From xxxxxx <[email protected]>
Subject Bolivia Shows us What is Possible
Date October 17, 2021 12:05 AM
  Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
  Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
[Bolivia’s rapid social progress under a left-wing government
and ability to suffer a right-wing coup then overcome it through mass
mobilisation is a source of hope and optimism for the international
left.] [[link removed]]

BOLIVIA SHOWS US WHAT IS POSSIBLE  
[[link removed]]

 

Ken Livingstone
October 10, 2021
Morning Star
[[link removed]]


*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
* [[link removed]]

_ Bolivia’s rapid social progress under a left-wing government and
ability to suffer a right-wing coup then overcome it through mass
mobilisation is a source of hope and optimism for the international
left. _

Supporters of MAS defy right-wing ‘interim’ coup leader Jeanine
Anez in La Paz, November 15 2019,

 

The politics of the post-cold war period were originally dominated by
the famous claim of Francis Fukuyama that we had reached “the end of
history” — neoliberalism was now the only game in town and in the
words of our own champion of Chicago school economics, there was “no
alternative” to letting the market run riot.

All of us who believe in prioritising the future of people and planet
ahead of private profit owe a huge debt of thanks to left forces in
Latin America for providing the first major challenge to this
doctrine.

In addition to the remarkable survival of the Cuban revolution, the
turn of the century saw what became known as the “pink tide” —
the election of numerous governments across the region which shared a
common commitment to addressing the needs of the majority and ending
the days of being treated as the “back yard” of the US.

The importance of Bolivia’s role in this process should never be
understated.

Coming off the back of a mass struggle against US-backed attempts to
destroy the country’s cocoa plants, the election of Movement for
Socialism (MAS) candidate Evo Morales as president in 2006 represented
a radical new direction.

The days of economic policy being set by the World Bank and
International Monetary Fund were brought to a swift end, with
government programmes helping reduce poverty and extreme poverty by 25
per cent and 43 per cent respectively.

A new free healthcare system was introduced, praised by the World
Health Organisation as an “important model for the world.”

Constitutional changes enshrined the rights of Bolivia’s indigenous
communities, as well as acknowledging the state’s obligation to
ensure access to housing, education and food for all citizens (with
Unesco declaring illiteracy eradicated in 2009).

On the global stage, Morales called for the world’s wealthiest
countries to divert military spending towards serious measures to
tackle climate change, denounced the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and
helped bring about increased regional co-operation through bodies such
as the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (Alba).

Predictably, these policies meant the government made powerful enemies
at home and abroad.

Within two years a recall referendum was held, in which Morales
secured over 67 per cent of the vote.

Right-wing groups responded to this with a programme of
destabilisation intended to remove the government, culminating in a
massacre in which 12 indigenous supporters of MAS were killed.

It was later revealed that the US government provided $4.5 million
(£3.3m) to those at the heart of this attempted coup.

Attempts to undermine the MAS administration never ended: Morales was
notably even forced to land in Austria in 2013 when France, Italy and
Spain denied a presidential flight access to their airspace after he
had indicated a willingness to offer asylum to National Security
Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.

After his re-election six years later, the US-dominated Organisation
of American States (OAS) alleged fraud amid vicious protests from
right-wing opposition groups — a report from Washington-based think
tank, the Center for Economic and Policy Research, subsequently found
that the OAS presented “no evidence, no statistics, numbers, or
facts of any kind” to support their claims.

Threats of violence from sections of the Bolivian military prompted
Morales to resign. What followed was an “interim government” which
served as an example of the reactionary, brutal reality of “regime
change” in Latin America.

Within months of coming to power, the coup administration granted
immunity to members of the security forces responsible for the deaths
of 19 protesters who had been rallying in support of their elected
president.

Over 200 Cuban doctors were kicked out of the country, just months
before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and ministers eagerly
embarked on privatisations.

Despite initially claiming to be focused on facilitating new
elections, they were committed to overseeing a destruction of the
legacy of the previous 13 years.

With this offensive waged against them and their longstanding
figurehead forced not only out of office but into exile, MAS was
operating in immensely difficult circumstances — but provided
courageous and strategically astute leadership.

Working with trade unions, social movements and indigenous groups, the
party was able to help build mass resistance to the unelected
government.

Despite several attempts to further delay them (and block any MAS
candidate from standing), these mobilisations ultimately forced new
presidential elections.

Support for the coup regime was so low that the incumbent Jeanine Anez
withdrew, urging a right-wing alliance in support of former president
Carlos Mesa.

But once again, ordinary Bolivians made themselves heard and a year
ago this month MAS’s Luis Arce was elected with over 55 per cent of
the vote in the first round.

Since gaining office he has sought to restore and build on the gains
made when the party was previously in power: launching a bold wealth
tax and financial support to over four million citizens to help
eliminate hunger.

The heroism and resilience of this popular movement has inspired
progressives around the world.

In what is undoubtedly a difficult period for the left here in
Britain, it’s important we avoid slipping into defeatism and keep in
mind what socialists have been able to achieve in the face of intense
adversity.

We should all support the work of organisations like Friends of
Bolivia in telling the truth about social progress and building
international solidarity.

*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
* [[link removed]]

 

 

 

INTERPRET THE WORLD AND CHANGE IT

 

 

Submit via web [[link removed]]
Submit via email
Frequently asked questions [[link removed]]
Manage subscription [[link removed]]
Visit xxxxxx.org [[link removed]]

Twitter [[link removed]]

Facebook [[link removed]]

 




[link removed]

To unsubscribe, click the following link:
[link removed]
Screenshot of the email generated on import

Message Analysis

  • Sender: Portside
  • Political Party: n/a
  • Country: United States
  • State/Locality: n/a
  • Office: n/a
  • Email Providers:
    • L-Soft LISTSERV