[Marxism] Bolivia: Social movements' strategy unfolds

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

NarcoNews
Tick Tock: The Social Movements' Strategy Unfolds 
By Luis Gomez, Posted on Sat Mar 12th, 2005 at 02:22:38 PM EST 
(Posted in Spanish March 11 at 8:26 PM) 

Kind readers, this correspondent did not appear all day because, quite
simply, the important things happened at the end of the day... here is
an account of the deliberations of the social movements from this
afternoon and a few of the words and deeds of the Carlos Mesa
administration. The clock is ticking for the new actions in this
conflict... 

This morning, while President Carlos Mesa lamented the rupture in the
dialog with the new alliance of social movements in Bolivia, the public
prosecutors refused to be used as tools of repression, saying that they
would not work on the "criminalization of protest" or legally harass the
social leaders. Because of this, it seems the government will have to
start thinking about other tactics. 

In general, it was a calm day, more or less, in La Paz. But, as a famous
journalist said, "we hope the president doesn't resign again this Sunday
because we journalists are very tired." Today, in Cochabamba, where
yesterday the strength of the urban mobilizations seemed to be falling,
the most important contingent appeared, that of the peasant farmers of
the central valleys. 

At 9am, Evo Morales, Oscar Olivera, and Omar Fernández (the leader of
the central valley farmers) announced in a press conference a new wave
of mobilizations in Cochabamba, which may even include, starting today,
coordinating their actions in a more clandestine manner. Since midday,
the city has gone without land exits to Oruro, La Paz or Santa Cruz. 

Evo, after this meeting, traveled to the Chapare to take the news of the
National Mobilization Pact to the coca growers there, to encourage them
and build more strength for the movement in the region, also known as
the "Tropic of Cochabamba." 

In Yapacaní, Santa Cruz department, truck drivers broke through the
blockade. In Bulo Bulo there were confrontations and a few injuries 
(in circumstances that are still unclear)... because of this, since both
groups of peasant farmers are allies of Evo Morales and the Movement
Towards Socialism (MAS), the presence of Morales, who not long ago was
almost elected president of Bolivia, was sorely needed. 

The COB Council 

This afternoon, in the auditorium of the Public University of El ALTO 
(UPEA), Bolivian Workers' Federation (COB) Executive Secretary Jaime
Solares convened an emergency council meeting. During the rather tedious
event, the resolutions of the various organizations committed to the new
alliance were read. 

Around 5 PM, after a long speech from Solares, the discussion began,
beginning with each organization present (thirty-six, in total, with
more than sixty representatives) briefly explaining its position. 

At the moment, the most important rural organizations, such as the
peasant farmers' federation from the department of La Paz, have spoken,
but the meeting continues. The only things we can report, after speaking
with several leaders at the meeting, are the following: 

1. Starting now, every social group has declared itself mobilized,
whether to march or to set up road blockades, all over the country. 
2. Every organization will be free to choose its own methods and will
carefully draw up its own plan for the struggle. 
3. The city of El Alto and the Chapare region are declared the "main
bases" for better coordination. 

The clock being wound in conflict. When the second-hand reaches its
starting place, it is very possible that Bolivia will experience an
unprecedented social explosion... or at least the collective will for
struggle and unity will be expressed. 

Meanwhile, kind readers, stay with us... we won't stop reporting on the
course of these important events. 






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