other protected areas, including the TIPNIS, to prevent illegal logging and drug-trafficking.

4. Tensions mount over Colquiri mine
Tensions are mounting in a three-way conflict between the government and two groups of miners in Colquiri, following the nationalisation of the site in June. After the Swiss-owned commodities giant Glencore had its licence revoked by the government, the majority of the mine was given to the state Mining Corporation (Comibol), but a section (the Rosario seam) was awarded to the 26th February Cooperative. Salaried miners insist the mine belongs wholly to Comibol, and have prevented the cooperative from working its concession. Over eighty soldiers and twenty police have been deployed to prevent a deterioration of the situation, while vice-minister for mining Freddy Beltrán has called for tripartite discussions to overcome the tensions.

Comibol has offered to absorb those who work for the cooperative into its ranks as a solution, and many have already taken up the offer. Héctor Córdova, president of Comibol, has said his organisation has the capacity to hire the remaining cooperativistas, but said he needed consensus between all those involved before taking this step. Meanwhile, the cooperativistas are threatening to bring large numbers of their people to La Paz to make their point heard.

Cooperativistas have also seized part of the San Vicente mine, Potosí department, demanding employment. Although the mine is owned by Comibol, it is managed by the Canada-based Pan-American Silver Cooperation, which apparently has been limiting job opportunities to local miners. Conflicts in the mining sector have continued to trouble the Morales government in recent weeks, including a dispute over the Mallku Qhota mine that resulted in its nationalisation.

5. MAS plans to eradicate extreme poverty by 2025 Bicentenary
In a speech given at the Plurinational Legislative Assembly to mark the 187th anniversary of Bolivian independence, President Morales set out the challenges facing the country which he hoped would be overcome by the time of the bicentennial celebrations in 2025.

Morales, who was recently nominated by MAS as its presidential candidate for the 2014 elections, said his government would work to eradicate extreme poverty by 2025, and ensure that everyone in Bolivia had access to electricity, drinking water, sewerage and telephones. Morales also said that he hoped Bolivia would become self-sufficient in food production during the same period. The president stressed that his government had successfully met previous targets contained in the 2006-2011 National Development Plan, although he accepted failings in terms of tackling corruption and undertaking a programme of reforestation.

Analysts have reacted with scepticism to Morales’s targets. The former president of the Central Bank, Armando Méndez, suggested that even if Bolivia were to achieve annual growth rates of 10% (around twice the current figure) it would take twenty-five years to eradicate extreme poverty. Javier Gómez, the director of the Bolivian think tank CEDLA (Centre for Labour and Agrarian Development Studies) argued that if the government wanted to reduce poverty, it must do more in terms of job creation. Gómez also said that more must be done to reduce economic dependency on natural resources.

6. Sacha Llorenti named as ambassador to the UN amid questioning
Former minister Sacha Llorenti has been controversially appointed as Bolivia’s ambassador to the United Nations, replacing Rafael Archondo. The move has been criticised by indigenous groups, human rights organisations and opposition politicians due to Llorenti’s alleged role in events during the march against the proposed TIPNIS road in September 2011.

Llorenti resigned as minister of government following a violent police intervention against the march in Chaparina, Beni, but denies ordering police to use force against the protesters. Llorenti’s appointment to the UN came soon after he was excluded by the Public Prosecutor’s Office from its inquiry into the Chaparina events, raising fears that no-one will be held responsible for the repression. Ombudsman Rolando Villena criticised the prosecutor’s decision, suggesting it could create a climate of impunity in Bolivia.

7. National census to take place
The government has announced that a national census will be conducted on Wednesday 21 November this year, with two additional days scheduled for rural areas. Planning and Development Minister Viviana Caro said the information gathered on population and housing would help improve government policies. More than thirty institutions will cooperate under the umbrella organisation La Ruta del Censo to undertake the work and around 230,000 census takers will work across the country to collect data.

Some controversy has arisen over the type of information the government has decided to collect in the census. The ethnic category of mestizo will not be included in list of options for self-identification, with the government arguing that the racial dimension of the word is potentially discriminatory. The census will also not collect information on either religion or sexual orientation. Caro insisted that while the government strongly supported human rights in those areas, but the information was not relevant for public policy. Religious groups and sexual equality campaigners criticised the decision.

AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
E-MAIL: enquiries [at] boliviainfoforum.org.uk

1. TIPNIS consultation begins
Consultation with communities that live in the TIPNIS national park and indigenous territory began on 29 July, to decide whether they accept or reject the plans to build a road through the park. Consultations will be carried out with each of the communities in the area during the next three weeks. Previously a second indigenous march within a year had reached La Paz to protest against the road project, but after 14 days in the capital they decided to return to the TIPNIS to oppose the consultation. The leaders of the march say the consultation process is flawed because it is not ‘prior’ as a contract was signed in 2008; they also argue that the government is not acting in ‘good faith’ since it wants the project to go ahead.

The first community to be consulted was the Oromomo, which voted in favour of the road and also asked for economic compensation for the parts of the road that pass through their territory. Subsequently, the community of San Miguelito voted to reject the road. The consultations are expected to continue up to 25 August, with the final results due to be announced on 6 September.

The leaders of the IX indigenous march, who oppose the consultation, have appealed to the Constitutional Court in an attempt to stop the process from proceeding. They argue that the government is not complying with a previous ruling of the Court that instructed the government to reach agreement with the indigenous communities of the TIPNIS before moving forward with the consultation process.

There were also criticisms of the form of the consultation, which refers to the question of intangibility, meaning a ‘no’ vote would also affect other economic activities that the local population carry out in the park. Amnesty International issued a public declaration criticising this aspect of the consultation. Amnesty also expressed concern about compliance with the Constitutional Court ruling.

2. Mallku Qhota: government nationalises mining concession
The dispute over the mining concession in the area of Mallku Qhota intensified at the end of June and in early July as the community took engineers from the mining company and a police officer hostage, and one community member died in subsequent confrontations. The government announced that it will nationalise the mine, which appears to have quelled the conflict.

The hostages were taken by the community to pressure for the freedom of Cancio Rojas, a local leader, and for the government to expel the company which controls the mining concession there – Compañía Minera Mallku Khota, a subsidiary of the Canadian mining firm, South American Silver.

Following the taking of hostages, police were sent to the area where they clashed with members of the local population. One community member died and several others were injured. Several policemen suffered injuries because of the dynamite and stones hurled at them by the protesters.

The government and community resumed dialogue following these clashes. Negotiations held between President Morales and indigenous leaders led to an agreement to nationalise the mine – which contains large deposits of silver as well as indium and gallium (valuable metals used in electronic components). The community has been divided over whether to expel the company.

