[Marxism] More on Bolivia's COB

[Greg McDonald <sabocat59@xxxxxxx>]

The Central Obrera Boliviana will form a workers' political instrument
By Miguel Lamas, El Socialista, Argentina
Via aporrea.org 4/03/07 09:31 hours

The Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) voted in its executive committee
for the formation of a workers' political instrument. This proposal,
which had already been approved in a Congress of the COB, was made in
action by Bolivian workers' expectations in the government of Evo
Morales. However, after 15 months of the present government, the COB
"considers that the current government led by the Movimiento Al
Socialismo (MAS) will not effect the profound changes that would
permit the defeat, once and for all, of the neo-liberals, the
oligarchy, and the subversive groups (`logias,' lodges) that have
begun to reorganize themselves, owing to the timidity of the MAS
leaders (`masistas') " (Agencia de Prensa Alteña).

The COB asserts that the conditions of life for the workers have not
changed, and it demands a minimum wage of 1800 bolivianos (Evo had
promised 1500 bolivianos during the election campaign), and compliance
with the legal workday (the COB asserts that now people work up to 12
hours without receiving extra pay).

According to COB leader Pedro Montes, at present, owing to the absence
of a workers' political instrument, representatives of the neo-liberal
parties, particularly the Poder Democrático Social (Podemos) are
taking advantage of mistakes by the current government, something the
union organizations cannot permit.

For this reason, they propose to launch a national "political
instrument," together with other social organizations.

Mario Bustamante, from the Executive Committee of the COB, reported
that a meeting called by the COB recently took place in Oruro, with
the participation of other organizations, including Patria Insurgente,
which has 2 deputies in the Constituent Assembly ("la
Constituyente" ). In this general emergency meeting, it was decided to
call a new meeting in La Paz on April 14-15, and another national
meeting on April 29-30, which would issue a May Day manifesto
announcing the formation of the new "political instrument."

The formation of an organization to represent working people directly,
which would intervene in national politics with its proposals, to
fight to impose the "October agenda" comprehensively, that is, the
program raised by the October 2003 rebellion, complete nationalization
of the hydrocarbons, a sovereign and founding Constituent Assembly, to
re-found Bolivia, will be a big step forward.

The "popular front" government of the MAS, constantly agreeing with
the oligarchy, has strengthened the counterrevolution in Santa Cruz.
The nationalization of the hydrocarbons, although only half completed,
is in crisis because of concessions to the multinational corporations,
and the new contracts, altered to suit the multinationals, will lead
to the loss of much of what was won with the nationalization decree.
The agrarian reform law, while it was a significant victory of the
indigenous campesino mobilization, does not lay a finger on the
biggest estates. Self-government by indigenous peoples is disputed
because the MAS does not dare to break with the Santa Cruz oligarchs.
The Bolivian workers, campesinos, and original peoples demand to keep
going forward….

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