Marzo 20, 2005
A Couple of Recent Articles
At present, analyst Alvaro Garcia said, groups representing the poor indigenous majority have begun directly challenging the political elite.
"A new excluded group is demanding a seat at the table," he said, "and there isn't much room."
Didn't MAS get the 2nd largest number of seats at the table? This monumental accomplishment seems to be not enough for Evo. Any democratic legitimacy he gained in 2002 is getting thrown out the window.
"In the coming weeks or months there will be a confrontation," said Alvaro Garcia, a political analyst in La Paz. "The political center has been emptied, and the country is sharply divided between left and right. For the moment, everything seems to be on hold, but in the future this polarization could be very dangerous."
Unfortunately this is true, in that these types of crises like to draw nice and neat divisions. Remember the Santa Cruz issue? The elites reveled in pointing out that any opposition to their tactics meant a vote for centralism and the status quo. Now, those who speak out against the blockades are being lumped into the "right-wingers" and arm-in-arm with the political parties.
Also, something that should be condemned is the racist commments and attitudes that are being used by those dismissing the blockaders, most of whom happen to be a largely of an indigenous background. This current state of conflict is pitting Indios vs. the mestizo.
Posted by eduardo at Marzo 20, 2005 08:33 PM
Comments
And an interesting article in the Bolivian press:
Piden militares para levantar bloqueos, no para gobernar
http://www.eldeber.com.bo/20050321/santacruz_2.html
Some quotes:
"Según un estudio elaborado por la empresa Captura Consulting para EL DEBER, la intervención militar donde más apoyo recibe es en las ciudades de La Paz (70%), Cochabamba (65,5%) y Santa Cruz (66,1), ya que son las más afectadas por los bloqueos y las movilizaciones de los diferentes sectores sociales."
And of course, the warning (albeit from an unlikely source):
"Esto también nos muestra que la gente está cansada de sentir que sus derechos constitucionales les están siendo negados, el derecho de expresión lo tienen, pero no así el de locomoción ni al del trabajo. Es normal que sea el paceño el que más añore un gobierno militar, ya que está tan perjudicado en sus actividades cotidianas y está cansado de esa situación. Es inquietante porque no va a faltar quien lea esto y lo tome como una invitación y toque la puerta de los cuarteles... "
Later.
Jonathan
PS: great photos, how I miss my city...
Posted by: Jonathan at Marzo 21, 2005 11:23 AM
Oh, Alvaro Garcia Linares! I love how he's described as an "analyist" rather than as a MAS advisor ...
Posted by: Miguel Centellas at Marzo 21, 2005 06:53 PM
He is an analyst on P.A.T. on the show "El Pentagono"
Posted by: eduardo at Marzo 22, 2005 11:07 AM
Yes, he's an "analyst" but everyone knows his sympathies. He's, therefore, more of a pundit. Like on Crossfire (and here on the left .. Alvaro, what do you think?). If I remember, isn't "El Pentagono" just a group of spinster/pundits from different perspectives spinning/punditring?
I've no problem w/ Alvaro. And I find him quite insightful often enough. But foreign press who take him as an "analyst" w/o reporting/knowing that he's clearly not an "objective" analyist creates problems. It's hard to say who is an objective analyst (though I think Mayorga, Lazarte, Toranzo fit the bill nicely). But people like Bedregal, Garcia Linares, Sacha Lloreti are activists, not analysts (in my opinion).
Posted by: Miguel Centellas at Marzo 23, 2005 02:53 AM