In a subsequent press conference, Vice-president Álvaro García Linera said that the Bolivian state has sufficient “economic strength” to carry out exploration, exploitation and processing of the minerals in Mallku Qhota, and that South American Silver would be compensated for the investments it had made prior to the nationalisation. On 2 August the nationalisation was formally approved, with the state company, COMIBOL, taking over the running of the mine.

3. Indian steel company Jindal abandons Mutún project
The Indian company Jindal Steel & Power has announced that it will leave Bolivia after it failed to meet conditions required by the Bolivian government. The company had entered into a joint venture with the a state mining company in 2007 in which it would produce iron ore and subsequently steel from the large El Mutún deposit in Santa Cruz, but the agreed investment did not materialise.

The company announced it would leave the country after the Bolivians asked it to deposit a further guarantee of $18 million. Jindal had accused the government of failing to comply with agreed conditions, principally in the supply of natural gas for the production of iron and steel.

The relationship has ended in acrimony as the Bolivian government accused the company of speculative practices and initiated judicial proceedings against executives. Jindal announced it would launch a case for damages against the Bolivian state, and Bolivia responded with a counter-claim against the company for non-compliance with its investment contract.

Following the exit of Jindal, the government announced it would put the venture out to tender once again, with 13 international investors already having apparently expressed an interest in the project. Meanwhile, the president of the state mining company Empresa Siderúrgica del Mutún (ESM), which was set up to work on 50% of the Mutún deposit, announced that it expects to produce 2 million tonnes of iron ore for export in 2013 and to produce up to 400,000 tonnes of steel for internal demand by 2015.

4. Santa Cruz governor faces suspension
Rubén Costas, the governor of Santa Cruz, risks suspension on account of accusations by the public prosecutor’s office of misusing state funds. On July 27, the departmental assembly in Santa Cruz decided to shelve the accusation, but lawyers argue that the assembly is duty bound to suspend Costas under the Law of Autonomies. Costas is accused of using 10 million Bolivianos to organise an illegal referendum on departmental autonomy in 2008. Attempts to mobilise support for Costas on the streets of Santa Cruz have failed to elicit a strong public response. The Comité Pro Santa Cruz (CPSC), once the most powerful civic committee in Bolivia has lost much of its influence in recent years. The powerful economic groups in Santa Cruz now look askance at an institution that helped foment violence on the streets; the CPSC allegedly even lacks the cash to pay its own monthly wage bill.

5. Cristina Fernández visits Bolivia to negotiate gas deal
Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner made a flying visit to Cochabamba where she met with Evo Morales to sign new contracts guaranteeing Bolivian gas exports for the next 15 years. Also discussed were future deals by which Argentina would purchase butane, propane and/or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Bolivia.

Fernández and Morales also signed agreements in the areas of education and culture. Both countries agreed to recognise each other’s university degrees and they set up initiatives to share knowledge and experience to increase digital inclusion.

6. The Bolivian economy grew 5.17% in 2011
According to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) Bolivia’s GDP grew 5.17% in 2011. This was 1.04% more than the growth registered for 2010. The departments with the highest levels of economic growth were La Paz (6.02%), Santa Cruz (5.58%) and Tarija (6.34%). Bolivia’s finance minister, Luis Arce Catacora, commented that Bolivia’s high economic growth was the result of income redistribution policies, which increased internal demand. At the same time, foreign reserves have hit a new high of $12.7 billion, equivalent to 55% of GDP. Both Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s have recently upgraded Bolivia’s credit rating. Despite declining mineral prices, Bolivia’s exports in the first half of 2012 were up 25% on the same period last year.

AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
E-MAIL: enquiries [at] boliviainfoforum.org.uk

CONTENTS

1. Government signs agreement with health workers, ending 52 day strike
An agreement was signed on 19 May by interior minister Carlos Romero and the president of the Colegio Médico de Bolivia (Bolivian Doctors’ Association), Alfonso Barrio, ending the strike by health workers which had lasted 52 days.

Doctors and health workers returned to work, with issues to be debated at a National Health Summit, at the end of July. The six-hour working day will be restored in the meantime (one of the central complaints of the striking doctors was against government attempts to increase the working day to eight hours), and any workers who had been fired because of the strike action will be reinstated in their jobs. The agreement also affirms the right for doctors to teach at universities while working, another of the demands of the striking doctors. The six-hour working day was introduced by previous governments intent on weakening the pubic health sector with a view to its privatisation.

Following the resolution of the conflict, hospitals across the country were to increase their daily quota of operations in order to make up the backlog which has resulted from the strike.

2. OAS assembly in Cochabamba: Morales and Correa call for reform
The 42nd General Assembly of the Organisation of American States (OAS), which took place in Tiquipaya, Cochabamba from 3-5 June, saw Morales – hosting the event – call for serious reform of the organisation, which he accused of serving US interests in the region. For his part, Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa suggested an extraordinary assembly of the OAS to “refound” the organisation. The US delegate to the forum – Sub-secretary of State for Hemispheric Affairs Roberta Jacobson – left Cochabamba a day early, citing diary commitments.

In his inaugural speech, Morales declared that the organisation would disappear if it could not be reformed to serve the interests of the peoples of Latin America. As a first step, he called for the dismantling of four defence agreements which fall within the purview of the organisation, including the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly the School of the Americas. He also called for reform of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which he said should carry out monitoring of human rights in the United States as well as just in the countries of Latin America.

The Bolivian government had proposed food sovereignty as the central theme of the assembly, including the issues of land and land reform and an agreement against the privatisation of water – an issue with particular resonance in Cochabamba, where protests in 1999 and 2000 led to the cancellation of a multinational water privatisation project. Also under discussion were the issues of Bolivia’s access to the sea and Argentina’s claim over the Falklands/Malvinas. Bolivian foreign minister David Choquehuanca called for the re-negotiation of the 1904 treaty which formally ceded Bolivian territory to Chile leaving Bolivia land-locked. His Chilean counterpart welcomed dialogue on the issue but reiterated that Chile’s territorial integrity will not be affected.

The Assembly of the OAS brings together foreign ministers of countries in the region. Of the 34 countries members of the organisation, only 18 were represented by their respective foreign ministers. There were, however, 60 international observers, and leaders and representatives of social movements from across the region, who met separately.

3. Law on political violence against women passed with unanimity
On 28 May, President Morales enacted the ‘Law against Harassment and Political Violence against Women”. As the law passed through the Senate with unanimity, Senate president Gabriela Montaño highlighted the importance of the law, but also the need to continue to work to guarantee that women can occupy public posts without fear of attacks.

