June 10, 2005
BOLIVIA'S CRISIS: AMID 'CHAOS,' A 'DESOLATE OUTLOOK'
KEY FINDINGS
** Bolivia's political
crisis is "a powder keg that can explode any time."
** Genesis of unrest is
"immense inequality" between Bolivia's rich and poor.
** Crisis adds "a new
element of instability" to Latin America's "already difficult"
situation.
MAJOR THEMES
Towards a 'dead-end street'--
In an environment of "utter confusion," Bolivian dailies said,
the country faces "one of the worst crises" in its history. La Paz's leftist La Prensa stated that
the cities of La Paz and El Alto "are about to collapse due to the drastic
siege imposed" by protest groups who "have turned the streets...into
trenches." Leading La Razon
agreed that El Alto's "entire population...is subject to the...fear of
suffering reprisals for not participating in mobilizations ordered by neighbors
and union chiefs or petty tyrants," terming it part of
"communist-style" organizers' "machinations to impose a totalitarian
regime on Bolivia." Papers faulted
the national Congress for acting with "tardiness" in addressing the
crisis; La Prensa asserted that "general elections as soon as
possible" were needed to "save the democratic system and preserve the
national unity." Brazil's financial
Valor Economico agreed, saying elections are the "only solution
capable" of providing a long-term solution for Bolivia's troubles.
'Divided between rich and poor, whites and indigenous'-- Analysts blamed Bolivia's democratic
"weakness" on "an economic structure of immense inequality that
is constantly triggering chaos." As
Guatemala's conservative La Hora put it, "marginalization,
exploitation, hunger and desperation are the source" for the country's
"lack of governability."
Writers highlighted the contrast between the "poor indigenous
majority and the minority of European descent that controls" Bolivia's
"wealthy Eastern sector."
Bolivia "is running several simultaneous risks" including
territorial division "or a civil dictatorship" supported by the
military. Chile's conservative La
Tercera viewed President Mesa's resignation as "only temporarily"
helping; speaking for many, it saw little prospect of a "permanent
solution" to the country's institutional and social crisis until
"Bolivian society comes together to support a national accord that
invests" all sectors of society "with a common future view."
'A metaphor' for Latin problems-- Noting that "numerous leftist
governments" had recently come to power in Latin America, commentators
observed that "hopes that market economy reforms" would ease the
lives of the poor "have remained unfulfilled." Bolivia's crisis, center-left Euro papers
argued, is a "visceral reaction" against "new enemy
images"--the U.S., globalization and "neoliberal" economic policies. Peruvian papers noted that "concern
extends beyond Bolivia"; center-left La Republica concluded
"what happens in Bolivia...affects Peru and is linked to the phenomenon
coursing through the Andean countries."
Writers in Argentina and Guatemala denied that "the hand of
president (Venezuela's) Hugo Chávez" was behind the crisis, but
conservative skeptics in Chile and Venezuela emphasized the "long-standing
ideological affinity and common political purposes" shared by "populist
left-wing seducers" like Chávez, Bolivian opposition leader Evo Morales
and Fidel Castro.
Prepared by Media Reaction Branch (202) 203-7888,
rmrmail@state.gov
EDITOR: Steven Wangsness
EDITOR'S NOTE: Media
Reaction reporting conveys the spectrum of foreign press sentiment. Posts select commentary to provide a
representative picture of local editorial opinion. Some commentary is taken directly from the
Internet. This report summarizes and
interprets foreign editorial opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views
of the U.S. Government. This analysis
was based on 38 reports from 17 countries June 2 - 10, 2005. Editorial excerpts are listed from the most
recent date.
WESTERN HEMISPHERE
BOLIVIA: "El Alto
Under Intimidation"
La Paz's leading La Razon commented (6/9): "In totalitarian regimes, whatever their
ideological sign may be, one way to submit the people to its will is
intimidation, terror.... That is what’s
happening in El Alto whose population surpasses 800,000, so it is not any tiny
town or abandoned village. While in
Bolivia a democratic system reigns, the entire population of El Alto is subject
to the intimidation of fear of suffering reprisals for not participating in the
mobilizations ordered by neighbor and union chiefs or petty tyrants. A 'commissioner' in the purest communist
style goes house by house with his tin of paint to mark the door of the
neighbors who resist participating in the social convulsion, the marches and
blockades. The mark is made so that
later, other 'commissioners' will order destruction to those houses. Another resources used against the population
is the imposition of fines to those who do not comply with the demands of the
Neighbors Federations. Who is
accountable for that money obtained through such tortuous means? Nobody. It is the reign of swindle and
embezzlement.... It is a falsehood from
neighbor and union leaders of that city who say that ‘social mobilizations’ are
the product of the sentiment of the masses.
