President resigns as protests paralyse Bolivia

[bolsheviki]

President resigns as protests paralyse Bolivia

World News

June 07, 2005

President resigns as protests paralyse Bolivia
By Sam Knight, Times Online

Bolivia is in political crisis today after President
Carlos Mesa offered his resignation last night amid
angry demonstrations and a blockade of the country's
capital city, La Paz.

President Mesa, a political independent with little
party support in Congress, offered to leave power last
night in the face of enormous protests from Bolivia's
Indian population and poorer communities, who demand
the nationalisation of the country's energy reserves,
the second largest in South America.

For the last two weeks, La Paz has been effectively
blockaded by the protests, with trenches and
roadblocks in the satellite city of El Alto
controlling the access of gasoline, meat and bread to
the city. And on Monday night, thousands of
protesters, including Indians, students and miners
throwing sticks of dynamite into the air, approached
the presidential palace.

Appealing for calm and a lifting of the blockade,
President Mesa announced his resignation in a late
night television broadcast: "It is my responsibilty to
say that this is as far as it can go. I have taken the
decision to present my resignation from the
presidency."

In view of the unrest, Israel yesterday started to
airlift Israeli tourists from Bolivia, flying
backpackers to Juliaca in neighbouring Peru.

Congress must accept President Mesa's resignation for
it to become effective, and last night the head of
Congress, Hormando Vaca Diez, announced that he would
decide today when to call a session. President Mesa, a
historian and former news anchor, also offered his
resignation last month, but that was seen as a
political ploy to lower tensions in the country.

President Mesa has apparently succumbed to the
intractable problems that he promised to solve when he
took office nineteen months ago. He was unable to
bring a truce between Bolivia's indigenous Indian
population and the poorer parts of the country, which
want to see the country's energy industry
nationalised, and the wealthier, eastern part of
Bolivia, which has benefited from the presence of
foreign oil and gas companies. President Mesa has also
had to contend with demands for autonomy for the
eastern regions of the country.

The current crisis started last month after Congress
passed a new energy law, which raised taxes on foreign
companies working in the Andean country. Indian and
opposition leaders said the law did not go far enough
to benefit ordinary Bolivians.

Under the constitution, if Congress accepts President
Mesa's resignation then power will pass to the head of
Congress, Hormando Vaca Diez, until elections can be
held.

But last night, opposition groups called for his
resignation too. Evo Morales, an indigenous leader,
told Reuters that both Mr Vaca Diez and the leader of
the lower chamber of Congress should leave their
posts.

Violent protests over natural gas policy accounted for
the last Bolivian president, Gonzalo Sanchez de
Lozada, in 2003.

--
Posted by Bosheviki (NYC)

[Matty_UK]

So what's next for Bolivia? Could we see a socialist government taking place?

[Matty_UK]

I hope they join with Cuba and Venezuela to help create a new trading bloc independant of the FTAA. I think that the only way for poorer countries to pull themselves out of poverty is by uniting and proving they don't need the first world.

[RedAnarchist]

This action is Bolivia is just part of the revolutionary flames currently heating up Latin America. I wouldnt be surprised if this spreads to other Third World nations.

[bolsheviki]

Originally posted by [email protected] 7 2005, 02:01 PM
So what's next for Bolivia? Could we see a socialist government taking place?
The situation is very volatile and there is a definite lack of revolutionary leadership to lead the masses to a formation of a workers and peasants government. These mass social protests against the capitalist state can not go on indefinitely, something has to give one way or the other.

According to the Bolivian constitution, if parliament accepts Mesa's resignation, the successor is right-wing Senate leader Hormando Vaca Diez who is right now at the centre of all sorts of rumors of a possible right-wing military coup. The masses unfortunately have no revolutionary leader to take decisive action and benefit from the present situation. Meanwhile, the MAS under Evo Morales is still playing the electoral game posing itself for a supposed win in 2007 while the poor and indigeous are way to the left of the MAS.

For an excellent context to the ongoing events, as well as a revolutionary solution, refer to:

Bolivia Explodes in Sharp Class Struggle (http://www.internationalist.org/boliviaexplodes0506.html)

My comrade who arrived there just in the last few days has a eyewitness report dated last night, June 6th, Eyewitness La Paz: Bolivian Capital Shut Down by Mass Protest (http://www.internationalist.org/lapazeyewitness050606.html)

[Latin America]

Carlos Mesa renunció a la Presidencia de Bolivia

Minutos después de las 21:30 (1:30 GMT), el Presidente de la República dijo “Hasta aquí puedo llegar” y anunció que dimitía a la primera magistratura de la nación. Mesa intenta con esta decisión, poner punto final a una durísima crisis que ya lleva 2 semanas.