The law introduces two new categories of crime to the Penal Code: political harassment and political violence. These refer to acts of pressure, persecution, harassment, threats or violence against a woman political candidate, elected official, or her family members. The Asociación de Concejalas Bolivianas (ACOBOL), the national association of women municipal councillors, had taken a leading role in promoting the law.

Violence and harassment against women involved in politics has been a serious problem over recent years. Verbal or physical abuse is often used to dissuade women from participating in political spaces. Senator Montaño told of situations where women councillors had been physically restrained and threatened to persuade them to resign or to withdraw accusations of corruption. Juana Quispe Apaza, a municipal councillor from Ancoraimes was recently murdered. The circumstances of her death point to a political motivation. Fany Nina, elected president of the FEJUVE (Federation of Neighbourhood Committees) in El Alto, suffered a traffic accident following systematic harassment, causing her to step down from her post.

4. Disputes over mine concessions in Mallku Qhota and Colquiri
On 28 May, community members from Mallku Qhota, in the department of Potosi, began a march to La Paz. They called for the annulment of the mining concession granted to the Compañía Minera Mallku Khota (CMMK), a subsidiary of the Canadian company South American Silver, for the exploitation of gold and silver deposits in the area. These were then joined by members of the Federation of Ayllus of Norte Potosi, who resolved that any mining activity in the region needed to be approved by the federation.

The marchers are also calling for local leader Cancio Rojas to be freed from prison – he is currently being held following accusations of responsibility for the kidnap of two policemen in the mine. These had been held captive for three days before they were finally released. The kidnaps were followed by violent confrontations between communities for and against the mine in the nearby town of Acasio.

For his part, the minister of mines, Mario Virreira, has declared that the march is political in nature and that community members opposing the mining concession are already carrying out artesanal mining there. However, Virreira also mentioned that the government is open to discussing the demands of the marchers, but that illegal mining activity will not be permitted.

Meanwhile, Colquiri has also been the focus of confrontation as cooperative miners took over the mine which is currently part operated by Sinchi Wayra, a subsidiary of Swiss mining company Glencore (previously the property of ex-president Sánchez de Lozada). The takeover saw mineworkers flee the area after some 800 members of mining cooperatives occupied the mine. In order to resolve the conflict, the government is proposing nationalisation of the mine, with the aim of incorporating the cooperative members as state employees. Negotiations between the government and cooperative miners are ongoing.

5. Urban property law passed
On 5 June President Morales approved a law to allow people living in urban areas to have their rights recognised if they can prove they have been occupying the property continuously and pacifically for the last five years or more. Large numbers of people will benefit from the measure, which specifically requires that both husband and wife are given title to the property where property is jointly held. The law will also reduce the activities of ‘loteadores’ – unscrupulous people trafficking in urban property – who take advantage of people, particularly in marginal parts of cities.

AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
E-MAIL: enquiries [at] boliviainfoforum.org.uk

1. Health workers escalate protests, strikes called by the COB

1. Health workers escalate protests, strikes called by the COB

2. May Day nationalisation of electricity network

3. Indigenous march to La Paz begins

4. Summit of the Americas ends without agreement

AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
E-MAIL: enquiries [at] boliviainfoforum.org.uk

CONTENTS

1. TIPNIS communities to march again
A second march against a proposed road through the Isiboro-Sécure Indigenous Territory and National Park (TIPNIS) is scheduled to begin on April 25th after a majority of TIPNIS community leaders voted in favour of the proposed action. They also decided to resist the consultation process planned by the government for May within their communities. Eight community groups affiliated to CONISUR (which supports the proposed highway) did not attend the meeting, while the remaining 15 TIPNIS communities (connected to the Securé Subcentral) have not yet reached a unified position on the matter.

The new march marks the latest development in the on-going controversial conflict since it first erupted last August. The law authorising the consultation process in the TIPNIS area has angered many indigenous groups who marched against the proposed road last year because they argue it will not be prior consultation, an obligation enshrined in the Bolivian Constitution and international norms. However, the road contract was signed with Brazilian company OAS in 2008 before the new constitution came into effect. Speaking in Oromomo to local communities that marched in support of the proposed highway in February, President Morales assured them that ‘Your march is not going to be in vain…I come to begin to fulfil your demands’. These included the delivery of new outboard motors, and the future construction of a telecommunications tower. Fernando Vargas, president of the TIPNIS Subcentral accused the government of trying to pressurise communities into supporting the proposed highway which would connect Villa Tunari and San Ignacio de Moxos.

Dennis Racicot, the representative in Bolivia of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that it was regrettable that the consultation had not taken place last year, but that it was still ‘factible’. Racicot said that the consultation should take place ‘si o si’, and that construction should halt until the consultation has taken place. Meanwhile, the Administradora Boliviana de Carreteras (ABC – the state body in charge of road construction) has said that OAS will not be carrying out the work on the second part of the road.

2.Troops deployed to counter citizen insecurity
In an effort to address escalating citizen concern about crime and security in Bolivia, the government has deployed around 2,300 troops on the streets of La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz. Speaking after initial efforts saw nearly 700 arrests, President Morales praised the coordination between the security services, saying that ‘the work of the National Police is not enough to confront [crime], which is why we now have the participation of the Armed Forces’. The deployment will last for 90 days, after which the security situation in the country will be re-assessed by the government. Police presence on the streets of El Alto is woefully inadequate when it comes to guaranteeing public security.

Tensions over rising crime in El Alto have remained high following the murder of two local journalists last month (see last month’s BIF News Briefing). There have since been other killings. Police detained two men in the case, whom local residents had threatened to lynch, while neighbours wrecked the home of one of the suspects following his arrest. Meanwhile, the highway between La Paz and El Alto was temporarily blocked by residents calling for the restoration of the death penalty for rapists and murderers. Currently, the maximum penalty under the Bolivian Penal Code stands at thirty years imprisonment. While it is highly unlikely to bring back capital punishment (which is prohibited under the new Constitution), the government has discussed possible new judicial mechanisms in the fight against crime. These could include introducing consecutive sentences for criminals, which could take serious offenders beyond the current thirty-year limit. Currently, people tend to take the law into their own hands, since those caught stealing are let loose by the police.

Some analysts have suggested that the deployment of troops is merely a temporary solution to deeper structural problems that are causing citizen insecurity. Former minister Saul Lara described the recent government action as ‘palliative’, while the Andean Information Network suggested that ‘profound and lasting police reform’ must lie at the heart of efforts to address crime in Bolivia.

