Autonomy Vote in Bolivia

Submitted by fyl on 7 May, 2008 - 06:23.

A Real News Network video takes a look at the situation. As the video points out, it is the "white" minority wanting to maintain control like they have for over 400 years. I liken it to the idea that California might have decided to vote to leave the U.S. in 1950.

In the video, the reporter makes reference to the CIA, NED and others that have supported this separatist movement. In a short video clip this clearly can't be explored but it has been pretty well documented in other sources.

Possibly most important, the U.S. press has tended to ignore Bolivia since Evo Morales took office in spite of lots of changes and lots of newsworthy happenings. But, the separatist vote seems to be "news". The reporter (who lives in Brazil) sees this vote/movement going nowhere as it has no support in the rest of Latin America.

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More background

Submitted by fyl on 9 May, 2008 - 09:02.

A new RNN video adds some background to this issue. A major point being made is that Santa Cruz received benefit from the mining business in Western Bolivia but the regions where the mining took place did not. Today, with the tables turned (that is, Morales wants to redistribute gas and oil wealth from the Eastern regions including Santa Cruz to the rest of the country), the Santa Cruz landowners don't want to play the "let's share" game anymore.

it is the "white" minority...

Submitted by mjt on 7 May, 2008 - 12:31.

Perhaps only in Bolivia (and maybe parts of Peru) would this minority be considered "White"; if these same exact people were in Central America or almost any other place in the Americas, no one would refer to them as being "White". This is not a criticism of this post, since it merely repeats the terminology used in so many other places, and in so many other news sources. It is perhaps interesting that the majority in Bolivia is so fond of slogans such as "stop the racism", while insisting on referring to those who disagree with them as being "white", when as a factual matter they simply are not white.

What does "White" mean

Submitted by dirtbag on 7 May, 2008 - 14:14.

Guys like me? white anglo saxon scotsmen? or is it that they have lived for a few generations in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia Etc, and that they are just not indigenous?

Simply repeating the Chavez /Telesur story line

Submitted by bluewater on 7 May, 2008 - 08:22.

Please FYL this is old news. All day Sunday the Chavistas repeated the same propaganda line on the ALBA house organ TELESUR. It is comical to watch politicians who espouse a policy of change via direct democracy choke on their rhetoric when a local population votes against them. What a shock, not a peep last night by Evo Morales about supporting direct democracy during his speech in Managua. I wonder how direct democracy will play out in the RAAN when the people in Puerto Cabezas finally get a chance to vote in the mayoral elections.

Not really

Submitted by fyl on 7 May, 2008 - 08:34.

I don't think people in the U.S. get to watch TELESUR. Again, as I stated, this is like 1950s California voting to leave the U.S. Sure, Santa Cruz is rich in natural gas and the "white" people there generally have more money than the average person in Bolivia.

As for comparing it to elections in Port, it seems a bit different to vote for a mayor or vote to effectively form a new country.

Sorry Sir, Exactly On Point

Submitted by bluewater on 7 May, 2008 - 09:47.

The political analyst was parroting the same propaganda as TELESUR, including the unsupported statement that ALL of South America stands behind the Evo Morales government. Look again, only the ALBA members have taken a position against the Santa Cruz autonomy vote. At least the other Latin American countries had the good sense to respect an internal electon and not compare it to an imaginary California vote fifty eight years ago. Whether people get the chance to see TELESUR or not in the US or not has nothing to do with the fact that the RNN piece is exactly the same as the TELESUR propaganda and the same tired line has been endlessly repeated here in Nicaragua on all of the government controlled media. As an aside, if TELESUR content was not just a constant replay of Hugo Chavez speeches and anti imperialist attack pieces it might get some audience in other jurisdictions.

Finally, the right to suffrage and to make decisions via popular vote is the essence of democracy. Whether it is for dog catcher, mayor or regional autonomy, the right to decision via citizens voting is the crucial distinguishing element of a democratic society. Using your skewed logic we need more democracy and respect for election results for certain types of elections and less for others. Inevitably, after falling down that slippery slope comes tyranny.