Reuters: Bolivian governor calls off autonomy plans (Cochabamba)

[Eugene]

Bolivian governor calls off autonomy plans
15 Jan 2007 23:43:32 GMT
Source: Reuters

LA PAZ, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The governor of Cochabamba in central Bolivia said
on Monday he will stop pressing for a referendum on regional autonomy, the issue
that sparked deadly street clashes last week.

The announcement by Gov. Manfred Reyes Villa did not put an end to calls for his
resignation as thousands rallied against him.

"I've decided to no longer pursue a referendum on regional autonomy," Reyes Villa
told local radio while accusing the leftist government of President Evo Morales
of stirring up protests aimed at ousting him.

The conflict arose from a power struggle between the central government and a
majority of the country's regional governors who demand more independence and a
larger share of state revenues.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N15445695.htm

[bemildred]

1. Bolivian riots overwhelm opposition

A Bolivian opposition politician has withdrawn his plans to hold a referendum on greater regional autonomy after days of violent pro-government protests.

Manfred Reyes Villa, the governor of Cochabamba in central Bolivia, called off his referendum plans on Monday, after two people were killed when pro-government mobs took over the city's centre.

"I've decided to no longer pursue a referendum on regional autonomy," Reyes Villa told local radio on Monday.

He said that the leftist government of Evo Morales, the president, had stirring up protests against him.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/86384094-EFB0-4C68-BC6B-7125F6CB9823.htm

[Judi Lynn]

2. It's about time! What's two lives lost, after all? It would be good to know

which members of _Bush's State Department have been coaching him. They have been out to get him since well before the election, when _Bush had even Donald Rumsfeld attacking Evo Morales, and threatening the citizens of Bolivia if they dared to elect him.

Since then, _Bush has been playing dangerous games with the Bolivian military high-ranking officers, even involving a few of them in destroying some antiquated S.A.M.'s Bolivia had from a long time ago, kicking off a real sense of rage.

Agitating among the gas-producing areas to gain independence from Bolivia is a familiar pattern, and very underhanded. Men of honor in the _Bush administration should deal directly with Bolivia's elected government and not sneak around behind the President's back contacting possibly corruptible military officers, as has been seen in dirty work leading up to coups.

Here's more from an article published last week:

In December, Reyes also called for Cochabamba to hold a second vote on a referendum to give Bolivia's nine states greater autonomy from Morales' central government.

The referendum was defeated in a nationwide election in July but the autonomy issue still divides Bolivia. Cochabamba, in the Andean foothills at the center of the country, joined four western highland states in rejecting the measure, while Bolivia's four eastern lowland states favored it.

Both of Reyes' newly stated positions have proven distinctly unpopular in Morales' home state.

Vice President Alvaro Garcia called Reyes' push for another referendum "a political provocation," and blamed Monday's violence on excessive police force and a few radical demonstrators.

"There could be a leader, or two or three, that are militants, but the rest of people there are not," Garcia said. "You saw mothers with babies, street vendors, who are not militant, who are simply opposed to the state government."

Reyes, however, said the police reaction was justified questioned the decision to fire the police commander.

Analysts say Reyes has taken a gamble by aligning himself with the opposition.

"Manfred Reyes Villa is governor of a department that is one of the most significant bases that Evo and MAS have," said Jim Shultz, director of the Cochabamba-based Democracy Center. "If he takes on Evo and MAS, it's not rocket science to figure out that there's going to be a backlash against him in his own backyard."
(snip/)

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/09/america/LA-GEN-Bolivia-Protests.php

[Say_What]

3. Anybody see "Our Brand of Crisis"??

Following members of a political consulting firm to Bolivia, where they've been hired to help controversial candidate Gonzalo "Goni" Sanchez de Lozada reclaim the presidency, filmmaker Rachel Boynton reveals the manipulation and orchestration involved in big-time political campaigning. With only a few weeks before the election, consultants Jeremy Rosner, Stan Greenberg and James Carville work their magic, shaping Goni into the ideal candidate.

Available on NetFlix and gives an idea of how the US tries to influence elections abroad.

http://www.netflix.com/MovieDisplay?movieid=70038841&trkid=189530&strkid=1583898216_0_0

[Judi Lynn]

4. Here's more on "Our Brand is Crisis" from the Amazon revues:

Product Description
A Film by Rachel Boynton
For decades, U.S. strategists-for-hire have been quietly molding the opinions of voters and the messages of candidates in elections from the Middle East to the South American jungle. Our Brand is Crisis follows James Carville, Jeremy Rosner and a team of political consultants as they launch a media-savvy campaign for Bolivian presidential candidate Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada. With unprecedented access to think sessions, media training and the making of smear campaigns, witness a shocking example of America "spreading democracy" overseas and its earth-shattering aftermath.

"Momentous…astounding!" – Laura Kern, The New York Times

"a fascinating glimpse of the Americanized marketing of international politics" – Premiere Magazine

WINNER
International Documentary Association
IDA Award

Thanks for the news about this documentary. It would be very educational, to be sure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Goni and friend.



Goni's victims.

The Long Road to Making “Goni” Pay For His Crimes
His Victims Face Obstacles in their Struggle But Keep Fighting for Justice
http://www.narconews.com/Issue35/article1140.html