3. Evo raises issue of coca chewing at UN narcotics summit in Vienna
Speaking in Vienna at the 55th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, President Morales urged the organisation to correct the ‘historical error’ of placing the coca leaf on its list of proscribed substances in the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Holding up a coca leaf while addressing the commission, Morales stated there was no evidence that chewing the substance was harmful, and in fact it can be used to make a number of dietary and other products, such as coca tea.

The Bolivian president used the meeting to remind the UN body that chewing the coca leaf (a practice known as acullico) was part of traditional ways of life in the Andean region. Morales also reiterated the difference between raw coca and cocaine, telling delegates that coca-growers must not be considered as drug-traffickers.

Following Bolivia’s withdrawal from the 1961 Single Convention, the other 183 states parties of the Convention have until 1 January 2013 to decide if Bolivia should be readmitted. If a third of them reject Bolivia’s request for a reservation on the coca leaf, Bolivia will not be able to re-accede. President Morales reminded delegates in Vienna that the original ratification of the Convention by Bolivia was taken by the authoritarian government then in power, and ‘was not a democratic decision’. According to Juan Carlos Alurralde, the vice-minister at the foreign ministry, among the main countries which oppose Bolivia on the coca chewing issue are the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Sweden and Japan.

In La Paz and other cities, thousands of protesters took to the streets calling for March 12 to be designated as the ‘National Day of Acullico’. Roads were blocked as the marchers, mostly coca growers and campesinos, supported the president’s continued efforts to take the issue of coca to the international stage. Juanita Ancieta, representative of the six federations of coca-growers of the Chapare, called on the UN to ‘understand Bolivia’s request, because the acullico does not do any harm to humanity’.

4. US-Bolivia relations progress despite diplomatic incident
President Morales has signed the framework agreement with the United States, following its ratification by the Legislative Assembly in December 2011, a move which signals further progress in relations between the two countries. Speaking at a press conference, Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said he hoped the agreement would bring a ‘more transparent, respectful, sincere and honest attitude’ from the United States government.

The announcement came despite a potentially serious stumbling block to relations when a rural police patrol in Trinidad, Beni, stopped a US embassy vehicle travelling to Santa Cruz. According to the Erbol news agency, the patrol discovered three shotguns, a revolver and several rounds of ammunition. Two Bolivian nationals were in the vehicle at the time it was stopped – a driver and a police officer. Minister of the Presidency Juan Ramón Quintana accused the United States of what he called a ‘flagrant violation’ of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, while President Morales lamented the incident. For its part the US embassy has denied any irregularities, saying it had police permission to transport the arms following the closure of embassy buildings in Beni. David Choquehuanca said that while the authorities were yet to establish the full facts, such incidents were not acceptable within the new relationship of ‘mutual respect’ between the two countries.

The Framework Agreement covers a broad range of topics, including improving cooperation on investment, commerce, and the fight against drugs. Judicial matters will also be addressed, including Bolivia’s extradition request for former president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada and some of his ministers wanted for their role in the killings that took place in El Alto in October 2003. Several joint commissions will be established to examine these areas.

5.Boundary dispute between Oruro and Potosi continues
Tensions persist between the departmental governments of Oruro and Potosí over the disputed boundary between the ayllus of Quillacas (Oruro) y Coroma (Potosí). Following violent confrontations between the two communities in which around 25 people were injured, the governors of both departments were called to La Paz for urgent talks with the national government to find a solution to the conflict.

Following discussions with ministers, agreement was reached to allow technicians from the Military Geographical Institute (IGM) to study the boundary and establish precise limits using geo-referencing methods. The IGM will work in conjunction with local officials from both departments and with the Ministry of Autonomous Regions, while local communities have agreed to suspend agricultural work in the disputed area until the study is completed. Extra police have been assigned to the boundary area to try to prevent any further confrontations.

Despite the apparent progress made over the dispute, serious difficulties remain. The Oruro Civic Committee and departmental branch of the trade union confederation (Central Obrero Departamental – COD) have refused to assist in the conciliation process – a decision condemned by the Minister for Autonomous Regions, Claudia Peña.

In the city of Potosí, a 24-hour strike was organised demanding a legal delimitation of the disputed boundary. As reported in BIF Bulletin No. 16, the resolution of the dispute was one of several regional demands made by the Potosí Civic Committee that resulted in a 19-day strike in 2010. One regional newspaper described the conflict as ‘the quinoa war’. The high price of quinoa, for which production has increased greatly in recent years, is aggravating land conflicts in the area.

6. Protests over increasing transport costs
A stand-off between local authorities and transport workers is continuing after one of the main transport unions in El Alto tried to increase fares by 50%. The new prices were justified on the grounds of improving transport services, rising costs (including of vehicle parts) and the current security situation in the city. The El Alto Federation of Neighbourhood Councils – the FEJUVE – and the Federation of Parents (FEDEPAF) rejected the increase and organised a 24-hour blockade throughout El Alto.

Municipal authorities have supported the FEJUVE’s actions, insisting that there should be no increase to fares, and they have been monitoring services to ensure that passengers are not being made to pay the new rates. Some minibuses were held up by protesters, while the driver’s federation has suspended a number of services on safety grounds. The stand-off continues.

7. Aerosur close to collapse
The privately-owned Bolivian airline Aerosur appears close to collapse. At the beginning of April, it suspended both some international flights as well as domestic operations, citing as a cause both ‘low season’ demand as well as ‘some financial difficulties’. Until recently, it was Bolivia’s main airline with long-distance routes connecting the country with the United States and Spain. The company owes the Bolivian state 3.5 billion Bolivianos in back-taxes and fines dating from 2003, as well as substantial debts to its employees and suppliers.

AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
E-MAIL: enquiries [at] boliviainfoforum.org.uk

1. TIPNIS developments and consultation
The MAS government has passed legislation to guarantee a consultation on proposals for the construction of a road through the Isiboro-Sécure National Park and Indigenous Territory (TIPNIS). The new law is an attempt to make amends for a previous lack of consultation with indigenous communities over the project, but stands at odds with recent legislation which cancelled the construction of the road (the ley corta) and declared the area ‘intangible’. The new consultation law marks the latest development in a conflict that has seen different social movements make competing demands on the government.

The consultation, which must be completed within 120 days, will cover three main themes: whether the TIPNIS should remain ‘untouchable’; whether the proposed road through the area should be constructed; and what measures should be taken to prevent illegal settlements in the TIPNIS. Senate President Gabriela Montaño has said that the consultation is the only democratic way to make progress in the dispute. However, major issues remain over the law, including the crucial question of who will be consulted. The CONISUR group representing settlers and indigenous people from the south of the park, who are in favour of the road and worked with the government on the drafting of the law, may not have the right to take part in the consultation, as they are not part of the collective land title. Indigenous groups have also said that the law violates the constitution because the law is not ‘prior’.

