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Octubre 28, 2004
Extremism
Plans for a department-wide strike, threats of a refusal to pay taxes, and even whispers of an orchestrated golpe, sounds like the shenanigans of the COB (Central Obrero Boliviana), right? Guess again, but now the same tactics used by the far-extreme left are being used by the far-extreme right. The Comite Civico of Santa Cruz held one of their famed Assemblies of the Cruceñidad, where some of the richest men in Bolivia played a game of who can puff out their chests and come up with the best rhetoric.
These oligarchs are trying their damndest to play the same game that Roberto de la Cruz and Jaime Solares made famous. Distorting the words of the government and playing the populist in order to generate support for their interests. Right now, I imagine Zvonko Matkovic, a Yugoslavian immigrant hoping to divide Bolivia in the same manner of his former homeland, is wetting himself at the thought of an independent Santa Cruz, where he and his cronies create their own system of centralism.
Much of this sentiment has resurfaced after President Carlos Mesa appeared on the television interview program "El Hombre Visible", where he was asked about the situation in Santa Cruz and Tarija, two areas dominated by these civic groups. Many, who didn´t even see the program acted on hearsay and speculations.
The government had to go the lenghts of placing an ad in the newspaper El Deber clarifying the exact quote:
Padre Pérez (interviewer): "Entiendo que tiene dos preocupaciones en este minuto: Santa Cruz y Tarija, parece que no los convence todavía, ¿qué pasa?"
Presidente: "Yo creo que la naturaleza del problema es distina entre Tarija y Santa Cruz, son dos departamentos con problemáticas diferentes. Para Santa Cruz el tema es una cuestión de esfera de poder. Santa Cruz es un departmento que tiene el liderazgo indiscutible del país. Y es un departamento que todavía no asume ese liderazgo nacional y sigue trabajando sobre la lógica de que hay reivindicaciones regionales que están por encima de su liderazgo nacional. Si Santa Cruz no resuelve ese problema no es una confrontación con el President sino es una definición sobre sí misma y sobre lo que Bolivia puede y debe esperar de Santa Cruz. Ahí creo que las elites cruceñas siguen entrampadas en una visión provinciana de las cosas, lo que no quiere decir que no entienda y admire profundamente el que Santa Cruz está donde esté porque no estaríamos hablando de Santa Cruz como lo estamos haciendo si ese departamento no hubiese generado en los últimos cuarenta años esta nueva dinámica creativa, positiva, constructiva..."
PP: Interrupts with other question
The day after the elite leaders and some random Cruceños interviewed on TV said that the President called the inhabitants of that department provincianos and that he doesn´t recognize that Santa Cruz is the most important economic region of Bolivia. Clearly from that quote, one can see that the President states and has stated in the past that Santa Cruz is very important to the country, and is supporting the country. In the same manner that La Paz and Potosi supported the rest of the country during various times in Bolivia´s history.
Just as the COB and COR, with their medidas de presion, dominate the headlines and seem to appear to speak for all of the Occident, these Civic Groups and elite business leaders also appear to speak for all of Santa Cruz. Unfortunately, the civic groups of Santa Cruz have mastered the art of propaganda, where many Cruceños have bought into the us vs. them mentality, when actuality the oligarchs really want their own centralist system where they are the sole benefactors. Pitting that region against the President, without placing any blame on the region´s Congressional representatives or prefects, works nicely within their plan of action.
These two extreme parts of the country are eerily similar in their rhetoric and their actions. Peharps Zvonko Matkovic and Jaime Solares should meet, they would make a good team.
Posted by eduardo at 02:21 PM | Comments (0)
Octubre 26, 2004
Backlog
With only three days to go before I begrudgingly return to the United States, it would be better for me to save all the posts floating in my head till I return. I have had a lot of good experiences here and met some interesting people. I have uploaded a ton of pictures, but I would rather wait till I return to post them. I should aprovechar my time here, rather in front of the computer screen.
Posted by eduardo at 08:23 PM | Comments (1)
Octubre 25, 2004
F9/11 in Bolivia
I do not think they translated Farhenheit 9/11 into Spanish, even though in Latin America they use Celsius.
However, this movie opened in Cochabamba last Friday. It has been out on bootleg DVDs long before. A friend of mine saw the film on opening night and saw MAS senator Filemon Escobar among the moviegoers. My friend reported that someone (not necessarily Filemon) became quite agitated and blurted out in the middle of the showing "Que mueran los gringos!" (a.k.a. die, yankees, die).
Posted by eduardo at 07:11 PM | Comments (3)
Preach On
Sign by the elevator in my apartment building.
Posted by eduardo at 07:09 PM | Comments (0)
Hot Air in Bolivia
In Uyuni, Bolivia will be host to a giant hot air balloon festival. This will be an excellent launching point to focus Bolivia´s tourism to this unique salt plain. Even LAB airlines will begin service to Uyuni.
However, the hot air that I am most concerned about is coming from Santa Cruz, where the so-called elite leaders are whining just for the sake of whining. A recent headline in the Santa Cruz daily read "La ‘media luna’ declara guerra a Mesa y veta ley de hidrocarburos" (The word "war" was actually used by Zvonko Matkovic, head of CAINCO).
President Carlos Mesa and Congress are locked in a heated debate over the new Hydrocarbons Law. Congress, with the exception of some Tarijeño Congressmembers, voted overwhelmingly for the law recommended by the Comisión Mixta de Desarrollo Económico chaired by a MAS member from Potosi. The law created by the Executive Branch of the government has been called more conservative, but will not push foreign investment away.
This law is a major part of Mesa´s plan to reactivate the economy. There are dozens of projects waiting to invest in Bolivia and its huge natural gas reserves. However, without a law, no investment can be made.
