revolución ad absurdum
what´s going on in bolivian politics recently, you ask? here are some parts of the puzzle i´ve been trying to sort out. the chronology might be off...
1. evo morales nationalizes gas (to an extent), promises to nationalize bolivia´s other resources in due time. bolivians generally psyched, rest of world slightly annoyed, argentina aggrevated, brazil fully pissed.
2. bush says he´s ¨worried about democracy¨ in bolivia, a statement which, inexplicably, carries some sort of symbolic weight.
3. earlier this month, evo announces the us government has in the past attempted to kill him and may continue such attempts until his perennial coca leaf necklace is riddled with bullets.
4. us government sternly denies this accusation.
5. ollantu loses the peruvian election, obrador´s lead in mexico diminishes. the chavez link is blamed, as both candidate´s opponents utilize negative campaigning suggesting that chavez might be coming to piss on your superpanchos and soil your reggaeton and, yeah, maybe build some schools and hospitals.
6. evo continues to campaign on behalf of MAS candidates for the constituent assembly election on july 1, appearing frequently with chavez and, to a lesser extent, castro. MAS campaign posters show the triumvirate superimposed in front of a giant visage of che guavera. evo visits the site of che´s death on the anniversary of his birth, the first bolivian president to do so.
responding to continued US remarks on the state of bolivian democracy and condoleeza rice´s confirmation that the US will do all it can to ¨support democracy¨ in the upcoming venezuelan elections, evo cites the vote as proof positive that bolivia is undergoing a democratic transformation and all you yankees can take your trade agreements and eat a dick. regarding the andean trade promotion and drug eradication act, which expires december 31, the us is in agreement.
7. PODEMOS, the main rival of MAS, goes from subtly pointing out the chavez connection to running ads blaring ¨hugo chavez is gonna get your momma!¨ granted, chavez has gotten your momma in the past, but i must say from experience that the pickings in bolivia in that category are fairly slim. anyway, PODEMOS, headed by ex-president jorge quiroga, who kindly fucked bolivia´s economy during his presidential term (2001-2) and helped hand over cochabamba´s water supply to bechtel, defending the decision even after citizens forcibly removed bechtel in 2002.
anyway, PODEMOS ups the ante last week by disclosing (in full-page newspaper ads, innumerable tv spots, and world cup voiceovers) the presence of venezuelan military personnel in bolivia, showing a video of evo campaigning in choppers borrowed from chavez, secured by guards handpicked by caracas. since the social movements who energized voters and helped elect morales are largely absent from this election--not enough signatures on their petitions--PODEMOS hopes to capitalize on middle class anxiety and nationalist indignation at venezuelan interference.
8. on a side note, ranchers in the conservative/liberal/white stronghold of santa cruz province are allegedly forming and training militias to defend their landholder rights, responding to evo´s promise to redistribute unused land to indigent (mainly aymara and quechua) peasants. santa cruz has sway with the military, so maybe the venezuelan security is warranted.
8. in an apparent, yet patently ridiculous, attempt to deflect the accusations of PODEMOS, evo alleges US troops disguised as students and tourists are infiltrating bolivia, though he offers no evidence or reason why this might be happening. he made these remarks on tuesday in front of thousands of supporters in cochabamba, citing US ambassador david greenlee´s request for a meeting:
"i don't know what he's looking to discuss. i'm not at all afraid of talking -- or perhaps he's angry. but i also have the right to complain because US soldiers disguised as students and tourists are entering the country."
another theory of evo´s, explicated in cochabamba--the ambassador might be upset because, while speaking to coca growers last sunday, "i shouted, 'qausachun coca (long live coca!), wanuchun yanquis (die yankees!).' if he complains, i, too, have the right to complain."
evo´s spokesman says he will at some point provide evidence to support these claims. certainly there are US special ops teams in latin america, but US officials won´t say whether there are any in bolivia. (there are). the defense department no longer needs the permission of a country´s ambassador to make such a deployment, so greenlee might ostensibly be kept ignorant.
9. the US categorically denies these accusations.
10. socialist propaganda blares from MAS offices nationwide. my favorite:¨
¨evo, evo--presidente
todo el pueblo se presente!¨
the flute solos are en fuego, the speakers are popping, the vibes are undeniably weird.