In response to the legislation, indigenous leaders of the Confederación de Pueblos Indígenas del Oriente Boliviano (CIDOB) have said they will march in defence of the TIPNIS and physically prevent the consultation taking place. Together with the TIPNIS indigenous organisation, the CIDOB headed last year’s march that led to the passage of the ley corta. It argues that 32 out of 35 communities in TIPNIS are opposed to the construction of the road, which would link Villa Tunari and San Ignacio de Moxos. Despite this apparent support for CIDOB’s position, there is concern amongst the TIPNIS leaders about the ability of the government to carry out a consultation without bias. Moreover, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal has said it currently lacks the funds to undertake and monitor the consultation.

In further recent developments, Bolivia’s trade union confederation, the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), has pledged to support any mobilisation by CIDOB, which will meet in mid-March to discuss when the new march towards La Paz should take place.

2. First meeting of US-Bolivian Joint Commission shows progress
Relations between Bolivia and the United States have continued to improve following the recent visit to La Paz by Kevin Whitaker, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Following the signing of the Framework Agreement between the US and Bolivia in November 2011 (that laid the basis for new bilateral relations), officials from both countries met in February as part of a Joint Commission to undertake substantive dialogue on a range of issues. The Bolivian delegation was led by the Minister for Development Planning, Viviana Caro.

Limited progress was made over Bolivia’s request for the extradition of former president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, who – along with some of his ministers – is wanted for his role in the deaths of civilians during protests in October 2003. Both governments said they would increase cooperation and exchange judicial information concerning requests for extradition, although there was no clear outcome of the sort demanded by Rogelio Mayta, the lawyer representing the families of victims killed.

In terms of aid, the US government pledged $22 million over six years to contribute to Bolivia’s efforts in tackling social exclusion in the area of healthcare, particularly in rural areas. Of these funds, the Bolivian Health Ministry will directly administer $9 million. Commercial agreements between the two countries, which remain stalled since Bolivia was excluded from the Andean Trade Promotion and Drugs Eradication Act, were also discussed, though no concrete proposals on the matter emerged from the meeting.

The United States also commended the efforts of the MAS government to tackle the drugs trade, particularly in light of two recent agreements signed by Bolivia with Brazil and the USA to cooperate on a new pilot project to reduce surplus coca production. The first meeting of the Joint Commission offers further evidence of improving US-Bolivian relations since their nadir in September 2008, when President Morales expelled Ambassador Philip Goldberg. Both countries are continuing to work towards restoring their ambassadors in the future, though the US authorities have indicated that this is not immediately in prospect.

Separately, the head of US Southern Command, General Douglas Fraser, has drawn attention to “potential geopolitical turbulence” in Bolivia, pointing to wage protests, electricity shortages and protests over food prices. Bolivian officials have responded that such claims are ‘misplaced’ (despistados).

3. Legislation for disabled people sanctioned despite protests
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly has passed new legislation that aims to improve the lives of disabled people in Bolivia. Despite the normative advances made in terms of equality for the disabled in Bolivia, the passage of the Law of Preferential Treatment was marked by violent clashes in central La Paz between police and disabled protesters demanding an increase to their incapacity benefit over and above what had previously been agreed.

The new law takes steps to ensure preferential treatment for disabled people in areas of health and education, and for access to microcredit for self-employed disabled Bolivians. A benefit of 1,000 Bolivianos per year ($140) will be paid out to around 13,000 seriously and very seriously disabled people.

Large sections of the disabled lobby remain unsatisfied with the new legislation, which had been a key demand of the ‘Caravan of Integration’ that had left Trinidad, Beni department, on November 14 2011. The marchers called for the annual benefit to be increased to 3,000 Bolivianos (around $430). On reaching La Paz, protesters were prevented from entering Plaza Murillo by a police cordon, causing ugly scenes and accusations of brutality by the security forces. The Ombudsman’s Office stated that the rights of the protesters had been violated, but official sources suggested that the clashes were provoked by opposition groups, seeking to take advantage of the protests to discredit the MAS government.

4. Health workers protest over increase to working day
Doctors and other public health workers held a 24-hour strike across Bolivia in protest at an increase in the working day from six to eight hours without additional pay. The increase in hours was announced in January by government decree, and will take effect before the end of March. The strike took place in all departments except Santa Cruz, due a serious outbreak of dengue fever. Emergency services were maintained during the period of strike action.

Health Minister Juan Carlos Calvimontes warned that action would be taken against those who went on strike, but medical workers in Cochabamba claimed the governmental decree was unconstitutional. In advance of the strike, the government and the National Confederation of Neighbourhood Councils (CONALJUVE) signed an agreement which would see 5,000 Cuban-trained health workers replace those who took action against the decree.

Alfonso Barrios, president of the National Medical College, said he was not against a return to increased hours in principle, but said that an analysis of working conditions was required before the new decree is imposed. Vice-President García Linera reminded doctors that ministers worked 14-hour days as a minimum, and called for dialogue rather than strike action to reach agreement over the new regulations.

5. Two El Alto journalists murdered as country debates citizen security
The on-going debate over citizen security in Bolivia has been given fresh impetus following the high-profile murder of two journalists in El Alto. Verónica Peñasco Layme, communications director for Radio San Gabriel, and brother Victor Hugo Layme, a journalist with Radio Pachamama, were both found strangled near their home in the city. They are thought to be victims of ‘cogoteros’ – criminals who pose as minibus and taxi drivers, before asphyxiating and robbing their passengers. Marchers from El Alto and from Ingavi province (where the two victims originally came from) have demanded instatement of the death penalty as a result.

According to Communications Minister Amanda Dávila, President Morales has ordered a thorough investigation into the killings, and while it appears unlikely that the siblings were murdered on account of their profession, assurances were made by the government that it will work to provide a safer working environment for journalists. As an initial step, a government decree has been passed which requires press owners to provide door-to-door transport for journalists between 10pm and 7am. The press freedom NGO Reporters Without Borders praised the two Aymara journalists for their work in promoting indigenous culture in Bolivian broadcasting.

The murders took place little more than a week after the Second National Summit on Citizen Security, held in Tarija. The summit, which was attended by representatives from national and municipal government, police, armed forces, and civil society groups, discussed various proposals for improving safety in Bolivia, including a draft law on citizen security. The legislation, which is soon to be debated in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, seeks to improve coordination between different levels of government to address concerns over public safety in Bolivia. Additional measures aim to tackle gangs, to limit the consumption of alcohol on the street, and to prevent the sale of stolen car parts. Agreements were also reached on how to fund these schemes. Departmental governments pledged to contribute 10% of their funds received from the Direct Hydrocarbon Tax towards citizen security programmes.