One of the major criticism of these so-called leaders, has been Mesa´s inability to focus on the economy. Mesa-this, Mesa-that, it always is easy to criticize the Executive Branch of Congress. However, Mesa´s law conforms more closely with the desires of those Departments that hold the bulk of the gas reserves. Yet, leaders of the Comite Civicos (self-proclaimed businessmen from the upper-class) never mention or criticize the Congressional representatives from their own backyards, that voted for the Committee proposal, that would, as critics say, scare away investment and push Bolivia farther into economic difficulties.
Most of the gas is located in Tarija, and in the area called El Chaco. There is a movement that is calling for a 10th Department to be created. They argue, that Tarija and Santa Cruz are too centralized and a lot of the revenues from the gas reserves will never reach the rural countryside. These areas are behind economically and in development. The money always falls into the hands of the elite and powerful. Sound familiar? Would Santa Cruz and Tarija support this region in becoming autonomous and become a separate Department? Sounds like hypocrisy to me.
These "leaders" have autonomy as their rallying cry and have claimed this topic as their own. Mesa has repeatedly said that he supports local autonomies and it something that it would benefit all of Bolivia (which is something that these "leaders" never consider), and not just this fictional "media luna", an invention of these individuals hoping to divide Bolivia. Autonomy works only when it does not just create smaller centralized powers that mirrors what happens in La Paz. Centralism is a bad thing, but centralism in Departments does not correct this mistake.
Posted by eduardo at 06:38 PM | Comments (0)
Octubre 24, 2004
Out for a Ride
Posted by eduardo at 10:57 PM | Comments (1)
DC United Wins on the Road
My new adopted hometown team, DC United, finally won a game on the road. And when it counts the most: during the playoffs. The 2nd game of the home-and-home series will be the night I return back in the States on October 30th.
Posted by eduardo at 10:53 PM | Comments (1)
Octubre 22, 2004
Goni Wants to Stay
In a rare interview granted to the Miami Herald, former President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada reiterated that he does not believe he can receive a fair trial in Bolivia. The former President stated that he would prefer being tried by an outside independent judge, and mentioned Spanish judge Baltazar Garzón as a possibility.
However, Bolivia and the United States have a treaty which requires the extradition of the accused. Yet, Goni has been looking for ways to remain in the U.S.
Sánchez de Lozada has retained Steel, Hector and Davis LLP, a Miami law firm, to study his options, which include the possibility of requesting asylum in the United States. He said he was living in the United States on a F2 visa, given to spouses and dependents of students. His wife is enrolled in an English language program at Georgetown University.
I do not know the legal requirements for granting asylum, but just as long as radical extremists continue to say that once Goni sets foot on Bolivian soil, then he will be lynched, then the asylum plea due to the threats on his life, would seem more plausible.
Posted by eduardo at 06:33 PM | Comments (0)
Octubre 21, 2004
Latest Poll - Cochabamba Mayor Race
Universidad Mayor de San Simón Political Science Institute:
Gonzalo Terceros (CU) - 22.7%
Gonzalo Lema (MAS) - 14.7%
None - 14.6%
Edwin Mallon (UCS) - 12%
Undecided - 11%
Jhonny Antezana (NFR) - 7%
Mallon is a well-known television personality, who hosts his own show called "Golpes de la Vida." This show exploits (in my opinion) poor people who come on air, where they cry, plead and otherwise publicly beg for financial or other material assistance. Often these rural campesinos come to the studio speaking only quechua and all receive a bag of rice as a consolation "prize." Some people call in offering to pay their medical bills or a charitable doctor offers free medical treatment, but on the whole, there ought to be a better way of doing things.
Posted by eduardo at 06:11 PM | Comments (3)
Watch Out!
This scary sign is located about 300 meters from my parents´ house in the countryside (although becoming more urban everyday). We do not know who placed the sign, but it serves as a warning for potential burglars. However, I am fascinated, yet bothered, by the depiction of the hanged man. Bolivia suffers from a phenomena of lynching as a real occurrence. That neighborhood is a mix of middle to upper class city dwellers and poor campesinos. It is a rather odd mix of neighbors who live in that area.
Added Translation: Attencion, this Neighborhood is Guarded and Armed. Suspicious Person, We Respond
Posted by eduardo at 01:33 PM | Comments (2)
Octubre 20, 2004
Not Making This Up
Former President and all-around bad guy Slobodan Milosevic could be heading to Bolivia. The United Nations has formally requested that Milosevic be kept in a prison in Bolivia. The prision "El Abra" could be the site of Mr. Milosevic´s new home in exchange for the UN payment towards the prisoners´ meals.
Posted by eduardo at 09:04 PM | Comments (1)
Quote #1
"Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage. Anger at the way things are and courage to see that they do not remain as they are."
--- St. Augustine
Posted by eduardo at 06:24 PM | Comments (0)
Construction Time
Making my way around Cochabamba on foot, I try to pass through areas that I have not seen in the time that I have been back. Something that grabs my attention is the sheer volume of new construction projects. A spectacular new overpass will be completed soon in the Muyurina neighborhood. There is a brand new bridge near la Recoleta. Plazas are being re-tiled with brand new gardens. Even in the Zona Sud (the poorer part of town), la Avenida Suecia has gone through a remarkable transformation including a new children´s park.
You know what all this construction means?
It is election time!
Something tangible that the ruling party, Nueva Fuerza Republicana (NFR) can leave behind are these examples of concrete and steel. They are looking to extend their stronghold on power another five years.
However, I have adopted the mantra, QSMN. (Quien sea menos NFR) a´la the ABB sentiment present in the U.S. You see, when a ruling party received over 50% of the vote in 1999, it translates to zero opposition in the council.