Everything seems to indicate instead that it is all part of their
machinations to impose on Bolivia a totalitarian regime.”
"The Hour Of Truth"
La Paz's leftist La Prensa editorialized (6/8): "La Paz and El Alto are two cities that
are about to collapse due to the drastic siege imposed by the El Alto
Neighborhood Federations, supported by the regional Central Workers Union and a
series of campesino groups, miners and university students, who have turned the
streets of El Alto into trenches and those of La Paz in a battlefield of
aggression against its population. They
have constantly modified their demands, which implies that behind them, there
are obscure objectives and interests.
Added to this complex situation are the progressive paralysis of all
activities in La Paz due to the lack of fuel, the lack of medicines and oxygen,
the higher costs of the scarce food, the more than 60 blockades in the roads of
the nine provinces, the taking of the gas installations. As if this weren’t enough, the mobilizations
are increasingly more aggressive, showing authoritarian sentiments and an
obsessive predisposition towards confrontations.... All of that is building a powder keg that can
explode any time and, as we all know when playing with fire, we can all end up
burned. On the other hand, the way in which
the executive and legislative politicians are acting shows a high level of
insensitivity and a senseless search for the sectarian and partisan interests
over the common good, something not only intolerable but suicidal.... If we want to save the democratic system and
preserve the national unity and sovereignty, what must be done is to call for
general elections as soon as possible."
"Lawmakers' Responsibility"
La Paz daily El Diario held (6/8) "[Congress should be faulted for]
failing to fulfill its responsibility for resolving the situation...(after) the
two weeks of fear which have haunted La Paz....
[MPs are] waiting until the country is on the point of collapse...(and
must face the situation) with responsibility, ability and valor.... Precisely because of the MPs' tardiness, the
social groups which have been besieging La Paz have become more radical and
widened their demands.... To stop the
situation deteriorating even more, our national representatives need to pull
out all the stops to approve the legislation needed to put a brake on the
popular unrest."
"Mesa's Going But The Chaos Remains"
Cochabamba's Los Tiempos commented (6/8): "Nothing has been resolved as was
expected. On the contrary, the situation
has become more worrying and uncertain....
[Urgent action is needed to] bring back the situation to the realm of
democracy and the state of law, while at the same time repairing our desperate
image abroad.... In this scenario of
utter confusion, nothing has happened as was expected and desired and the
situation has become even more worrying and precarious."
"Crisis"
Santa Cruz's El Deber noted (6/8): "[Bolivia] is immersed in one of the
worst crises in its republican history....
The announcement the president intends to resign has left a feeling of
worrying uncertainty throughout the country....
The panorama is one of extreme gravity.... The country is on the verge of
suffocation.... Various of the principle
protagonists of this hazardous chapter in the nation's life--with their inflexible
attitudes leading to chaos and anarchy--are failing to measure the terrible
risks which Bolivia is facing."
"Another Setback For Democracy"
La Paz daily La Razon editorialized (6/8): "[The situation is] a profound crisis
for Bolivia.... [Mesa] could have been a
great president, but luck had it that the necessary political conditions were
against him, and it fell to him to have to face a ferocious and irrational
ideological onslaught.... Now, it's the
turn of the National Congress....
Parliamentarians must act with political wisdom.... The true will of the people is expressed only
via the ballot boxes. Whatever the
objective of this or that leader, such as that of nationalization, they will
have the opportunity to stand for the presidency and submit their plans to a
vote.... Now is not the time for more
confrontation."
ARGENTINA: "Bolivia,
Between Agreement And War"
Leading Clarin observed (6/9): "The situation in Bolivia is heading to
a dead end street in which there are two alternatives: the creation of some kind of agreement between
the social and political forces with representation or a civil war with
unpredictable consequences.... President
Mesa's government wasn't the origin but another consequence of the crisis that
rocks Bolivia. This is why his removal
doesn't solve the problem, but rather demands from its leaders a true national
agreement."
"Can There Be a Civil War?"