En un gesto autocrítico, reconoció que su presidencia no llegó a las metas que se había fijado, y luego de pedir disculpas a la población que confió en él, Carlos Mesa agradeció a las Fuerzas Armadas y a la Policía por haber apoyado a la democracia.

También llamó a la cordura a los sectores que están pidiendo la nacionalización de los hidrocarburos y los alertó del riesgo que tiene su planteamiento. El mandatario sumó sus gratitudes a la Iglesia Católica y le deseó suerte en las negociaciones con las que pretenden pacificar a la patria.

Al terminar su discurso, el Presidente explicó que en las siguientes horas, el Congreso deberá definir la sucesión constitucional de la Presidencia de Bolivia; pero aseguró que mientras el Congreso tome esa decisión, Bolivia no quedará sin presidente, que él se mantendrá en el Palacio hasta que se decida a su sucesor.

Mesa anunció que se quedará a vivir en Bolivia. Su gobierno se extendió del 17 de octubre de 2003 hasta hoy, 6 de junio del 2005.

Bolivia libre y soberana de las manos de los politicos corruptos!!!

[Matty_UK]

If Chavez and Castro succeed in pulling Latin America out of poverty, then Africa-a place that is ripe for revolution-would have a united revolutionary cause of rejecting trade with the first world, which will finally lead to it's development. It's only a matter of time people!

No matter what the ideology, rejection of Capitalism cannot be crushed; especially when it forces the culture of nations to be pushed to one side by intrusive multi-nationals. Even the Islamic terrorists....even though I do not agree with their ideas, they stem from a reaction to Capitalism. Next time you hear about terrorists being arrested, look at where they're from; Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Morrocco. And where are they never from? Iran, Syria, Afghanistan.....what do you notice? Countries that do not have their culture intruded on by Capitalism do not feel the need to fight. This suggests Islamic terror is a reaction to the west intruding on their culture via Capitalism.

All over the world, people are rejecting Capitalism.

[Latin America]

Under the constitution, if Congress accepts President
Mesa's resignation then power will pass to the head of
Congress, Hormando Vaca Diez, until elections can be
held.

But last night, opposition groups called for his
resignation too. Evo Morales, an indigenous leader,
told Reuters that both Mr Vaca Diez and the leader of
the lower chamber of Congress should leave their
posts.


LET'S GET BOTH OF THIS MOTHERFUCKERS OUT!!!!!

FUCK CARLOS MESA AND VACA DIEZ!!!!!

[Clarksist]

This is terrific news. Once/if Bolivia begins developing under (gasp) a hammer and sickle, maybe all of Africa will start developing. They haven't had a good couple hundred years, maybe this century is their time.

A superpower from Africa... that'd be interesting.

[anonymous red]

let us not hope for superpower nation states but a unified s. america and africa. this is an interesting situation in bolivia indeed.

[codyvo]

This is great news, I hope that the same massive resistance meets the new president so that eventually they can become socialist or communist. I too would like to see Bolivia, Venezuela, and Cuba start their own trading block, I'm sure that would help all of their economies and only weaken the economies of capitalist nations. I also hope that this new wave of leftism will spread throughout all the third world countries and then through the imperialist.

[ELF]

Beware Bush and OAS

Bush is aware that Bolivia may move dramatically to the left. He is pushing the OAS to include in its charter, a plan to allow member nations (The United States) to intervene (kill leftists and install a puppet government) when Democracy (Imperialism) is threatened.

Those murals of Che in Bolivia; those posters; those t-shirts; those paintings have new life in them.....

[Phalanx]

Originally posted by [email protected] 7 2005, 08:55 PM
This is terrific news. Once/if Bolivia begins developing under (gasp) a hammer and sickle, maybe all of Africa will start developing. They haven't had a good couple hundred years, maybe this century is their time.

A superpower from Africa... that'd be interesting.
Wait, you do know that Bolivia is in South America, right? Am I missing something?

[Paradox]

A superpower from Africa... that'd be interesting.

No superpower nations. Rather, we should hope for and work toward a strong unified Africa and a unified world proletarian movement.


i suspect that we'll be seeing a u.s. backed military coup if things continue to progress in the same direction as they are currently

Yeah, I suspect that too. It was mentioned in the thread about the "second revolution of Mexico" that this might not happen, a coup I mean, because even the CIA is "stretched thin" right now. I don't know about that claim, but even if that's so, they could still provide plenty of funding and aid to the right-wingers, as was the case in Venezuela.