Many stories run wild concering the NFR´s disregard for ethics. For example, in Cochabamba there is a limit on the height of new buildings that are built. No new building can exceed seven stories. But take a look around, there are obviously new construction projects that are higher than the seven allowed. The NFR-dominated council passed a law that allows buildings to exceed 7 stories, the constructor received the proper permits for the taller buildings, and promptly the council repealed the law. So in essence, a law was bent for the benefit of a select few.
Now, I have no way of proving that and it may be an urban legend, but upon closer glance you can see new projects higher than 7 stories in the process of being built.
If there is one political character that I cannot stand, it is NFR chief Manfred Reyes Villa. A former Army colonel and ex-mayor of Cochabamba, he holds exhoribant wealth. I doubt that the salary of an army official would allow for such extravagance. An electrician who worked for our family, also did some odd jobs in one of Manfred´s houses. The luxury that that man lives in is unique. This was a hotly contested issue in the 2002 Presidential election: Where did Manfred´s money come from?
Finally, as the urban sprawl continues around Cochabamba, more of the countryside, in particular around Sipe Sipe and Vinto continues to receive increased development. Coincidentally, Manfred owns huge properties in these areas. When his fellow party member was the prefect of Cochabamba, all these areas received electric hookups and new roads. Of course, this helped the campesinos in the area, but also increased the value of these properties owned by Manfred. And now, these areas are one of the star lots in the entire department.
Posted by eduardo at 06:05 PM | Comments (3)
Trancapechos
Silpancho has been one of the most recognized Bolivian dish and the easiest to make. My mother served us silpancho (we used to snicker at its funny name) in the middle of Western Kansas. If you can serve it there, you can serve it anywhere.
My favorite part wasn´t the breaded meat, rather the jumbled mix of rice, potatoes, tomate and runny egg that, with the right amount of salt, would be very filling.
Humans always try to improve on something, and that is where the "trancapecho" was born. Literally translated to "stuck in the chest" or "lodged in the chest", those words make it sound like the meal would be painful to swallow. But, essentially, it is silpancho served in a piece of bread, sandwich-style.
The full meal that fits nicely inside a sliced piece of bread is all the rage after 9 p.m. on street corners and in little kiosks along the Rio Rocha.
I invited five of my friends to a round of trancapechos last night after basketball practice. The bill came to 30 Bs. (or around $3.50), not bad for a full meal for six.
The kiosks located near the bridge leading to Quillacollo is a famous gathering place for these sandwiches. Yet, it is not exactly the cleanest of places to eat. But, you try not to think about how many times the oil used to fry the potatoes and meat have been used over and over again. This last visit showed a little improvement in cleanliness.
Salt is pretty important in eating silpancho, and is also with consuming a trancapecho. In the past, the caseras would lay out a flat plate with a pile of salt, and her patrons would grab a finger-full and sprinkle it on their sandwich. Obviously multiply the number of customers by the cleanliness of their hands, would make you lose your lunch. I would always try to move the pile of salt and try to scrap the bottom, but I am glad now they have evolved to using salt-shakers.
Obviously there are better places to eat, but this ritual is more about the fact that I can invite my friends without seeming too fancy. Soon it was 11:30 p.m. and it started to rain. On the way home, I was hoping that the hygiene gods would be merciful on me.
Posted by eduardo at 03:03 PM | Comments (2)
Octubre 19, 2004
Bolivian Football Website
Okay, so maybe Bolivian fútbol is not the most graceful or the most popular in the world, but it is mine dammit! There was once a website created by a Bolivian living in Europe that was a high priority bookmark. The way he scoured the newspapers and other sources for up to the minute news about the National Team and the Bolivian League bummed me out when he stopped updating. After a long hiatus, he is back with a newly designed website, which looks great.
He also added a forum, where hopefully there will be some intelligent and constructive interaction about our beloved teams. I say this because one webboard devoted to Wilstermann is chock full of idiots who only now how to insult other teams using racist and homophobic language. In other words, anonymous machismo, and things get out of hand.
I believe he is in the process of getting a domain name, but you can see the unfinished product using the links above.
Posted by eduardo at 06:13 PM | Comments (0)
Octubre 18, 2004
Inspiration for the Website Name
Posted by eduardo at 10:31 PM | Comments (2)
Hard Habit to Break
Here in Bolivia (in Cochabamba at least), everyone adds the diminutive -ito or -ita to nearly every word. I do not know why that is, but perhaps it is to make things a little more endearing or informal. I have picked up on the habit and find myself using it in instances even when it does not warrant it.
For example: una (one) becomes unita.
"Cuantos quieres?" "Unita no mas"
aqui becomes aquisito.
"Donde quieres que la pongo?" "Aquisito"
Those are only two examples.
Must....break....annoying....habit (apologies to Homero Simpson)
Posted by eduardo at 10:22 PM | Comments (1)
Octubre 17, 2004
The Need for the Sea
These are paintings located on the plaza principal in Tiquina on the shores of Lake Titicaca. They portray Bolivia´s longstanding feud with Chile over the loss of the sea. The statue on top of the monument is none other than Eduardo Avaroa, who is national hero for withstanding till the end.
No fue una guerra librada por Bolivia la causa de la pérdida de estos territorios, más bien una usurpación fruto de una invación cruel y sangrienta, Bolivia país pacífico por excelencia no poseia un ejército en esa zona, los ciudadanos (civiles) fueron los que enfrentaron una invación premeditada abusiva y cruel, no poseian armas y el mayor punto de oposición a la invación chilena, fue la defenza del "Puente del Topater" un 23 de marzo 1879, donde murio acribillado Don. Eduardo Avaroa, quien, cuando le pidieron su rendición expresó valientemente un gríto recordado por todos los bolivianos en homenajes a su valentía "Rendirme yó !!,... que se rinda su abuela carajo...!".