Claudio Uriarte opined in leftist Pagina 12
(6/9): "Can there be a civil war in
Bolivia? For the time being, it seems
not. In fact, the most pressing specter is the disintegration of the
country--the prosperous departments of Santa Cruz and Tarija voting in
referendums their secession from the poor western region--which could spark a
military rebellion.... But, as is the
case of a military coup, the scenario of a civil war seems to be several
squares away, even in Bolivia's complicated chessboard. This is because a civil war requires a
vertical rift in the armed forces, which hasn't materialized yet and wasn't
even insinuated.... Military warnings
against 'national disintegration' are quite an encouraging indication that this
division isn’t occurring.... But there
is another specter, equally disturbing, in the event that the armed forces take
to the streets: the horizontal
rift. This generally occurs when the
military are sent to crush rioters and then, after some days of
massacre--particularly if the revolt doesn’t subside--soldiers and non commissioned
officers--and possibly a sector of intermediate cadres too--start disobeying
orders from their commanders. We must
bear in mind that these military levels are recruited among and belong to the
same social sectors they are sent to suppress:
and in a moment, the chain of command is destroyed. This was what speeded up the fall of Sanchez
de Lozada in 2003 but, unlike 2003, in the present crisis there isn't a clear
figure on which to yield power."
"Who Wins In Bolivia?"
Business-financial Ambito Financiero
stated (6/8): "Everything leads to
chaos--and, 'the dead are near', admitted a journalist these past days--due to
the absolute impossibility to solve so many interests at stake. Without Santa Cruz de la Sierra and without
Tarija, the 'residual Bolivia', without the rich areas, without the
departments, with more gas and more oil, might end up substituting Haiti as the
'poorest country in the hemisphere'. And
chaos would continue. Today, the
difference with Haiti is that Bolivia is built on underlying riches, but if its
departments or richer provinces seek autonomy, everything changes. The bellicosity of the Bolivian
people...makes it practically impossible to reach peaceful UN solutions, like
in Haiti. Who's the mid-term
winner? Probably, Brazil, because it
doesn't depend on Bolivia's gas, like Argentina."
"Blind And Suicidal"
International editor Marcelo Cantelmi wrote in
leading Clarin (6/8): "A
deeper analysis of the Bolivian crisis sheds a brighter light. The U.S., that resents the fact that Latin
Americans blame the IMF for [their] countries' misfortunes, insists today,
however, in saying that Bolivia's crisis can't be attributed to domestic
pillage, but to the hand of Venezuela's regime for fueling this disaster. The truth is that the weakness of democracy,
not only in Bolivia, has less to do with a political flaw than with an economic
structure of immense inequality that is constantly triggering chaos.... It's striking to see the surprise of the
establishment and a good portion of the political leadership at this fury when
nobody designed a...plan for a population that is rich in theory, but is
persistently kept away from those riches.
The economic and social contradictions explain the collapse of
democracy. There is much of suicidal
blindness in this lack of understanding."
"Tuning"
Hinde Pomeraniec wrote in leading Clarin (6/4): "There is a tuning problem between the
timing of president Mesa and that of those protesting for weeks on the
streets. With a capital city under siege
and on the verge of famine, Carlos Mesa imagined that calling a referendum for
October would send protesters home. A
historian and a journalist himself, although a little-experienced politician,
the Bolivian president seems deaf to the spirit of urgencies. His task is not an easy one because the claim
is not just one, just like the opposition does not belong to one political
party. The wealthy Eastern sector is
asking for autonomy to ensure its property holdings, while the ill-treated
Western sector is asking for a new Constitution guaranteeing social
justice. It is not easy to predict a
happy consensus with such opposite agendas."
BRAZIL: "Bolivia
Nearing Political Disintegration"
Business-oriented Valor Economico editorialized
(6/10): "Bolivia is once again on
the eve of social disintegration....
President Carlos Mesa has resigned for the second time. The nation is running several simultaneous
risks--of a territorial splitting or a civil dictatorship supported by the
Armed Forces.... The prospect of general
elections is the only one capable of bringing some solution to the nation’s
future. It is the only solution capable
of paving the way for a more balanced relation between representative political
forces and those conducting the movements furiously rallying on the streets to
the political battlefield in the Congress....
