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| Latin America |
| Unrest Continues in Bolivia |
| 2003-10-16 |
| Despite moves by the military to tighten its control of the capital, President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada’s hold on power grew more tenuous on Tuesday, as demonstrations demanding his resignation spread to provincial cities, and important political allies scrambled to distance themselves from him. Sanchez de Lozada seems to have the support of the military. He should declare Martial Law in the whole country and ride this out. "If the solution to preserving Bolivian democracy passes through the resignation of the president, we cannot put that aside," said Manfred Reyes Villa, leader of the conservative New Republican Force, a crucial part of the president’s fragile governing coalition. "I’ve been clear: We have to listen to the people." Manfred Reyes Villa is seriously miscalculating. You don’t listen to the people when they support Communist Revolution. More than 50 people have been killed here since Saturday in clashes between mostly Indian demonstrators carrying sticks and slingshots and the heavily armed troops the president ordered into the streets. Considering this is a story from the New York Times, I’m willing to bet a sizesable portion of the Indians had rifles and were using them. The antigovernment demonstrations began nearly a month ago, initially to protest a proposal to build a $5 billion pipeline to export natural gas to the United States and Mexico via a port in Chile. Also, the protestors began to ask for the ’right’ to cultivate Coca for ’traditional’ purposes. This is a useful lie, massive cultivation of Coca in Bolivia began barely twenty years ago. But as a result of the recent bloodshed, the focus of the protests has now shifted to demanding the resignation of Mr. Sánchez de Lozada, a 73-year-old millionaire businessman. Elected last year with only 22 percent of the vote, the president has accused his opponents of being part of "a seditious plot" supported by drug lords and leftist guerrillas. This is an example of the New York Times’ Stealth Editioralizing. A ’73-year-old millionare businessman’, elected with ’only 22 percent of the vote’ is just asking to be overthrown, isn’t he? Of those known to have been killed, only one has been confirmed to be a soldier. Citing witness accounts, local news organizations reported that he was executed by his commanding officer after refusing to fire on demonstrators. An exemplary officer. As support for Mr. Sánchez de Lozada, a staunch ally in the American war on drugs, was ebbing here, his allies abroad were trying to shore up his position. In Washington, the State Department issued a statement warning that "the United States will not tolerate any interruption of constitutional order and will not support any regime that results from undemocratic means." Look at that, the State Department is not supporting Totalitarianism for once. |
| Posted by:Sorge |
| #9 Sorge, Raptor, I would like to point out that I am not a commie sympathiser, far from it. I was brought up in a forner communist country, watched the ideaolgy being shoved down people's throats, watched friends being arrested, watched my parents being denied basic human rights. I would think that I have a slightly better understanding of the 'commie system'. This however has not pushed me all the way to the far right. Serge, agree, it's not enough just to win an election (then again, he did win it twice), sometimes it's just much easier to do a military take over with the help of the CIA (like it has happened in many countries in south/central america). Your concern for human rights and freedom seems to be at odds with America's intervention in many parts of the world. ps check under the bed, there might be commies there |
| Posted by: Igs 2003-10-16 9:43:17 PM |
| #8 Sanchez has madde an offer for a referendum on the pipeline. Also Venesuala has set the date for its petition drive for a referendum on Chavez. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-10-16 5:52:20 PM |
| #7 Raptor - here is a link to a BBC article on field tests done on GM foods in Britain. The tests results show that GM food results in less biodiversity ... because there are fewer weeds. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-10-16 3:14:42 PM |
| #6 The ghost of Simon Bolivar howls again... |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-10-16 12:28:37 PM |
| #5 So,you Commie sympathisers think that improving a dirt poor country's overall economy and providing jobs to people whose daily meals consist of a little rice and occasionally a bit of chicken is a bad thing.The economic system known as comunisiam is a failure.Wake-up,here is a cup of coffee.Reminds me of the tree-huggers,ask me wich is more important jobs or tree sex. 2 prime examples: 1)Building the Mt.Graham Observatory(Az). This project would have provided hundreds of jobs,and pumped millions into the local economy. This construction job was stopped because it would have disturbed the"endangered"Mt.Graham Red squiral. Geta clue that tree loving rat would have moved to another tree. 2)Roosevelt Dam improvement(project competed): purpose of project:to repair detereorating 60 year-old dam and raise the height of the dam.Thus helping to alleviate a 20 year draught in the"Valley of the Sun"(Phoenix and surrounding areas),improve SRP's ability to provide electricity.Side benefits,makeing the largest lake wholly within the State of Az.even better,and pumping millions into the local economy from campers and tourists. Impoundment of water halted by 7 year moratoriam from Tree-huggers,becuase it would have disturbed the nesting area of the"endangered"Sonoran Fly-catcher bird.This resulted in the reduction of stored water down to .09% of capacity and turning one of the finest lakes and best fishing spots in the country into a big assed mud hole.(moratoriam over and lake at.50%) Geta clue,that ugly,goofy-assed bird would have built a nest on higher ground. |
| Posted by: Raptor 2003-10-16 9:35:11 AM |
| #4 Wow, I brought the Commie sympathizers out. *Not Mike Moore* Our 'Multinational, predatory corporations' were going to invest five billion dollars in a project that would have put about 1.5 billion dollars in the coffers of the poorest nation in South America, Bolivia. They are drinking the blood of the innocents, I tell you! *Igs* It is not enough to win a democratic election, once in power, you must respect individual freedom. The tyranny of the majority is still tyranny. And Chavez only has a tenous support of the military now because he purged it and put his own people in charge. |
| Posted by: Sorge 2003-10-16 6:37:17 AM |
| #3 it was actually 22.5% |
| Posted by: Igs 2003-10-16 3:10:22 AM |
| #2 comment on comment He should declare Martial Law in the whole country and ride this out. Hey, Chavez could do the same, he has the backing of the military...oh, I also noticed that he was democratically elected...and won pretty convincingly http://www.electionworld.org/venezuela.htm |
| Posted by: Igs 2003-10-16 3:04:49 AM |
| #1 and will not support any regime that results from undemocratic means Unless, of course it is a regime sanctioned by the US government to ensure a profit stream for our multi-national, predatory corporations then scream "Communists in the house" and we'll be on their ass supporting whatever Fascist dictator emerges from the fog of war |
| Posted by: Not Mike Moore 2003-10-16 2:24:13 AM |