From: Source
Posted by eduardo at 11:06 PM | Comments (1)
Goni´s Trial
No one seems to know exactly what is going on with the process for former President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada´s trial of responsibilities. Some want to pronounce him guilty before any sort of investigation takes place, and some are threatening to mobilize in Sucre, the site of the trial, if the trial does not take place soon. They argue that it has been a year since the events last October took place and only now this trial has been approved.
Those already finding him guilty claim that since he is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, then he is responsible for their actions and must have gave orders to kill relatively innocent people. (I use the word relatively, because I do not know with authority whether the protesters were armed, even though there were calls by some campesino leaders that El Alto would rise up in an armed insurrection). Yet, if this argument would be binding, shouldn`t George W. Bush be responsible for the abuses at Abu Gharib?
Another argument used by those already pre-judging Goni cites a decree passed on October 11, 2003 authorizing the indemnization of any deaths that might occur.
I am all for a trial for Goni, Carlos Sanchez Berzain and anyone else who may have been involved. Although I am skeptical a fair and impartial trial could ever take place inside the tense political environment of Bolivia. Some radical leaders have vowed to lynch Goni, when he arrives in the country, citing "communal justice". With words like that, how can we expect for justice to run its course?
Posted by eduardo at 10:59 PM | Comments (0)
Towards the Constituent Assembly
Momentum has been gaining towards the future Constituent Assembly that will change the country´s Constitution. A website has been formed to try to explain the process. President Carlos Mesa reiterated his absolute support for this process in his address to the nation Sunday night.
Posted by eduardo at 10:39 PM | Comments (0)
Black October - One Year Later
Today marks the one year anniversary of Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada resigning the Presidency. It has been a rollercoaster of a year, yet with some (in my opinion) positive steps forward. No one pretends that the worst is in our rear view mirror, but with a Referendum under the belt and a Constituent Assembly in the works, things may seem a bit brighter. I had left a couple weeks before everything went down and upon my return, things haven´t changed much on the surface. However, I think there is a bit more optimism seeing what Carlos Mesa is trying to do. The political parties are, for the most part, dead in the water.
It is hard to summarize everything in this one small paragraph, but I honestly feel that the political parties have set Bolivia back so far, that there is so much cynicism about anyone who enters politics. The word "public servant" is never used as a synonym for a politician or anyone working in the public sector.
I feel very guilty about what I have back in the States. When I came back, I asked some of my friends about so-and-so, and they tell me "Oh, he´s in Sweden" or "He went to Spain to try his luck". Each day there are stories in the newspapers about Bolivians being deported from France and Western Europe.
I try hard not to take for granted all of the opportunities I have had because of my American passport. Something needs to change in Bolivia, there was absolutely no way that things could have continued the way that they were. The monopoly by the political parties and corrupt officials sucked the life out of the country, but I see slowly things can start to begin the process of changing just a bit how Bolivia operates.
photo: La Razon
A couple of newspapers published special sections commemorating the events last October.
La Razon: A un año de octubre, el país aún permanece entrabado
El Deber: Octubre negro, 411 heridos mantienen vivo el dolor
Posted by eduardo at 06:41 PM | Comments (1)
Octubre 16, 2004
Lake Titicaca Sunset
Posted by eduardo at 03:58 PM | Comments (0)
Octubre 15, 2004
Early Take on Cochabamba Race
Campaign time for the 320+ mayoral races across the country only lasts two months. Is that enough time to properly analyze the proposals and candidates? Many seem to think that all that matters in these races is name recognition.
The Unidad Nacional (UN) is banking on the name recognition and positive vibe of comedian Jenny Serrano. The citizen´s group Ciudadanos Unidos (CU) is placing its bets with former Wilstermann President and current Bolivian Fútbol League President Mauricio "Patato" Mendez. Both are running as suplentes correction:(alternates, for the lack of a better word), that is, if the lead candidates gets enough votes, then they will serve as councilmember.
Early polling indicates (although the news were not clear on who did the polling) that "Chaly" Terceros (CU) is leading the race, followed by Gonzalo Lema (MAS).
It bothers me that Terceros, who was one of the 6 mayors in 5 years held by NFR, has such a strong following. It is said that Terceros was removed as Mayor by NFR chief Manfred Reyes Villa, as in the words of my uncle, "like a dog." Many speculate that Terceros formed his own citizen´s group to jockey for position and return to NFR in a much higher and more powerful capacity. With the stronghold that NFR has had in Cochabamba, it is tough to find anyone that has not been with that party in some aspect or another. Many want to deny their association and say that they were merely an "invited guest".
I am following closely the campaigns of Gonzalo Lema (MAS), who is not a militante, a card-carrying registered member of that party. Much like the participation of current President Carlos Mesa, who was not a militante of MNR in 2002. Yet it still weighs on me, that the MAS is not following its own rise through democracy. In theory, candidates should come from within their own ranks and be nominated internally. However, in order to receive the support from the middle-class, I am sure Evo´s hand-picked candidate fits the bill of having name recognition and broader appeal.
That is where my interest in the UN´s candidate Oscar Bakir comes in. Supposedly, although I have no way of confirming this, that all of the UN´s candidates were selected through the internal nomination process. This democratic way of selecting candidates seems to be more in line with what Bolivia needs, instead of the top-down politics of the traditional parties.
Yet, I am still weary of Bakir, because of his past association with NFR.
Many of my middle-class cousins are leaning towards Lema, and they specify that they will vote for Lema, and not necessarily MAS. This line of reasoning mirrors what many did in the 2002 Presidential election, when I know of people who voted for Goni, because of Mesa, and not for MNR.
Posted by eduardo at 05:55 PM | Comments (3)
Octubre 14, 2004
Goni On Trial
A Bolivian television channel broadcasted live the Congressional vote to determine whether ex-President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada would stand trial. The poorly configured sound system did not allow for clear understanding of each Congressperson´s opinion or vote. However, in the end, the result was Goni will stand trial, along with his entire cabinet.