The interruption of gas supplying has not been discarded in a turbulent
scenario. Brazil, that imports 24
million square meters of Bolivian gas per day, has a big problem on its
hands.... Given the instability in
Bolivia, the best Brazil should do is to reduce its dependence on Bolivian
sources to a prudent level."
"The Bolivian Puzzle"
Center-right O Globo editorialized (6/9): "If the final declaration on Bolivia issued
by the OAS in Fort Lauderdale is anything to go about, the hemispherical
organization will play a modest part in the crisis engulfing the Andean
country. In the document, the 34
countries went only so far as to ask for calm and respect to human rights by
the Bolivian authorities.... The OAS
Inter-American Democratic Declaration, by which the member countries are
committed to protect constitutional law in the Americas, can only come into
force by the initiative of the threatened country, in this case, Bolivia
herself. Nevertheless, it is obvious
that Bolivia needs help and neighbors cannot afford to turn a blind
eye.... Brazil is part of the Bolivian
imbroglio and that makes direct diplomatic action unlikely. But isn’t it the case for Brazilian authorities,
together with their counterparts in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, call for
the democratic article in Mercosul, of which Bolivia is associated member? This mechanism worked in the last Paraguayan
political crises and is a pressure instrument that, if well used, could
persuade the protagonists of Bolivian drama to make concessions, the very first
step for any negotiated solution."
CHILE: "Bolivia In The
Eye Of The Hemisphere"
Peruvian writer Alvaro Vargas Llosa opined in conservative,
independent La Tercera (6/9):
"There are three attitudes toward the Bolivian crisis in the
hemisphere. First, that the U.S. and its
closest allies--Central America, Colombia, and from a greater distance,
Chile--who are concerned Bolivia could fall into the Castro-Chávez
axis.... Then there are the
countries--Brazil and Argentina--without major ideological differences with the
agitating groups or objections to the idea of nationalizing natural gas but
that recognize the negative repercussions of a democratic collapse or the rise
of a populist leader in Bolivia on their countries. Cuba and Venezuela head the third group. Although Venezuela’s foreign minister has
dismissed Roger Noriega’s accusations that Caracas had intervened in the
crisis, a month ago Evo Morales attended a radical left-wing conference in
Havana and announced nationwide mobilizations.... These continental divisions have made
concrete resolutions in the OAS impossible....
The dice have been thrown. Now we
must wait to see if Bolivia’s congressional leaders are willing to open the way
for the Supreme Court's chief justice to call for a new election.”
"The Resignation Of Bolivia's President"
Conservative, independent La Tercera editorialized
(6/8): “Bolivia's institutional
weakness, the resultant perpetual governance crisis, its social divisions, and
the lack of actors to guarantee...social peace and political latitude to emerge
from the tunnel...leave no room for any leadership--regardless of its strength
or capability--to take control of the country’s reigns.... President Mesa’s resignation is a thus a step
that will only temporarily calm things....
The outlook is desolate. There is
no hint of anyone in Bolivian society, at least for now, with the necessary
level of credibility to begin any project whatsoever.... All indications are that the conclusion of an
electoral process there will bring another crisis period. That is why Bolivia's foreign minister's
request that the OAS General Assembly support the next president and supervise
democratic order in Bolivia was positive.
Until Bolivian society comes together to support a national accord that
invests each and every sector with a common future view, none of this seems a
permanent solution.”
"Bolivia’s Constitutional Crisis"
Conservative afternoon daily La Segunda observed
(6/7): "Irrespective of the
attitude Bolivian authorities take, this crisis clearly affects...the whole
region.... Worse yet, it adds a new
element of instability to the already difficult political, economic, and social
situation in South America...particularly if one of the populist leaders who
has exacerbated the conflict imposes himself.
Out of basic solidarity and also in support of its national interest,
Chile wants Bolivia to find a peaceful solution to this anomalous situation and
to recover its internal normalcy.”
"Bolivia’s Drama"
Center-left Diario Siete remarked (6/8): “It’s terribly unfortunate that Bolivia has
been unable to break its vicious circle of institutional breakdowns.... There is abundant historical evidence that
countries faced with anarchy or dictatorship choose the latter, but...this is a
false solution, because dictatorships never resolve the real problem. On the contrary, they create worse
ones.... There will be no long-lasting
solution to the Bolivia situation if there is no agreement among the principal
political forces regarding Bolivia’s governance.... It is evident that the region cannot remain
with its arms folded.... Bolivian forces
must be encouraged to dismiss bloodshed and to try to continue living in
freedom and to establish a basic agreement to overcome the crisis, assure
internal peace, and give the country stability.”