6. Government condemns critical Narcotics Control Board report
The Bolivian government has firmly rejected the 2011 report of the International Narcotics Control Board, in which the organisation expressed concern about Bolivia’s defence of the cultural practice of chewing coca leaves (acullico). Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca dismissed the INCB’s suggestion that Bolivia’s recent actions concerning membership of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs put at risk the whole UN system of drugs control. In July 2011, Bolivia denounced the convention, before formally asking in December to re-accede with a reservation on the legality of traditional uses of the leaf.

In a strongly worded letter to the INCB, Choquehuanca expressed his ‘deep regret’ about the judgements made in the report, and reminded the organisation that Article 384 of the Bolivian Constitution protects the coca leaf in its natural state as part of the nation’s cultural heritage. He also reiterated Bolivia’s commitment to tackling the narcotics trade, and on the efforts it had made to control surplus production of coca.

Vice-Minister for Social Defence, Felipe Cáceres, said that ‘once again, the INCB has made a serious mistake by confusing the coca leaf with drugs or cocaine’.

To draw attention to the cultural importance of coca in Bolivia, the Council of Rural Workers’ Federations in the Yungas, COFECAY, is organising a national day of chewing the coca leaf (un acullico nacional) for 11 March, the day before the UN Drugs Commission meets in Vienna. President Morales is planning to be present at the Vienna meeting to put Bolivia’s case.

7. Dispute between Tarija and Chuquisaca over control of the Margarita gas field
In an effort to reach agreement between Tarija and Chuquisaca departments over the disputed Margarita gas field, the Bolivian state oil and gas company YPFB has contracted a US firm to assess how royalties could be divided between the two departments.

A geological report published by Repsol YPF in 2010 indicated that the gas fields of Margarita (Tarija) and Huacaya (Chuquisaca) are connected by a shared reservoir, and that revenues arising from the sale of hydrocarbons should be divided accordingly between the two departments. The new technical study to assess the connectivity between the fields is being carried out by Gaffney, Cline and Associates, who will release their findings on April 19.

Earlier in the year, strikes and blockades took place over several days in Tarija, as the departmental government claimed exclusive rights over the Margarita field. After difficult negotiations between the two departments, mediated by the national government, it was agreed that Tarija would monitor any study carried out concerning the gas field. It has yet to do so.

AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
E-MAIL: enquiries [at] boliviainfoforum.org.uk

Evo Morales

President Morales addressed the nation on Sunday 22 January to mark the second anniversary of the Plurinational State. In his speech Morales made reference to the principal achievements of his government, comparing them with the performance during the previous “neoliberal” period. The president reiterated that the standard of living in Bolivia has improved in many areas, that the process of industrialisation of natural resources is moving ahead, and that there are advances in the institutionalisation of the constitution and in the transformation of the judiciary.

Morales made special mention of the increase in gas exports which rose from an average of 16 million cubic feet per day in the period from 2000 to 2005, to 31 million from 2006 to 2011. He also highlighted the fact that state income from the sale of hydrocarbons has increased, rising from an average of US$ 526 million per year in the period from 2000 to 2005 to US$ 2.286 billion in the last six years. Mining exports have also reached record highs, and Bolivia, Morales said, is showing that it is once again an important mining country.

Morales reflects on 6 years in power, on the second anniversary of the Plurinational State

Land distribution and the building of roads were other areas that were given special mention. Macroeconomic figures showed stability and modest growth, with foreign reserves standing at over US$ 12 billion. Levels of poverty have decreased over the last six years.

The meeting in Cochabamba (see below) brought out a series of priorities for the government over the next few years, and one of the results emerging was that a part of international reserves would be used for investment in the productive economy.

2. New cabinet appointments
After the annual address, a cabinet re-shuffle was announced. Seven new ministers were appointed, ten were ratified in post, one minister was moved to another portfolio and two former ministers were brought back into government. The new cabinet was sworn in on 24 January.

Among the new minsters are Juan José Sosa, minister of hydrocarbons and energy; Vladimir Sánchez, minster of public works; Mario Virreira, at the Ministry of Mining and Metallurgy and Cecilia Ayllón as minister of justice. Juan Carlos Calvimontes will now head the Ministry of Health; Felipe Quispe Quenta will serve as minister of the environment and water and Amanda Dávila replaces Iván Canelas as minister of communication.

Returning to the government are Juan Ramón Quintana, minister of the presidency, replacing Carlos Romero, who will now serve as minister of the interior, and Pablo Groux as minister of culture.

3. CONISUR march in favour of the TIPNIS road
Members of the Consejo Indígena del Sur (CONISUR) began a march to La Paz on 21 December, calling for the re-instatement of the road project which would link Villa Tunari and San Ignacio de Moxos, passing through the Territorio Indígena y Parque Nacional Isiboro Sécure (TIPNIS). The marchers are calling for the annulment of the law which cancelled the construction of the road (the ‘ley corta’). This law was the result of the large mobilisation last August-October, led by indigenous groups from the TIPNIS and the Confederación de Pueblos Indígenas del Oriente Boliviano (CIDOB) – see BIF News Briefing September to October 2011, BIF Bulletin 20 and BIF Special Briefing from October.  

CONISUR brings together people from the Polígono 7, which is part of the National Park, but not the main territory populated by indigenous groups of the TIPNIS. It includes both settlers from highland areas and indigenous families living outside the indigenous territory.

The marchers arrived in La Paz on 30 January and were received by Evo Morales in the Presidential Palace. They asked him to repeal the ‘ley corta’, which they argue has made it impossible to carry out economic activities in the area, given that it makes the park ‘untouchable’ (or intangible). Morales called on the leaders of CIDOB to enter into dialogue with CONISUR in order to resolve the dispute. One of the leaders of the first march, Fernando Vargas, rejected the invitation, saying it was the government’s responsibility to resolve the problem because it had encouraged the mobilisation of CONISUR.

Vice President Alvaro García Linera announced the formation of a high-level congressional commission, led by the presidents of both chambers of the Legislative Assembly, which is working with leaders of CONISUR to draw up a new law on the status of the TIPNIS. García Linera announced that the new law will be framed within “respect for the Constitution, the rights of indigenous people to decide their own destiny and guarantees of the rights of Mother Earth.”