The first vote that called for only Goni and cabinet members Carlos Sanchez Berzain and Yerko Kukoc fell two votes short in order to gain 2/3 majority.
However, when members of Goni´s MNR party announced that they would support a trial for Goni only if the entire cabinet was named as accomplices. Many speculate that this public support, which would implicate members of the ruling coalition parties, such as NFR and MIR, would cause lawmakers from those parties to reconsider their votes.
What made the two-hour transmission interesting, was seeing the chaos and lack of respect among Congress. The telvision viewer, acting as a voyeur, caught glimpses of Evo Morales throwing a wadded-up piece of paper at another Congressman. One also heard the strong words of one Congresswoman castigating her fellow lawmakers who cowardly left the chamber to avoid having to make a public vote. Whenever, a member of the MNR voted "No", one could hear chants of "ASESINO!"
In the end, it appeared as if the MNR´s strategy backfired because the 2/3 majority vote was achieved. One MIP representative publicly ridiculed their strategy, saying that Goni´s former party was "knocked-out."
How this will play out is anybody´s guess. There are rumors that Goni holds American citizenship and won´t have to return to stand trial. Yet, the American ambassador to Bolivia David Greenlee said that that was not true, but refused to comment on whether Goni would be extradited.
Posted by eduardo at 10:34 PM | Comments (4)
La Paz Pictures
Posted by eduardo at 12:29 PM | Comments (1)
Octubre 13, 2004
Copacabana
With two days to kill in La Paz between the two fútbol matches, I decided to go down to Lake Titicaca. It has been quite awhile since I spent more than 20 minutes in Copacabana. Unfortunately, I was too late to grab a boat out to la Isla del Sol. I spent the rest of the afternoon eating trucha (trout), walking along the shore, and watching the cars, trucks, and minibuses being blessed outside the Cathedral. Many Paceños visit the Shrine to have their new vehicles blessed.
The trip from La Paz, seems to be more hassle than it is worth. It took me close to four hours each way, including crossing the Lake at the Strait of Tiquina. By private car, the trip would be much more enjoyable.
It was a relaxing time altogether, I sat in the Plaza and watched the people come and go.
On the way back to La Paz, the road goes through El Alto, one of the saddest and gloomiest places on the planet earth (from my limited experience). I always feel depressed when I pass through. I had my headphones on while watching attentively out the window of the mini-bus. On my mp3 player I had the sounds of Godspeed You Black Emperor! If you ever heard this band´s apocalyptic-like music, it provided a perfect soundtrack to accompany the images of El Alto.
I have pictures, that I still need to upload.
Posted by eduardo at 07:18 PM | Comments (0)
Living in Bolivia Update
By now, you probably know that the collaborative website Living in Bolivia has been acting pretty funny. Not ha-ha funny, but frustratingly irksome funny.
You may have also noticed that the Living Network has expanded to include the United States and has also narrowed down to include more countries. It was due to the interest of a few bloggers writing about Bolivia, that lead Living in Latin America to include a Bolivia sub-section.
I was acting as an "editor" by default for the Bolivia page and the other Latin American pages. Basically that task involved answering mail, adding new blogs to the aggregator and a little bit of outreach. Yet, with these inconveniences of not being able to post new articles, I am afraid that the momentum may have been lost.
Like everything, nothing is free. I pay about $60/year for the server space that this webpage is located, which is a mere pittance for the amount of enjoyment and knowledge that I gain. However, with the expansion of new subsections on the Living Network, the cost inevitably had to increase. The previous project was financed out of the pockets of the network creators. There will be experimenting with the placing of ads to generate revenue to help pay for the project.
Right now, the Living in Bolivia page is feeding all of my posts to the front page, including some of the mundane ones (I´d like to think not all my posts are mundane). I do not know how to change that just yet.
Not to be lost in all this talk about ads, money, bugs, and other problems is the overall vision held by the creators. Obviously this entire project was created because of the fascination and the belief that blogging is a powerful information tool. I have learned so much from reading others´ blogs, especially in regards to Latin America.
Hopefully soon, the new software will allow bloggers associated with the Network to directly feed articles in the appropriate sub-sections. In the past, members had to write separate articles in order to be seen in the various Living pages. With the new system, this will be able to be done directly from the respective homepage.
With all this, the Living Network may become a reference point for blogs all across the world. Traffic for individual user pages will surely increase, which often allows for the generation of revenue.
However, I am a bit uneasy with this transition. Whenever money is involved, things seem to lose its innocence. The grassroots approach to the collaborative pages was something I thought was incredible. It sure helped bring people across the world together to share ideas and opinions. Yet, I am not convinced that all this has been lost.
Hopefully this explained things a bit, although this is a summary of two 4--5 page emails that I received explaining these changes. in a nutshell, the powers-that-be are working on the database problems and other glitches; and hope to relaunch everything with the corresponding changes soon.
Thoughts?
Posted by eduardo at 04:29 PM | Comments (4)
Goni Trial Close
The problem with the upcoming municipal elections is that every issue will now become politicized. Political parties that have fallen out of favor are trying to recapture the illusion of being on the side of the people. One cannot blame politicians, who, by definition, base their decisions on the likelihood of being elected or re-elected.
One such issue is the "Trial of Responsibilities" of former President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada. Large popular sectors are pushing for this trial for his role in the civil unrest last October. Most of the Congress, including former coalition members MIR and NFR are pushing for this trial to proceed, and to also include ex-ministers Carlos Sanchez Berzain and Yerko Kukoc.
President Carlos Mesa is supporting the trial.
Other extreme left political parties and groups like MIP and COB are proposing to try the entire cabinent accusing them of "murder, genocide, human rights violations, acts against the Constitution, and civil rights abuses."
Genocide?