GUATEMALA: "Lessons
From Bolivia"
Moderate, leading Prensa Libre editorialized (6/9): "We are talking about the top example of
lack of governability and of economic, social and political chaos, with the
additional devastating characteristic that in higher or lesser degree it can be
extended to the width and length of Latin America, applying in current life the
old theory of the domino effect utilized in the Cold War Era.... What happened in Bolivia is the result of a
mix of various factors. On the one hand,
the anti-American spirit is being reborn in some places in the continent for
reasons ranging from plainly justified to those that only can be explained as
visceral and above all anachronistic reactions in response to criteria of the
fortunately already overcome Cold War....
The most evident representative of this is Venezuela’s Hugo
Chávez.... Populism also is
responsible.... Why do populist leaders
emerge--those whose actions would not do anything less than destroying
democracies? This leads us to think
about analyzing the politicians´ role as a group.... The Carlos Andrés Pérez, the Alfonso
Portillo, the Daniel Ortega, the Carlos Menem, the Allan García, just to
mention a few, are the symbol of a class of politicians only interested in robbery,
stealing public funds by their own means or by those of their relatives and
political gang. It cannot be denied that
in Latin America a process is taking place of what could be called
‘efferegization’, ‘riosmontization’ or ‘portillization’ of political activity.”
"Lack Of Governability In Bolivia"
Oscar Clemente Marroquín had this to say in conservative, often
anti-American La Hora (6/9):
"There are those who, as the United States did in the OAS’s
Assembly, say that these things (political crisis of lack of governability,
e.g., in Ecuador and Bolivia) happen because Chávez sticks his hands everywhere
and blame the Venezuelan government for everything that happens, as it was done
in the past with the Castro regime....
Overall, Latin Americans, particularly politicians and the ruling class
in our countries, are reluctant to admit the cause-effect relationship between
poverty and political and social unrest....
The high authorities in the Untied States simplify the issue, thinking
that the political turmoil is the result of some foreign maneuver.... Marginalization, exploitation, hunger and
desperation are the source for the lack of governability, and this is something
that seen from Europe’s perspective seems so evident, but from the perspective
of the centers of power in Latin America is not even perceived."
PERU: "Dramatic
Bolivian Election: Between Democracy And
Anarchy"
Center-right, influential leading daily El Comercio stated
(6/8): "After the forced
resignation of president Carlos Mesa, which should be approved by the congress,
the volatile situation in Bolivia represents a hard challenge before the
political class and social leaders. But
concern extends beyond Bolivia to all the countries in the region, who watch
impotently...as another cycle of anarchy weakens the democratic system and
threatens the future of Bolivia....
Peruvians wish that this situation is resolved soon. But at the same time should be alert and observe
attentively the development of facts in Bolivia.... There is a lesson to learn and that we should
not wait for things go slip through our fingers before we act.... In Bolivia, the government didn't know how to
react opportunely and firmly in response to the movements of certain radical
groups looking for instability, some of them linked to coca growers and drug
trafficking.... There are certainly
social and historic problems claims to solve, but violence is not the way to do
it. As history has proved, the
democratic system and a free trade economy are the best way to promote
sustainable development."
"Concern For Bolivia"
Center-left La Republica concluded (6/8): "We must pay great attention to what
happens in Bolivia, because it affects Peru and is linked to the phenomenon
coursing through the Andean countries which was also seen recently in
Ecuador. Meanwhile, we can only hope
that the Bolivian political and social forces can reach agreement on a peaceful
solution to this crisis, the worst in the twenty years since Bolivia's restored
democracy."
VENEZUELA: "Poor
Bolivia"
José Tomás Angola Heredia commented in sensationalist daily 2001
(6/9): “I watch Evo Morales on TV and I
don’t know why he sounds to me like a liar, a mass hypnotizer and then a man
who would not live up to the hopes of the Bolivian people. Morales is the typical arsonist, a man who
capitalizes on the hatred that in Bolivia has been on the increase for
centuries. But he is not the solution to
the crisis in Bolivia. He is only a step
towards the precipice, like Chávez in Venezuela. The reason is that he doesn’t have either the
talent or the spirit to build anything.