Following this announcement, leaders of CIDOB repeatedly warned that another march would be called if the law prohibiting the road is modified or replaced. As we went to press, the congressional commission had approved a draft law to carry out a binding local referendum of those living inside the TIPNIS to decide whether the territory should be declared untouchable or not.

4. Cochabamba summit ends with 600 new proposals
The second stage of the summit held with social movements and sectors of business in Cochabamba closed on 12 January with 600 policy proposals on the table. Among the proposals were policies relating to the strengthening of the productive system, the industrialisation of natural resources, the introduction of a single health system (SUS), as well as the design of a communications law and the introduction of restrictions on land ownership by foreigners.

The executive, together with representatives from the summit, will form a commission to review the proposals, to establish, for example, at which levels of government the proposals should be carried out.

At the close of the summit Evo Morales announced that it will become an annual event, and that future summits will also provide the opportunity to follow progress on previous agreements.

5. Political parties also propose initiatives
Following the Cochabamba summit, Evo Morales also called on the heads of the main political parties in the country to discuss the proposals arising from it. Twelve political parties were represented in the meeting after the Movimiento Sin Miedo (MSM), Unidad Nacional (UN) and the Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (MNR) pulled out at the last minute when President Morales rejected a request to allow the media to be present during the meeting.

In the meeting, issues discussed included productive development, public oversight, integration, international policy and the industrialisation of resources. Those participating showed interest in meeting again.

6. Bolivia withdraws from international drugs convention, along with application to re-accede with a reservation

7. Durban Platform agreed at UN climate change conference
Several agreements were reached at the COP17 climate summit held in South Africa at the end of 2011. The complexity of finding common ground between 194 states means the negotiations – which are meant to agree a global deal to stop climate change – will continue. 

AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
E-MAIL: enquiries [at] boliviainfoforum.org.uk

CONTENTS

1. TIPNIS crisis still not over
The TIPNIS political crisis continues to cause problems for President Morales despite the sanctioning last month of a new law that prevents the construction of a controversial new road through the natural reserve. In addition to an ongoing dispute between the MAS government and indigenous groups over the precise terms of the new law, the fall-out from police violence against protesters is causing divisions between several state institutions.

The recent law describes TIPNIS as ‘intangible or untouchable’, and while the government says new regulations for the park will make clear the meaning of this label, intense debate remains around its interpretation. During negotiations between ministers and indigenous leaders, many of whom want ‘untouchability’ to apply only to the central zone of the national park, the government withdrew all licences for logging and ecotourism for the entire TIPNIS area. This has upset indigenous leaders who believe that they should be allowed to continue to exploit the area’s natural resources in a sustainable manner, while protecting it from outside interests.

During a recent visit to San Ignacio de Moxos, President Morales said he met many local indigenous people, coca growers and agricultural settlers who still want the new road, which would connect the town to Villa Tunari. However, recent feasibility studies by the Bolivian Highways Administration (ABC) say that alternative routes that avoid TIPNIS are not possible.

Events during the march itself continue to beset the government, as an inquiry into police violence against protesters has seen a number of accusations against different individuals and institutions. Suspended police chief Oscar Muñoz has accused the government of ordering the intervention at Yucumo, but government members insist Muñoz himself lay behind the decision. Meanwhile, a report by the Ombudsman Rolando Villena says that ‘intellectual responsibility’ for the police violence lies with ex-interior minister Sacha Llorenti, a claim rejected by the government. As BIF goes to press, the investigation continues.

2. Bolivia and United States reach new diplomatic agreement
After three years of difficult relations, the Bolivian and US governments have signed a new framework agreement to restore full diplomatic ties. Although the full details have not been announced, a joint statement released during a visit to Washington by the Bolivian vice-minister for Foreign Relations Juan Carlos Alurralde declares that future developments will be based on principles of ‘mutual respect and shared responsibility’.

The re-establishment of diplomatic ties marks a dramatic improvement in US-Bolivia relations, which reached a low point in September 2008 when President Morales expelled both Ambassador Philip Goldberg and the US Drugs Enforcement Agency for political interference in Bolivia. More recently, Morales accused US embassy staff of working with indigenous leaders during the TIPNIS crisis, while last month Bolivia’s efforts to tackle the drugs trade were criticized by the Obama administration (see previous briefing).

The ‘Framework Agreement for Mutually Respectful and Collaborative Bilateral Relations’ outlines a number of areas in which the two countries will cooperate, including environmental and economic development and anti-narcotics strategies, the details of which will be worked through by joint commissions. While the UN has welcomed the agreement as a step forward in fighting the drugs trade, Vice-President Alvaro García Linera has insisted that the DEA will not return to Bolivia.

The Bolivian government also says it has no plans to rejoin the Andean Trade Promotion and Drugs Eradication Act, which required compliance with US criteria for coca eradication targets in return for duty-free exports of Bolivian textiles and other products to the Unites States. Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca has ruled out a free trade pact with the USA, although Bolivian manufacturers are putting the government under pressure to reach a new commercial agreement.

3. Older people protest for improved benefits
More than a hundred older people blocked the highway between La Paz and El Alto demanding an increase to their state benefit, the Renta Dignidad. The non-contributory pension is currently worth 200 bolivianos a month (around $30) to those who have no other form of pension, and is available to all Bolivians over the age of 60 (a smaller amount is paid to those already receiving pensions). Protesters have called for an increase to 815 bolivianos a month – in line with the minimum wage – but vice-minister for pensions Mario Guillén warned that increasing the payment could put the future of the Renta Dignidad at risk. Miguel Condori, secretary of the La Paz Senior Citizens Federation, said that his organisation had first requested an increase three years ago, and threatened further action.

However, the protest is currently on hold after the government said it would study other potential sources of funding for the pension, first introduced in February 2008, which is currently financed by the sale of natural gas. Economy minister Luis Arce assured protesters that any mention made by President Morales for increasing the Renta Dignidad should only be seen as ‘a desire’, rather than a promise to take action.

4. December summit to discuss the future direction of Bolivia’s process of change
One of the results of the TIPNIS crisis was the announcement made by President Morales before the march arrived in La Paz that a national debate would take place in December to discuss the next steps of Bolivia’s ‘process of change’.

Themes for discussion at December’s summit on Bolivia’s ‘new agenda’ are becoming clearer after a series of announcements by government ministers. The summit, scheduled to take place in Cochabamba from 12-14 December will be attended by members of social organisations which have representation at a national level. Cesar Navarro, vice-minister for the coordination of social movements, said that around 400 delegates are currently due to attend. Vice-President Alvaro García Linera said that as the summit was designed for civil society groups, representatives of political parties would not be invited, including those from the ruling Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS).