1. evo morales nationalizes gas (to an extent), promises to nationalize bolivia´s other resources in due time. bolivians generally psyched, rest of world slightly annoyed, argentina aggrevated, brazil fully pissed.
2. bush says he´s ¨worried about democracy¨ in bolivia, a statement which, inexplicably, carries some sort of symbolic weight.
3. earlier this month, evo announces the us government has in the past attempted to kill him and may continue such attempts until his perennial coca leaf necklace is riddled with bullets.
4. us government sternly denies this accusation.
5. ollantu loses the peruvian election, obrador´s lead in mexico diminishes. the chavez link is blamed, as both candidate´s opponents utilize negative campaigning suggesting that chavez might be coming to piss on your superpanchos and soil your reggaeton and, yeah, maybe build some schools and hospitals.
6. evo continues to campaign on behalf of MAS candidates for the constituent assembly election on july 1, appearing frequently with chavez and, to a lesser extent, castro. MAS campaign posters show the triumvirate superimposed in front of a giant visage of che guavera. evo visits the site of che´s death on the anniversary of his birth, the first bolivian president to do so.
responding to continued US remarks on the state of bolivian democracy and condoleeza rice´s confirmation that the US will do all it can to ¨support democracy¨ in the upcoming venezuelan elections, evo cites the vote as proof positive that bolivia is undergoing a democratic transformation and all you yankees can take your trade agreements and eat a dick. regarding the andean trade promotion and drug eradication act, which expires december 31, the us is in agreement.
7. PODEMOS, the main rival of MAS, goes from subtly pointing out the chavez connection to running ads blaring ¨hugo chavez is gonna get your momma!¨ granted, chavez has gotten your momma in the past, but i must say from experience that the pickings in bolivia in that category are fairly slim. anyway, PODEMOS, headed by ex-president jorge quiroga, who kindly fucked bolivia´s economy during his presidential term (2001-2) and helped hand over cochabamba´s water supply to bechtel, defending the decision even after citizens forcibly removed bechtel in 2002.
anyway, PODEMOS ups the ante last week by disclosing (in full-page newspaper ads, innumerable tv spots, and world cup voiceovers) the presence of venezuelan military personnel in bolivia, showing a video of evo campaigning in choppers borrowed from chavez, secured by guards handpicked by caracas. since the social movements who energized voters and helped elect morales are largely absent from this election--not enough signatures on their petitions--PODEMOS hopes to capitalize on middle class anxiety and nationalist indignation at venezuelan interference.
8. on a side note, ranchers in the conservative/liberal/white stronghold of santa cruz province are allegedly forming and training militias to defend their landholder rights, responding to evo´s promise to redistribute unused land to indigent (mainly aymara and quechua) peasants. santa cruz has sway with the military, so maybe the venezuelan security is warranted.
8. in an apparent, yet patently ridiculous, attempt to deflect the accusations of PODEMOS, evo alleges US troops disguised as students and tourists are infiltrating bolivia, though he offers no evidence or reason why this might be happening. he made these remarks on tuesday in front of thousands of supporters in cochabamba, citing US ambassador david greenlee´s request for a meeting:
"i don't know what he's looking to discuss. i'm not at all afraid of talking -- or perhaps he's angry. but i also have the right to complain because US soldiers disguised as students and tourists are entering the country."
another theory of evo´s, explicated in cochabamba--the ambassador might be upset because, while speaking to coca growers last sunday, "i shouted, 'qausachun coca (long live coca!), wanuchun yanquis (die yankees!).' if he complains, i, too, have the right to complain."
evo´s spokesman says he will at some point provide evidence to support these claims. certainly there are US special ops teams in latin america, but US officials won´t say whether there are any in bolivia. (there are). the defense department no longer needs the permission of a country´s ambassador to make such a deployment, so greenlee might ostensibly be kept ignorant.
9. the US categorically denies these accusations.
10. socialist propaganda blares from MAS offices nationwide. my favorite:¨
¨evo, evo--presidente
todo el pueblo se presente!¨
the flute solos are en fuego, the speakers are popping, the vibes are undeniably weird.
posted by salmoncolored | 11:24 AM
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