He’s come to destroy. Behind them
is the most recent invader of Bolivia [Fidel Castro]. He supports Evo and Hugo to continue with the
implosion of the hemisphere.”
"Hugo And Evo’s Sin"
Journalist Roberto Giusti commented in leading conservative daily El
Universal (6/9): "[President]
Hugo Chávez and [Bolivian opposition leader] Evo Morales’s long-standing
ideological affinity and common political purposes, shared with Fidel Castro
and the region’s former left-wing guerrilla leaders such as the Salvadorian
Shafik Nadal, are so evident that nobody can deny them. Then, how can Venezuela’s foreign affairs minister
Rodríguez Araque reject, ‘filled with outrage,’ Roger Noriega’s accusations
that Chávez has played a role in Bolivia’s political crisis? The protests of Chávez’s intervention in
Bolivia’s internal affairs go back to the times of Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada,
who denounced Chávez for being behind the riots that led to his ouster. Former President Jorge Quiroga also wrote a
letter to Chávez, las December, after he had said that Evo Morales would be the
next president of Bolivia, warning him ‘my country’s political future depends
only on Bolivians.’"
EUROPE
GERMANY: "Latin
America"
Hildegard Stausberg opined in an editorial in right-of-center Die
Welt of Berlin (6/9): "The
specter of ungovernability is haunting Latin America...but an increase in anti-Americanism
should let the alarm bells ring in Europe.
The widespread malice that the 'gringos' are increasingly unable to get
their backyard under control is misplaced.
There is no doubt that the Americans made mistakes. But what about the Europeans? They like to refer to their historical links
to the region. But when it comes to
agricultural subsidies they have insisted for decades on their advantages--to
the disadvantage of Latin America.
Brussels must be blamed that the opponents to free trade were able to
gain so much support. A critical taking
stock of Europe's policy towards Latin America is necessary. This includes a realistic analysis of the
security situation and a rethinking of their attitude towards left-wing
populist seducers like Venezuela's Hugo Chávez or Bolivia's Evo Morales."
"Mass And Helplessness"
Peter Burghardt had this to say in an editorial in center-left Sueddeutsche
Zeitung of Munich (6/8): "In
reality, the poorest and most unstable Latin American country is
wealthy.... The revenue of the raw
material of the country would easily be enough for the nine million
inhabitants, but instead, half of the population must live on two dollars a
day.... The chaos of the past few days
is only the latest culmination of a tragic history.... The gap between poor and rich is burdening
Latin America as a whole.... Nowhere in
the world has there been a more unfair distribution of wealth. The U.S., globalization, neo-liberalism are
the new enemy images. Across the
continent, we hear the people calling:
'We are the people,' where homogenous states have never developed on the
continent, but where the excluded are getting more self-confident. Protest movements in Bolivia, but also in
Ecuador and Argentina, are ousting presidents.
The rebels despise parliaments and the corrupt parties.... Bolivia's President Mesa tried to peacefully
settle the conflict, but the camps are excessively hostile. In the past the military would have staged a
coup. This can still happen, but the
generals are no longer considered a solution; a civilian way out is now
considered a solution. Bolivia is the
litmus test for a region, which is threatened by a conflagration. But a new Ché Guevara is not necessary; he
failed with his attempt for a global revolution. An electoral day is rather necessary and the
willingness for reforms and a fairer distribution of the treasures of the
country. Otherwise the state which is
named after Simon Bolivar, the man who wanted to free the peoples along the
Andes from bondage, will disintegrate."
"Politically Immature"
Business daily Handelsblatt of Duesseldorf observed
(6/8): "Bolivia is a permanent
trouble spot, even though the poorest country in South America gets most of the
international development assistance.
But thus far, it has not been able to make a considerable contribution
to putting democracy on more stable feet or to improving the standard of living
of the poor population groups. On the
contrary, it has rather contributed to keeping the country in a pose of a
passive opening of hands, instead of finding agreements on its raw material
resources and of exploiting them to the benefit of the people.... The international community can do nothing in
Bolivia. The only solution would be
early elections and a simultaneous decentralization. The radical leaders of the lower class assume
political responsibility at the local and national level to become politically
more mature, even if this continues the economic decline of the country for the
time being. President Carlos Mesa was
the best politician the centrist camp in Bolivia was able to offer. Since he failed to reach a consensus in a
split society that is divided between the poor and the rich, the whites and the
Indians, only a representative of the opposition remains, as radical as this
change may be. Bolivia must become
mature after all."