Don't get me wrong, it's great to see all these people standing up and fighting... I just hope that their movement gets strong enough to withstand any bullshit that the u$ and opposition might pull to knock out these movements before they have chance to create any significant changes.

[American_Trotskyist]

Yes but MAS (Movement to Socialism in English) hasn't been too keen on taking power and has supported the gov very much. I don't know where the socialist alternative is, LA you know more about this than me, what do you think of MAS?

[Severian]

The president hasn't so much resigned as offered to resign, also. Congress will eventually vote on whether to accept his resignation. In other words, it's another drawn-out parliamentary maneuver aimed at diffusing popular anger and dragging things out until everyone gets tired and discouraged and disillusioned.

[bolshevik butcher]

Socialism can't be stopped in latin america at the moment, mexico lookslike it's ging as well, we just keep going fomr strength to strength!

[Phalanx]

That would be great, although I find it hard to believe that Mexico could become socialist. I have full faith in its people, however it's so close to the capitalist paradise known as the US. Even though war is out of the question, if Mexico has a strong left-leaning government, the US may severe relations between the two nations. This wouldn't mean a collapse of Mexican society, but I think it would bring greater hardship on its people.

[bolshevik butcher]

Well oit didn't stop cuba, also i think if the revolution continues then mexico will have lots of latin aermican trading partners.

[Clarksist]

Originally posted by Chinghis Khan+Jun 8 2005, 01:06 AM--> (Chinghis Khan @ Jun 8 2005, 01:06 AM)
[email protected] 7 2005, 08:55 PM
This is terrific news. Once/if Bolivia begins developing under (gasp) a hammer and sickle, maybe all of Africa will start developing. They haven't had a good couple hundred years, maybe this century is their time.

A superpower from Africa... that'd be interesting.
Wait, you do know that Bolivia is in South America, right? Am I missing something? [/b]
Yeah, I guess I worded that poorly. What I meant is that once S. America starts developing, maybe Africa will start too, because they desperately need it.

Sorry about the confusion.

[bolshevik butcher]

I got what you meant/ I wonder what the liberal drop the debt campaigners would say to a socialist governmnet in africa? :P

[GoaRedStar]

http://www.marxist.com/Latinam/bolivia-wor...sants080605.htm (http://www.marxist.com/Latinam/bolivia-workers-peasants080605.htm)

[Phalanx]

Originally posted by Clenched [email protected] 8 2005, 06:43 PM
Well oit didn't stop cuba, also i think if the revolution continues then mexico will have lots of latin aermican trading partners.
That's true, but remember that the US was planning on assassinating Castro when he first got into power. And i think they'd be more serious if it was a country such as Mexico. The US does to a certain extent depend on Mexico, because they are a fairly large economy.

[Hefer]

The US does to a certain extent depend on Mexico, because they are a fairly large economy.

Of course they do, Mexico has a shit load of oil just like Venezula; which is one weapon we can use to our advantage :D. Since alot of the worlds oil comes from Latin America, second to the Middle East.

[chebol]

Take Vaca to the slaughterhouse!
Estamos presente, el pueblo esta caliente!

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2005/junio/mier8/24boliv-i.html

Neither Mesa nor Vaca

BY GABRIEL MOLINA

PRESIDENT Carlos Mesa has resigned for the third time in three months, but this time the situation has become too radical for him to able to continue in his post.

Assuming power from his position as vice president after President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada was brought down by mass protests in 2003, Mesa announced that while he intended to step down, he would continue in post until Congress meets and makes a decision in that respect, and therefore he is still technically president.

But Evo Morales, leader of the coca farmers and of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), who has the largest following in the country, has warned that the demonstrations that began on May 16 will continue until demands are heard regarding the nationalization of hydrocarbon resources and the convening of a constituent assembly.

Abel Mamani, president of the Federation of Neighborhood Committees in the nearby and agitated municipality of El Alto, explained that Mesa’s resignation could be a maneuver to demobilize the population, as has recently occurred. And he also warned that the protests are to continue, including under any interim president who replaces Mesa, until the social demands are heard. In the meantime, he confirmed that there is to be another rally in La Paz similar to that of Monday, June 6, considered the largest in the capital in the last 20 years.

Together with Jaime Solares, executive secretary of the Bolivian Workers Federation (COB), who has also called for street demonstrations, Morales and Mamani reject any possibility that Mesa could be replaced by Hornando Vaca Diez, president of the Senate, or Mario Cossío, president of the Chamber of Deputies. Mesa escaped from the Palace at midday, pursued by thousands of demonstrators. In the afternoon, he met with the US ambassador and the military high command.