The main issue to be discussed will be the agenda that Bolivia shall follow over the next period. Amongst other issues, the summit will discuss the economy and employment, citizen security, health, and education. Fuel subsidies will be a critical issue for debate, while a proposal for increased media regulation has caused concern amongst press unions, who have reminded the government that freedom of expression is guaranteed by the constitution. President Morales said that the decision to discuss the media at the summit lay with social movements, not the executive.

After the meeting in December, discussions will be held at a grass roots level, with final resolutions emerging from the summit expected to be announced in mid-January.

5. La Paz’s two state universities at loggerheads
Members of the state universities of San Andrés (UMSA) in La Paz and the El Alto University (UPEA) have been demonstrating about the percentage amounts each should receive yearly from the Treasury (coparticipación tributaria).

Violence broke out between members of the UPEA and police, who were trying to prevent their coming down into the city of La Paz, where the UMSA were carrying out their own protests.

AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
E-MAIL: enquiries [at] boliviainfoforum.org.uk

Protesters against the proposed road were warmly welcomed by local inhabitants in La Paz after reaching the capital in mid-October, having departed from Trinidad (Beni) on August 15th. The march had been marked by controversy, especially following televised images of police brutality against protesters, which increased public support for the demonstrators.  

Following a series of meetings with the president, agreement was also reached on the majority of the other key demands being made by protest leaders. The negotiations should lead to a number of new government bills, including legislation on national parks and protected areas, and a law on prior consultation. Although President Morales has negotiated an apparent end to the TIPNIS crisis, he now has to contend with coca growers and peasant farmer settlers in the Beni and Cochabamba departments who are opposed the reversal of government policy. 
 
As political tensions mounted prior to the resolution of the TIPNIS situation, over 100,000 pro-government supporters, members of social organisations and state employees marched to Plaza Villaroel in La Paz to hear President Morales propose a major summit in December to discuss ‘a new agenda’ for Bolivia.  

2. First judicial elections

Bolivia’s first elections to create a more inclusive and participatory judiciary took place on October 16th, as scheduled, despite fears of postponement owing to the TIPNIS indigenous march towards La Paz. Exit polls conducted by IPSOS showed that 45% of voters spoiled their ballots, while another 16% were left blank, leaving 39% of valid votes. Opposition parties, including Movimiento Sin Miedo (MSM) and Unidad Nacional (UN), had campaigned strongly to encourage people to void their ballots in protest against a perceived government bias in the selection process for candidates (see previous BIF News Briefing).
 
In the event, the number of valid votes was on a par with the voided ones. The government denied that the high number of blank votes should be considered a defeat for the MAS administration and both the president and Minister for Communication, Ivan Canelas, suggested that a lack of information for voters was a significant reason for the high number of spoiled ballots. However, Ombudsman Rolando Villena urged the government to reflect on the results, which he said sent a clear message to the MAS.
 
The observation mission of the Organisation of American States made a number of recommendations for future elections, including the need to find a balance between providing sufficient information on candidates without the process becoming politicized.   
 
Despite the challenges in organizing Bolivia’s first judicial elections, the president of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), Wilfredo Ovando, said that the process had highlighted the ‘democratic spirit’ in the country. Absenteeism was only 20% of the total number of voters. Some citizens had to repeat the voting process after procedural irregularities were discovered at a handful of electoral stations in Santa Cruz, and the TSE has indicated that the official results of the elections would be announced in early November. Indications are that at least half of the newly elected judges and magistrates will be women and several are of indigenous origin. The person who received the highest number of votes of all those on the ballot is an Aymara woman, Cristina Mamani Aguilar.

3. Coca cultivation stable in Bolivia, says UN report

According to a study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Bolivia, coca production in the country is stable. An increase from 30,900 hectares to 31,000 (0.3%) between 2009 and 2010 is considered by the report’s authors to be ‘statistically insignificant’. By law, the Bolivian government permits 12,000 hectares of coca to be cultivated for traditional use, meaning there are still around 19,000 hectares of illegal production. The UN report recognizes the efforts made by the Bolivian government to reduce the growth of coca cultivation, and highlights policies implemented to tackle drug trafficking, which have shown ‘positive results’ in the Yungas region.

In its own annual report on Bolivia, the US government has also recognized efforts made by the Bolivian state to tackle the drugs trade, but said it has ‘demonstrably failed’ to meet its obligations to international agreements on counter-narcotics. Accordingly, Bolivia has been ‘decertified’ by the Obama administration, meaning it remains on a list of blacklisted countries for the fourth year running.  The US report said that denying entry to the Drugs Enforcement Agency was hampering efforts to tackle drug trafficking.  The report was criticized by the MAS government in Bolivia, which reminded the USA of its own responsibilities in fighting the drugs trade.
 
In a related development, a court in Miami sentenced retired general René Sanabria to fourteen years in jail for conspiring to traffic drugs into the United States. Sanabria, the former commander of FECLN, the special anti-narcotics unit in Bolivia, had been detained in Panama in February 2011 on charges of smuggling 144 kilos of cocaine into the USA. According to the minister for communication, Iván Canelas, Sanabria will also be tried in Bolivian courts (see BIF Bulletin No. 18).

4. Morales reaches agreement with Potosi civic group

Progress has been made in the political battle between the Potosí civic committee (COMCIPO) and the government (see previous BIF News Briefing and BIF Bulletin No. 16). The civic organization has been demanding action on a number of regional development projects and threatened to march to La Paz.  However, in the aftermath of a four-hour meeting with President Morales in La Paz, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, in which the government has promised to attend to COMCIPO’s demands. Morales also said he would visit the town of Coroma, which is locked in a boundary dispute with neighbouring Quillacas (Oruro department). Oruro has also held a 48 hour stoppage over the issue.

Despite signing the Memorandum with the government, Celestino Condori, the leader of COMCIPO, insisted that the departmental state of emergency in Potosí would continue until the government takes real action on its outstanding demands.

AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
E-MAIL: enquiries [at] boliviainfoforum.org.uk

Economic Digest September 19 – September 26, 2011

Main Themes of Week:

· According to the Fraser Institute’s „Economic Freedom of the World 2011“ Annual Report, Georgia ranks 27 (with 7.36 score) among the world’s 141 countries

· Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Georgia at current prices amounted to 5 848,1 million GEL in the second quarter of 2011 and the real GDP growth of Georgia equaled to 4.7 percent

· In eight months of 2011, number of visitors in Ajara equals to 1 000 438, which is 35% higher than the same data for previous year

Author: Embassy of Georgia to The Kingdom of The Netherlands
URL: www.netherlands.mfa.gov.ge