"Without Participation"
Werner Balsen noted in an editorial in left-of-center Frankfurter
Rundschau (6/8): "The wealthy
people in Bolivia have never been interested in the promotion of disadvantaged
regions and an appropriate participation of the Indian population in social
life, irrespective of whether presidents or generals were in power. The remarkable thing is only that this has
given a social movement strength and influence, even though its program is even
'exotic' for left-wingers in South America:
nationalization of raw material and an end to any form of
privatization. But its leaders have not
yet said how the raw material can be used for the benefit of the people in view
of corruption and a lack of infrastructure in Bolivia."
"A Question Of Time"
Center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine editorialized
(6/2): "Protesting farmers, trade
unionists on strike, blocked roads and looted shops; the pictures from Bolivia
might appear similar to those years ago, but we should look at it more closely. For a long time it has no longer been about
price hikes or certain laws. It is
neither about the president or the constitution of the country. At risk is nothing less than the state of
Bolivia. The 'winners of the
modernization' in the lowlands, which is rich in resources, are no longer
willing to allow the 'losers of the modernization' in the highlands to block
the path to globalization.... There is
no solution in sight. It appears to be
only a question of time until the military seizes the power in South America's
poorest country."
ITALY: "Collapsing
Bolivia Divides Europe and U.S."
Loris Zanatta wrote in Rome's center-left Il Messaggero
(6/8): “There’s no use denying it, in
Bolivia there’s a crisis of rejection of the West--a visceral reaction against
the characteristics of its identity: market
economy and representative democracy, as also in Venezuela and Ecuador, and
possibly soon to spread to Peru.... Many
in Europe and in Latin America are ready to celebrate the new prodigal son, the
Bolivian Chávez who could stand up and avenge the suffering inflicted on
helpless people by global capitalism....
In Washington, however, the single idea that an emulator of Caracas’
caudillo could take the reins of power in Bolivia generates nightmares and
evokes phantoms: is Latin America, long
neglected, becoming again a treacherous place for the West’s interests and
values?”
RUSSIA: "A
Swarthy-Faced Revolution"
Artur Blinov wrote in centrist Nezavisimaya Gazeta
(6/9): “The U.S. administration’s
cautious reaction to current events in Bolivia contrasts with its preoccupation
with democratization in the Greater Middle East and ‘color’ revolutions in
post-Soviet republics. Apparently,
Washington does not see South America’s leftward march as a sign of progress
toward freedom and democracy. Its
restrained reaction is due to a lack of clout.
The United States has clearly lost control of the situation in South
America.”
"Non-Violent Protest As Way To Solve Problems"
Sergey Strokan commented in business-oriented Kommersant
(6/8): "Actions by Bolivian Indians
are a vivid illustration of the U.S. president’s pet subject. All ’velvet’ revolutions, characteristically,
have something in common, which shows in similar patterns of the behavior of
people acting independently of each other.
The Bolivian events show that the modern-day world has rediscovered
non-violent protest as a way to solve problems, with legal mechanisms lacking
or existing only on paper. But this
doesn’t mean that George Bush is behind what is going on, as some seem to
believe. It is just that the U.S.
president’s aides have been able to sense that trend and, thinking
pragmatically, decided to make use of it in the United States’ interests. Coming forward as the leader of nations
taking their destiny into their own hands is a no-lose lottery for Mr. Bush,
helping maintain his image as the man responsible for the rest of
humankind. Indeed, as ‘velvet’
revolutions continue, the U.S. president will ride on top of the wave. Guessing where the next revolution will take
place is an exciting and difficult job.
Vast ‘grey zones’ or ‘black holes’ on the map of the world with morally
defunct regimes provide an arena for future cataclysms. Knowing that makes it unimportant which of
the regimes falls next."
AUSTRIA: "The
Rebellion Of Those Left Out"
Senior editor Helmut L. Mueller commented in independent Salzburger
Nachrichten (6/9): "The mood in
Latin America has undergone a change.
True, the continent formerly dominated by despots has for the most part
returned to democracy. However, hopes
that market economy reforms following the U.S. model could help the majority of
the people to get out of their misery have remained unfulfilled. Instead, the social divide has become more
accentuated; nowhere in the world is the gap between rich and poor as large as
in Latin America. This undermines
democracy. Those left out are trying
rebellion. Numerous leftist governments
have come to power. They increasingly
display an attitude critical of the U.S., especially Brazil, which is striving
to become a major regional power.
