Diciembre 09, 2004
A Look at Santa Cruz
When I asked my friend in Santa Cruz, which mayoral candidate was aligned the most with the Comite Civico, she told me Oscar Vargas (MUP). I admit I don’t know as much about Santa Cruz politics, than I do about Cochabamba. However, in the past year I have become interested in the legitimate autonomy issue and how the populist Cruceño (not Camba) groups, mainly the Comite Civico, have manipulated the issue to serve their future interests. Days after the municipal elections, hypocrisy is taking shape revealing true interests and how in the end, they are centralists at heart.
The virtual three-way tie with no candidate passing the 23% mark, has opened up a Pandora’s box in Santa Cruz. According to the law, either of the two top vote-getters can become mayor, only with the support and votes from the other elected councilmembers. This precisely means, either first place finisher Roberto Fernandez (AXX1) or 2nd – place Percy Fernandez (FAJT) can become mayor, with a little help from Vargas.
Maybe the respective “citizen groups”, which are represented by the top three finishers, (comprised of ex-political party members), should have taken courses in negotiations. As a result, huge negotiating teams have been assembled to hash out scenarios where Vargas could support Roberto. Vargas could possibly support Percy, but not the other way around. Percy can also support Roberto, and vice-versa (not very likely).
So what’s at the center of these negotiations? Naturally everyone involved is denying that “pegas” (government jobs) are at the heart of the matter. Publicly, everyone is claiming that government plans and philosophies are what these politicians are deeply concerned about.
The leader of the MUP (Oscar’s group) is Ivo Kuljis, a powerful Cruceño businessman, who has a lengthy political resume, which includes a stint as Presidential candidate in 1997 with UCS and as Veep in 2002 under Manfred Reyes Villa and NFR. He is also a part of the Comite Civico. Kuljis desperately wants in the governing coalition. Jumping from party to party and now to a citizens' group shows this man's true colors.
Vargas seems to be in the driver’s seat as he holds potential to put either Percy or Roberto over the magical number of votes. However, Percy may ask for less government jobs in comparison to Oscar. It’s important to be greedy, but not too greedy or else someone else may get the jobs. Yet, one should hold out for all that they can. Bluffs, offers, counteroffers are all part of the dirty game called politics.
In theory, true champions of autonomies would be aghast at a select few individuals at the bargaining table with public sector jobs as gambling chips. Yet, Kuljis and Vargas, who have brought the topic of autonomy into play and are behind the regional autonomy banner, are benefiting from their own centralist roles. The opposite of centralism is decentralization, where this type of nepotism and patronage is reduced or eliminated as much as possible. The only way Oscar Vargas or Percy Fernandez would give votes to Roberto Fernandez in exchange for government jobs or influence, which shows true hypocrisy.
Not to be discounted is the potential springboard to the national scene as part of the coalition. Both Roberto and Oscar are relatively young, in comparison to the dinosaurs of Bolivian politics, and both want to be part of discussions for President.
This type of thing isn’t restricted to Santa Cruz. The same thing would be happening in La Paz, El Alto and Cochabamba if the winner wouldn’t have received as high of percentage. In Cochabamba, MAS candidate pledged to support the top vote-getter regardless.
Sidebar: From ProDemos The 2nd largest city in Santa Cruz Department, Montero had broad support for MAS.
Montero es uno de los municipios principales del departamento de Santa Cruz. Allí, el postulante del MAS, Edwin Tupa Tupa, logró más de 5500 votos de los 25.364 válidos, venciendo al candidato Gerardo Rosado quien tuvo hasta que abandonar su militancia al Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (MNR) y presentarse con una agrupación ciudadana: Acción e Integración (AI).
Even in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the MAS candidate "Chato" Peredo finished in a respectable 4th place. The type of claims that the regional elite make, insisting that they represent the entire "media luna" continue to be discredited.
Posted by eduardo at Diciembre 9, 2004 04:13 PM
Comments
In reference to one point you make in you article, where you talk about difference between central government and decentralization.
One of the results of decentralization can be, the concentration of the same type of politics at the local level. That is, power-hungry groups fight for the dominance of politics within their own municipalities. In these fights, all the ugly faces of politics at the core get transfered. However, that is not the only way. Some municipalities in Bolivia are following that pattern. Some other municipalities, usually away from the big cities, have a local government which really cooperates with civic organizations. I think I remember of a municipality in the chaco region which functions pretty close to those decentralization ideals.
Posted by: MB at Diciembre 10, 2004 02:48 AM