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Caribbean-Latin America
Bolivian President Evo Morales flees food price protest
2011-02-11
Bolivian President Evo Morales has abandoned a public event in the face of an angry protests over food shortages and price rises.

Mr Morales was due to address a parade to commemorate a colonial-era uprising in the mining city of Oruro. But he and his team left the city to avoid a violent demonstration by miners throwing dynamite.
Now that's a violent demonstration!
There have also been protests in other Bolivian cities over the shortage of sugar and other basic foodstuffs.

Mr Morales cut short his visit and returned to La Paz after protesters set off explosions close to where he was preparing to give a speech in Oruro, the capital of his home province in western Bolivia.

"The government took the decision not to respond to shameful provocations of this kind," presidential spokesman Ivan Canelas said.
Posted by:tipper

#11  If we stopped turning food into fuel (mandated by Congress), we could probably put a dent into the world food shortage. Not eliminate it, but ease it a bit.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia   2011-02-11 22:00  

#10  Thank goodness for some small favors.
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2011-02-11 18:58  

#9  How long can countries like Bolivia go on having eight children per family?

Birth rates have fallen dramatically around the world in the past two generations, Ebbang Uluque6305. At the moment, according to the CIA Factbook, the Bolivian fertility rate is 3.07/woman, compared to 2.59 for the world a few years ago.
Posted by: trailing wife   2011-02-11 18:02  

#8  So what is the carrying capacity of the earth? How long can countries like Bolivia go on having eight children per family? When will we be told to stop eating beef so they can eat corn?
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2011-02-11 16:00  

#7  If, whattya suppose the pitch line will be for the US Gov to gain authority of US Agriculture?

Any solutions other than big sister locking prices, preventing export, export tariffs? You know, other than mandatory food to fuel programs, cow fart and blowing dust ghost taxing, decreasing fuel taxes for food transport (transport in general), eliminating the programs increasing costs for grocers, packers, et al to have employees?

Blowing dust, really, SFT I've heard - could tax/fine/newspeak a person for mowing the yard.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2011-02-11 15:23  

#6  A number did go on the market and buy what they could, oh a week+ ago. Part of the reason for the market price.

Of course it takes time to get it there after the check clears. Sudden flooding of the market could, better or worse, blow the investments of speculators.

Ever notice authoritarian regimes have a tough time in agriculture.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2011-02-11 15:12  

#5  Prepare for world wide food riots. There is a shortage and prices are going up.

Famine will show up soon.
Posted by: DarthVader   2011-02-11 15:03  

#4  You mean storing up grain during the seven 'fat cows' years of plenty for use during the seven 'skinny cows' years of famine?

Sounds like good planning to me. I've heard something like this before (You don't happen to have a multicolored coat do you? :).
Posted by: CrazyFool   2011-02-11 14:36  

#3  Every dictator who is smart right now should very discreetly set up some secret warehouses under heavy guard, and filled with the three most popular staple foods. Then, at the first sign of food riots, flood the market to drive the price far lower than normal.

This will buy a few weeks to redirect funding to food procurement, to insure that emergency stocks are there.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2011-02-11 13:32  

#2  Poor Evo, high on his own supply. He forgot that not everyone in Bolivia is coked up and might want some food now and then.
Posted by: Swamp Blondie   2011-02-11 13:29  

#1  No BATF equivalent in Bolivia, I guess.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2011-02-11 11:09  

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