President Lula, in his role as leader of the Latinos, does not hesitate
to challenge Washington's political and economic ambitions. The reputation of the U.S. giant in Latin
America has hit a new low. Mexico's
President Fox has learned that, for the U.S., the fight against terror is
trump. The Latinos have the impression
that Washington is primarily concerned with its own economic advantage. The Latin American governments do not even
like the U.S. ban of Cuba's despotic ruler Fidel Castro."
SPAIN: "Bolivia Falls
Into The Abyss"
Conservative La Razon stated (6/10): "If the alliance among natives and coca
growers continues with its revolutionary radicalism, and bothering the oil and
gas industry, the future of Bolivia will take a path with a difficult end that
won't benefit anyone except Chávez and Castro."
"Bolivia As The Metaphor of Latin America's Problems"
Independent El Mundo took this view (6/10): "What is happening in this country is
the reflection of Latin America's evils and a mirror of what could happen in
other nations, such as Peru or Ecuador, where social unease is growing and
disappointment in political reform is increasing. In all these countries, such as in Venezuela,
what has happened in the last few years is the collapse of the traditional political
parties and their leaders.... The tandem
that Chávez and Castro form is acting as the real focus of the export of a
populist and revolutionary model fed with Venezuelan oil money. And it's in this context of social decrease
that indigenous leaders can act as triggers of confrontation. There are no easy recipes for Bolivia, nor
for Latin America, but experience shows that only a democratic solution...can
help relieve the paralysis that is driving an 'Africanization' of the
continent."
"Breathless"
Left-of-center El País editorialized (6/8): "The problem in Bolivia is not about
people. The Andean country imperatively
needs to find a common ground between its poor indigenous majority and the
minority of European descent that controls the resources of the fertile
east. Without an agreement on abundant
gas, the constitution, and regional autonomy, Bolivia rides on to become a
failing state.... Chaos leads to the
paralysis of positions, not to the calming of differences. This is the perfect breeding ground for
tempting the Bolivian military, with an impeccable pro-coup tradition.... The reinvention of the country that nestles
in the aspirations of indigenous communities...is, for the moment,
utopian.... Such differing aspirations
(of the two groups) demand the nonexistent strength of the state, and an
exceptional dose of collective moderation that is also lacking in
Bolivia."
"The Bolivian Crisis"
Centrist La Vanguardia argued (6/8): "Many observers see the hand of
president Hugo Chávez behind the indigenous movement.... But it is certain that the Bolivian
socio-political situation does not need too many external pyromaniacs in order
to favor ignition. Bolivia...will
probably need external help and advice and, in this sense, the OAS, whose assembly
is meeting in...Fort Lauderdale at this moment, can and should collaborate to
find a pacific way out of the crisis.
But, of course, the forces united by...Evo Morales (leader of the
Movement Towards Socialism-MAS), will have to go to the ballot boxes and
respect their verdict."
"Bolivia, On The Brink Of Abyss"
Conservative ABC concluded (6/8): "Resignation by Bolivian President
Carlos Mesa is the worst symptom of the extraordinary seriousness of the
situation.... No matter who will assume
the responsibility of leading the country, he will very likely have to choose
between paying attention to the demonstrators who are asking for the
nationalization of the gas industry, or using the force of the state in order
to try to put order in the streets of the capital...if he is not able to persuade
the parties to accept softening their positions for the sake of the common good of the country."
"Explosive Bolivia"
Left-of-center El País commented (6/4): "Bolivia is losing its way, although the
conventional institutions of power continue to exist. With the president cornered and Congress
nearly paralyzed, the convulsive Andean country rides through a wave of
misgovernment in which the more relevant elements are incessant demonstrations,
road blockades, strikes, and political resignations.... Mesa, an independent politician without a
parliamentary base, confronts a mission all the more impossible because his
role borders on being irrelevant.... A
weak country such as Bolivia, without institutions able to articulate firm and
democratic answers at the same time, cannot stand to be faced by such contrary
political parties for much more time.
Much more serious than Mesa's political survival is the risk that in
this chaos the Bolivian military will present themselves once again as the
saviors."
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