Morales stated that Vaca Diez and Cossío must decline the option of taking Mesa’s place. The presidency would then fall to the head of the Supreme Court, Justice Eduardo Rodríguez, who has said that he is prepared to accept whatever is stipulated in the Constitution.

The stance taken by popular forces has resulted in continuing uncertainty regarding the date and place of a Congressional session that would make a decision on Mesa’s resignation.

Experts consulted after Mesa’s announcement agreed that Vaca Diez and Cossío, linked to the Lozada regime, are not feasible candidates for the presidency, and if either were to assume power, the crisis would worsen.

Vaca Diez stated that any solution should be subject to the Constitution and that Congress should be respected, which was interpreted as his intention to become president.

Senator Hugo Carvajal, a social democrat like Vaca Diez, proposed that all congress members resign their posts and that general elections be held in December. But he distanced himself from the mass demands, claiming that the new Congress would have constitutional powers and hold a referendum on autonomy, which is being pressed for by business-dominated leaders of the eastern region of Santa Cruz, described as separatist oligarchs by the campesino, indigenous and trade union movements.

On the other hand, Vaca Diez is calling Congress into session to discuss Mesa’s resignation, suggesting that such a meeting should take place in another city given the demonstrations encircling La Paz.

Evo Morales, who withdrew his conditional support from Mesa, demanded that the session be held in La Paz, and rejected – as did other mass leaders – Vaca Diez’ idea that protests should be suspended to allow Congress to meet.

The mass marches and rallies being held are calling above all for the nationalization of hydrocarbon resources and a constituent assembly and rejecting autonomy for Santa Cruz.

Before these events, MAS, the nation’s largest political party, demanded in April that profits from mineral resources beginning at the mouth of the wells should be distributed 50/50 between the state and transnational companies, and also called for the convening of a constituent assembly, angrily rejecting the demands for autonomy made by the provinces of Santa Cruz, Tarija, Beni and Pando.

DON’T CARVE UP BOLIVIA

The oligarchy of Santa Cruz, which has the most economic weight and is where the largest businesses and transnationals are based, called for an autonomy referendum, and has managed to drag part of the local population behind it., Together with amendments to the Hydrocarbons Law, the Chamber of Deputies approved a law to convene that referendum, setting the date for August 28.

Leaders of the trade unions, neighborhood committees and political groups in La Paz and the rest of the western region – particularly the MAS – believe that the Santa Cruz oligarchy is looking for a way to divide Bolivia.

Morales, who is also a congressional deputy and a leader of coca farmers and campesinos, denounced preparations for a fascist coup. But he is no longer opposed to the president’s resignation or to elections at the end of this year. The MAS leader has said that he does not want the oil companies to leave, but according to news sources, many of his followers are making that demand, as is the COB.

The MAS is demanding that oil companies pay 50% royalties like they did before the law passed by Lozada in 1994. But Congress voted not to increase royalties, and to create a 32% tax on production; the MAS, however, considers that to be insufficient, vulnerable and a betrayal, and is demanding a constituent assembly with full powers.

The MAS as well as the COB, Campesinos Union Federation and movements of indigenous peoples, university students, urban and rural teachers, lawyers’ federations, doctors and other professionals, have expressed their opposition to amendments passed by Congress to the Hydrocarbons Law.

The opposition believes that private companies that currently exploit to their benefit those important natural resources should be nationalized without compensation or that higher taxes should be imposed on resources, in order to contribute to the benefit of the entire nation.

The amendments to the Hydrocarbons Law approved by a bare majority of Congress on May 17 were the spark that set off the radicalization of grassroots movements in opposition to those measures and, above all, to Bolivia’s legal order.

In recent days, Morales has been making more forceful calls to reestablish the national constitution.

The incessant demonstrations that are converging on La Paz and other cities like Santa Cruz are threatening to oblige those who would not give an inch to give much more than a mile. The only move that can calm the insurgent masses is to bring in the Hydrocarbons Law as it was approved in the referendum, without any amendments that would result in the country losing its natural resources.


This is from Prensa Latina, although the poll is also reported by the NY Times (which undermines its credibility a bit by describing Prensa Latina, which it claims took the poll, as a La Paz-based daily newspaper).

The option with 55% support - for both Vaca Diez and Cossio to refuse the presidency, enabling it to pass to Rodriguez, is the option that Morales is pushing for (and Prensa Latina and Granma have been consistenly pretty pro-Morales for some time).

Early Elections a Viable Choice for Current Crisis in Bolivia

La Paz, Jun 8 (Prensa Latina) The serious political and social crisis affecting Bolivia signals the need to restructure the neoliberal economic model in force in the region, warned the director of the Latin American Development Fund (Folade), Edgar Zurita.

