The Bolivian counter-revolution
May. 5th, 2008 01:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mahnmutOh, the delusion...
Santa Cruz, the wealthiest province in Bolivia, dominated by European settlers, post-colonial clans and gas monopolies, is staging a referendum for broad autonomy from the central government. The results expectedly brought victory to the pro-autonomy camp as Morales' urge to his supporters and the indigenous peoples to boycott the vote and thus sabotage it, had failed; and the result will now prompt further secession aspirations in 5 other provinces (out of 9) which have also scheduled referendums. This has been in direct defiance of Evo Morales' policies of centralised governance, and means that the poorest country in South America (which has been compared to a "donkey sitting on a treasure") will become even more fragmented (now not only socially, but also territorially, after so many failed wars which have cut its territory in half). And the silent revolution of the indigenous majority which peaked with Morales' election for president, is now threatened to be crushed by the counter-revolution of the big old business. The irony is that the people of Santa Cruz are those who'll suffer ultimately. Because their votes might be courted now, but later, when they demand to pick up the benefits from their autonomy, they'll awaken to the ugly reality that they've been tricked once again, and the corporatocracy is the sole beneficient from the changing political landscape of Bolivia.
Did anyone really believe that the silent social revolution which swept across all Latin America would remain unchallenged too long?
Chavez, you're next.
Santa Cruz, the wealthiest province in Bolivia, dominated by European settlers, post-colonial clans and gas monopolies, is staging a referendum for broad autonomy from the central government. The results expectedly brought victory to the pro-autonomy camp as Morales' urge to his supporters and the indigenous peoples to boycott the vote and thus sabotage it, had failed; and the result will now prompt further secession aspirations in 5 other provinces (out of 9) which have also scheduled referendums. This has been in direct defiance of Evo Morales' policies of centralised governance, and means that the poorest country in South America (which has been compared to a "donkey sitting on a treasure") will become even more fragmented (now not only socially, but also territorially, after so many failed wars which have cut its territory in half). And the silent revolution of the indigenous majority which peaked with Morales' election for president, is now threatened to be crushed by the counter-revolution of the big old business. The irony is that the people of Santa Cruz are those who'll suffer ultimately. Because their votes might be courted now, but later, when they demand to pick up the benefits from their autonomy, they'll awaken to the ugly reality that they've been tricked once again, and the corporatocracy is the sole beneficient from the changing political landscape of Bolivia.
Did anyone really believe that the silent social revolution which swept across all Latin America would remain unchallenged too long?
Chavez, you're next.
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Date: 2008-05-05 04:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-05 05:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-05 09:11 pm (UTC)