If and when this trial takes place, you can count on any number of defenses that will try to bring others down with them. Already one of the accused, Yerko Kukoc, who was found in possession of hundreds of thousands of Bs. from the reserved funds, is trying to use this strategy. Yesterday, he produced a receipt that accused coalition member and MIR chief Jaime Paz Zamora of receiving nearly $50,000 per month in exchange of supporting the coalition.
More names to follow.
Posted by eduardo at 02:04 PM | Comments (3)
Octubre 12, 2004
Not Again
I place the blame 100% on head coach Ramiro Blacutt. Not only did he stubbornly insist on playing three players way past their prime (32-37 years old, Oscar Sanchez, Erwin Sanchez and Luis Cristaldo), but he also refused to call in players who had some past disciplinary problems. Players like Jose Alfredo Castillo stars in the Mexican League, but was ruled ineligible in the Bolivian League, but not from International competition. I do not care, as long as they are producing on the field, they can do as they please. His substitution patterns were abysmal, taking out the most skilled players and leaving in the players with the oldest legs.
Hernando Siles stadium was packed this afternoon, and so many people left very bitter, especially me.
Bleh.
Posted by eduardo at 10:13 PM | Comments (3)
Bolivia vs. Uruguay
The second match in four days takes place this afternoon. Bolivia plays host to Uruguay in a match that is expected to attract more people to the stadium. All public employees will be dismissed at 3 p.m. in exchange of working through the noon hour. The good and bad news is that the sun is out in full force this morning. I head back to Cochabamba after the game, and will write more about my time in La Paz and other observations.
Uruguay has never beaten Bolivia in La Paz. Although the last time they met in 2000, it ended in a nil-nil draw.
Posted by eduardo at 11:59 AM | Comments (2)
Almost Famous - Bolivia Blogs
The webpage El Forastero did a great job searching and listing all the blogs related to and devoted to Bolivia.
As he noted, many of the blogs are written by Bolivians living abroad or foreigners who happen to be in Bolivia traveling or living temporarily. Most, if not all, are written in English.
This is how he described this page:
"Barrio flores" Esta es una de las bitácoras más interesantes de la lista. Hijo de bolivianos inmigrantes en los EUA pero nacido allí, ha encontrado en esta página un camino para regresar a Bolivia. Decidió vivir un tiempo en Bolivia, y ahora, un año después de su última estadía, regresa a Cochabamba.
Many blogs have been abandoned for one reason or another. Three other blogs that are interesting and not listed include: the humorous Life in Bolivia, written by an American living in Cochabamba, and two other on Livejournal: Kaikishon, which contains monthly posts, but is written by a Bolivian living in Bolivia (which, ironically is a change from the norm), and Adventures in South America, written by a multicultural Bolivian who recently spent some time in Cochabamba.
Posted by eduardo at 11:41 AM | Comments (5)
Octubre 10, 2004
Bo-bo-tero
(AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Posted by eduardo at 06:17 PM | Comments (0)
In La Paz
With only four hours of sleep, I arrived in La Paz straight to my uncle´s house in Los Pinos. This part of the city is one of the more newer parts of La Paz located in the Zona Sud. After taking a brief one hour nap, I then met my cousin to watch my 4 year-old triplet nieces dance at their upscale school in Achumani.
All that was in anticipation of that afternoon´s crucial World Cup qualifier Bolivia vs. Peru. In the morning, the day had the appearance of a crisp, warm day. However, I decided to take my heavier coat just in case. Later it began to sprinkle, then sun, then pour. I had to buy some cheap plastic to protect myself from the rain. We took refuge in a local restaurant and ate some chicharron (fried pork).
Seemingly minutes later, the sun peeked out and again raised the temperature. At various parts throughout the day, I had seven layers of clothes and at gametime (4 p.m.), I was wearing only my short sleeve jersey of la seleccion.
Back to the game, the stadium was not at capacity as we took our seats on the side General. These have superior views of the pitch, but stared smack dab at the sun. It was very crowded in my section, but I couldn´t believe the passivity of many of my fellow spectators. It seemed as if I was alone, clapping whenever a good play had been made.
Zero-zero at halftime brought sighs of "here we go again," in reference to the countless times that we were disillusioned by the national team. In early the second half, Joaquin Botero, from the homeside scored the only goal. The game ended with a 1-0 victory for Bolivia. This result guarantees that Tuesday´s homematch against Uruguay will not be deserted.
I am off to Copacabana and Lake Titicaca for about 24 hours.
Posted by eduardo at 10:15 AM | Comments (0)
Octubre 07, 2004
Another Honorary Bolivian
Senator Nelson Avila (no relation) will launch his campaign for President of Chile. His platform:
El singular acto político será coronado por la lectura que realizará Avila de un manifiesto titulado "Las 20 definiciones básicas y una reflexión desesperada", en la que hará una serie de propuestas, entre las que figura la despenalización del autocultivo de marihuana, la legalización del aborto terapéutico y la eutanasia, y el inicio de negociaciones bilaterales con Bolivia para entregarles una salida al mar, "a través de un corredor al norte de Arica con la correspondiente compensación territorial",
If he is elected, why would Chileans care about the sea anymore? After all, they would probably be too high to care.
Posted by eduardo at 09:17 PM | Comments (0)
For Luis:
< sarcasm >Thanks for sending us your ambassador!< /sarcasm >
Posted by eduardo at 08:45 PM | Comments (0)
Too Many Candidates?
Everyone is talking about the candidates for municipal elections. The novedad is that agrupaciones ciudadanas and indigenous groups will be allowed to participate without the backing of political parties.
Without that backing, comes no financial support from the state. Even though many ex-political party members are heading up these independent groups, there appears to be a saturation of options.
One question that will be answered over the next two months: How will the media devote its space and time to cover so many candidates? Who makes the decision whether a candidate is worthy to receive coverage and will the political parties receive coverage by default?