Zurita said the situation grew worse because of the corrupt practices by the traditional parties, like privatization of state-run companies and obliteration of many jobs, which only benefited transnationals but also crippled a democracy unable to ease such hardships.

This explains the majority support for holding early elections as a solution to the crisis, with Supreme Court Chairman Eduardo Rodriguez as President, revealed an inquiry conducted by the polling company Apoyo, Opinion y Mercado.

This option enjoys 55 percent support, as the natural successors, Senate and House Chairmen, Hormando Vaca Diez and Mario Cossio, are broadly rejected by 16 and 6 percent, respectively.

Zurita said either of them would provoke a civil war by restoring the traditional parties to power with the accompanying old neoliberal methods, like blocking an arrangement with the social and regional movements that worsened the crisis and led President Mesa to resign Monday.

A Congressional session will be held Thursday in Sucre due to the current situation in the capital but Vaca Diez’s silence is seen as a maneuver to buy time and negotiate his acceptance as President.

[chebol]

Bolivia: Pronunciamiento de la Confederación de Pueblos Indígenas de Bolivia, CIDOB
Por: CIDOB
Publicado el Miércoles, 08/06/05 02:38pm
http://www.aporrea.org/dameverbo.php?docid=61629

mándaselo a tus panas*

Ante la renuncia de Carlos D. Mesa a la Presidencia de la República sumamos un nuevo problema que debemos solucionar los bolivianos, este desafío quizás el mas grande e inesperado de estos días requiere enfrentarlo de la manera más amplia, seria y responsable, a los efectos de no liquidar el proceso DEMOCRATICO que tanto le ha costado al pueblo boliviano.

Para ello desde la Confederación de Pueblos Indígenas de Bolivia–CIDOB- les decimos a nuestros hermanos del oriente y occidente, tierras altas y tierras bajas que debemos concurrir a encontrar la más prudente y concertada salida a la renuncia presentada por Carlos D. Mesa a la Presidencia de la República y las tareas pendientes de la agenda política nacional, para ello creemos que deben darse, en el marco de un acuerdo entre la sociedad política (Partidos políticos con representación parlamentaria) y la sociedad civil organizada (organizaciones sociales movilizadas), facilitadas por la Iglesia Católica, los siguientes acuerdos de alcance político-social.

PRIMERO: El Congreso Nacional debe reunirse, en la presente semana, para considerar la Renuncia a la Presidencia de la República del Presidente Carlos D. Mesa.

SEGUNDO: La Renuncia deberá ser aceptada por el Congreso Nacional.

TERCERO: En el marco de precautelar la continuidad de nuestro proceso democrático y de asegurar una salida pacífica a la sucesión presidencial, coincidiendo con las posiciones ya expresadas por varios sectores, debe suceder a Carlos D. Mesa el Presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, lo que implica acordar el acortamiento del mandato del periodo presidencial y llevar adelante ELECCIONES GENERALES (Presidente, Vicepresidente, Diputados y Senadores) en el mes de diciembre del presente año bajo la Presidencia del Presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, esto permitirá tener estabilidad política y devolver legitimidad a nuestros poderes constituidos, Ejecutivo y Legislativo que hoy no lo tienen.

CUARTO: Convocatoria, por el actual Congreso Nacional, a la Asamblea Constituyente y Referéndum Autonómico,
simultáneamente, y para el mes de marzo del año 2006, en el caso de la Asamblea Constituyente incorporar a la alternativa del Proyecto de Ley de Convocatoria a la Asamblea constituyente, que deberá ser aprobada en el Congreso Nacional, la propuesta de la CIDOB, de contar en la Asamblea Constituyente, con 34 representantes indígenas,(uno por cada pueblo indígena del Oriente, Chaco y Amazonia boliviana que orgánicamente pertenecen a la CIDOB),en base al criterio de IDENTIDAD ETNICA, representantes que deberán ser elegidos de acuerdo a sus
normas, usos y costumbres internas.

QUINTO: Aprobación, por el actual Congreso Nacional, de una Ley de creación del Consejo Nacional Preconstituyente, que deberáestar formado con participación de los sectores sociales, productores y partidos políticos, con la Iglesia Católica como facilitadora de todo el proceso, este Consejo tendrá por única misión preparar documentos base de discusión de la nueva Constitución Política del Estado que deberá emerger como resultado de la Asamblea Constituyente y apoyar en todo el periodo de funcionamiento a la Asamblea Constituyente.

Podemos hacer esto !!!!!!!!

DIRECCIÓN NACIONAL DE CIDOB

Santa Cruz, junio 7 de 2005