In Santa Cruz, 21 candidates are hoping to win the top slot. In La Paz, Cochabamba and El Alto there are 16, 13, and 9 candidates respectively.
Posted by eduardo at 08:37 PM | Comments (1)
The Honorary Bolivian
Somehow this slipped under my radar.
In the Chilean newspaper La Epoca, Chilean consul Emilio Ruiz Tagle based in La Paz, was recalled for his comments. His comments delighted Bolivians because it was a sign that there existed Chileans sympathetic to the maritime cause.
La Epoca: ¿es posible pensar que en el futuro, llamo un año o una década, Bolivia pueda tener un acceso soberano al mar?
Ruiz Tagle: Sí, yo pienso que sí. Yo pienso que en el fondo nadie quiere que esto afecte indefinidamente los vínculos entre países vecinos con tantos lazos familiares, tantos lazos de todo orden, educativos e históricos. Nadie quiere que este tema lo hereden nuestros hijos y nuestros nietos...Que Bolivia recupere una salida al mar es algo que personalmente yo quisiera"
Even though he was critical of Mesa`s policy of "gas for sea", Ruiz Tagle hopes that the tension and ultimatums make way for a better environment for discussions. Ruiz Tagle reiterated that Chile is, in fact, fulfilling all of the conditions of the treaty signed in the early 1900s.
Chile does not have an ambassador in Bolivia or vice-versa. The tense diplomatic relations over the sea issue led to a stalemate. He was later recalled for his comments and the Foreign Minister Soledad Alvear was criticized that those comments were allowed to be made. She later stepped down to run for President in Chile´s next Presidential Election.
Nevertheless, Ruiz Tagle has turned into sort of a hero in Bolivia, and the newspapers run a story on him nearly every day.
Posted by eduardo at 03:44 PM | Comments (0)
Dust Everywhere
Someone should officially ban dust. I think if I wanted to sum up Cochabamba in one word, it would be dusty. In the name of progress, when construction begins, then also green areas and trees slowly disappear. In order to pave or build cobblestone roads, usually trees are not spared. All of this detracts from the scenery and the overall feeling of ecological friendliness.
I have always had problems with my contact lenses because of my number one enemy: dust. It is everywhere and gets everywhere. The worst sensation is when you can actually smell the dust and dirt hovering in the air. When the wind blows, close your eyes and wait for it to pass.
When I was little, my mother and I took the train (before capitalization) from Cochabamba to Oruro to visit my aunts. I remember the fantastic scenery and playing the game “spot the llama”. It was a magnificent journey, until we hit the dust bowl. In those days, we did not ride in luxurious Amtrak-like cars. Instead the windows were cracked and had a hard time closing properly. As a result, the dust and dirt crept in making my life a living hell. I was sick for three days following that train ride because of my allergies.
So I am willing to start the petition to include banning dust in the next Constitution.
Posted by eduardo at 03:41 PM | Comments (0)
Thirteen Candidates
With the deadline passing for political parties and citizen groups to present their candidates to the Electoral Court, thirteen candidates will be listed on the ballot for Mayor of Cochabamba. Nine political parties and 4 citizen groups comprise the ballot.
Early speculation makes the MAS candidate and the new citizen group CU the two favorites. There is a strong feeling that NFR, which was started by former mayor Manfred Reyes Villa, has run its course. During the last term, 6 mayors rotated throughout the term (albeit one who passed away). The political party ADN, whose chief Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga resigned from this party, is not even presenting a candidate for mayor.
CANDIDATES FOR COCHABAMBA
Political Parties
MNR - Ivan Decker
MIR - Samuel Achá
MAS - Gonzalo Lema
MBL - Oscar Terceros
UN - Oscar Bakir
MSM - Javier Garcia
NFR - Johnny Antezana
MIP - Victor Portugal
UCS - Edwin Mallon
Agrupacion Ciudadana
PC (Primero Cochabamba) - Yamal Serham
Reacción Ciudadana - Mario Cortés
Molle - Antonio Galindo
CU (Ciudadanos Unidos) - Gonzalo Terceros
There are other interesting matchups throughout the country including Roberto Fernandez (Alianza XXI) battling his brother Johnny Fernandez (UCS) in Santa Cruz. The former Fernandez is counting on support from Tuto, while the latter Fernandez is struggling to remain relevant in the political scene. The incumbent mayor Juan del Granado (MSM) faces competition from Jaime Paz´ son Jaimito (MIR). In El Alto, the presence of a priest, Wilson Soria (MAS), makes for an interesting storyline.
Elections will be held on December 5, 2004.
Posted by eduardo at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)
Octubre 05, 2004
Bugs
Literally translated, the word "bichos" means "bugs". My mom always warns me when I arrive to Bolivia to take care and make sure I wash my hands, be selective in the food that I eat, and just be safe rather than sorry.
I think I got a bit cocky, from my past experiences where I ate anything and anywhere I so desired. Tacos at 3 in the morning? No problem. Nice bowl of soup in the market? No problem. Relatives used to tell me that I had the required bichos to counteract any ill effects. It is the way that locals can usually drink the water without any major side effects, but any visitors must always drink bottled water.
Anyway, today I was out of commission with a slight stomachache. I think my bichos took an extended vacation, because they did not think I would ever return to Bolivian food. It is tough to pinpoint what exactly caused my gastric disagreements. Hopefully I will back to action, sooner than later, I have so many places and things to eat before I return to the States.
Posted by eduardo at 07:24 PM | Comments (2)
Mayoral Candidates To Be Announced
Slowly, official and unofficial sources have been revealing the names of the candidates for the 300+ municipalities. Both the political parties and agrupaciones ciudadanas have been making formal announcements. Incumbent mayors are required to resign their post in order to run for re-election. In La Paz, Juan del Granado officially resigned and launched his reelection campaign last Sunday. In Santa Cruz, Roberto Fernandez, brother of UCS chief Johnny, also resigned. It is expected that Rocio Luque may also resign to accept the nomination from NFR.
October 6th is the official deadline to register candidates. This will definitely be an interesting campaign season, with a long list of candidates to choose from. Many observers worry that this will cause a vote dispersal, with the mayor being eventually selected by the councilmembers.
Posted by eduardo at 07:04 PM | Comments (0)
Octubre 04, 2004
Eat. Drink. Be Merry
Arriving on a Sunday, I knew that meant some type of get-together. I was rushed and given thirty minutes to take a shower and get ready. My uncle´s nieces were putting on a parrillada complete with six different types of meat. My cousin was also invited to another parrillada located off Avenida Blanco Galindo, as his aunt was throwing an engagement party. After eating, we headed over where we were offered even more food. “Sorry, but we just ate.” The hosts said, “Don´t be ridiculous, have a little.” So we ate yet again. As typical of these meals, the beer kept coming…then like clockwork, out came the guitar. One of the guys with the guitar invented a song on the spot, a homage to his mother who had passed on. The lyrics moved one of the other guys to tears, but was probably fueled by all the alcohol consumed.
Inevitably the conversation always turned to politics. My uncle, a self-described Gonista, was the recipient of harmless ribbing from the others. Others admitted they were intrigued by the MAS candidate for Mayor of Cochabamba, Gonzalo Lema. Even though a lot of middle-classers hold contempt for the party´s leadership, many think it is time to let MAS show the country what they are made of.
In gatherings like this, you always meet new people who have connections. My cousin´s aunt´s new fiancee is one of the leaders who is heading up former President Tuto Quiroga´s new project in Cochabamba. This project, which is trying to operate without the backing of a true political party, is forming as a agrupacion ciudadana. My cousin, who has been an AND militante for the past six years, wants to follow Tuto in this new project. So he was invited by his new uncle to attend one of these meetings. The uncle asked me if I wanted to come along, by the way, he referred to me as his nephew. It would definitely be interested to see what it´s all about.
I hit a brick wall at around 6 p.m. I was overwhelmingly exhausted from the long trip, and excused myself early. I´m sure it lasted well into the nighttime. Came home, fell asleep and woke up 15 hours later. I´m across the street from my favorite Brasilian restaurant, waiting for it to open
Posted by eduardo at 12:19 PM | Comments (3)
Octubre 01, 2004
A Different Bolivia
Unpredictable LAB (Lloyd Aereo Boliviano) decided on a whim to postpone Saturday night’s trip by two hours. In typical fashion, they never even bothered to notify me. For all I know, they could have moved the flight up by two hours, and I’d be stuck. On the bright side, I’ll be able to go shopping for the last-minute things I’ll need.
In less than 48 hours from now, I’ll be landing at Jorge Wilstermann airport in Cochabamba. I was crossing my fingers for a Washington, DC – Cochabamba direct flight, but my route will include stops in Miami and in Santa Cruz.
When I arrive early that morning (hopefully with my baggage included, as the last time I arrived my pack took its own sweet time), I have a feeling there will be an eerie similarity to the surroundings. There will still be this tiny old man, who asks each arriving passenger if he or she needs a taxi. As a means of gaining a finder’s fee tip, he doesn’t realize, for some reason, that one just has to step out on the curb to catch a waiting taxi. He’s been there for at least the past seven years. I’ll also see the grayish haze covering the city leading up to the foot of the enclosing mountains, plus the smell of the morning air, and my mouth beginning to water at the prospects of eating salteñas later that morning – an old family tradition that goes back as far as I can remember for arriving family members, and … I can go on and on. It’ll be a feeling as if I never left.
Yet, I know things will be fundamentally different.
When I’m in La Paz, I probably won’t take the 45-minute trufi ride to Ciudad Satelite to visit my grandfather. See, he passed away earlier this year. His stubbornness reinforced the fact that he refused to move for the past 40 years, because his house was his house. Even though the out-of-control sprawl of El Alto, made life much less tranquil than when he first built the house on the Altiplano, we had visited him as much as we could. In his later years, his health deteriorated to the point where fatigue and other health problems would be a barrier to spending quality time with him, with meaningful conversation. It was sad to see him with so much trouble, but I can take comfort that he is not suffering anymore.
I also know that one of my best friends won’t be sitting behind the counter at the auto parts store SALCA on Avenida Heronias. He, too, passed away last December, except he was still young and in his early 30s. The leukemia, which had been working its destruction internally, had finally caught up with him. The two of us, although mostly through his initiative, started a basketball club to play in the citywide league, where we won a league title and earned promotion to the next higher level. The team did not disband after his death in a tribute to him, and I’ll try to buy the team some new uniforms.
Not everything will be bittersweet.
I’ll be returning to Bolivia armed with a relatively better understanding of its political, social and current situation. Ever since I’ve left I kept up with online newspapers and other sources concerning Bolivia. I’ll be anxious to actually discuss politics with those that it actually affects. No matter how much you read, it can never take the place of actually seeing and talking with people from all walks of life and backgrounds. Sunday afternoon meals with my extended family are always an excellent opportunity to throw in my .02 cents (just as long that they don’t sit me at the kids’ table as usual). Perhaps they’ll be surprised to see how up-to-date I am, considering I am living on another continent.
I also have to credit Miguel and his blog that he updated when he lived in La Paz last year. I don’t know how I managed to stumble on to his page in late 2003, but I was excited to see Bolivia written about in that first-hand fashion. Even though we disagreed on some points, it definitely was a catalyst in encouraging me to inform myself and form my own opinions.
Posted by eduardo at 12:33 PM | Comments (2)