Bolivia on the brink of civil war

By Weekly Archive On Apr 30, 2008

The
oligarchy rejects any type of negotiation

By
Eduardo Dimas

As
I write this article, the situation in Bolivia seems to be heading
toward a civil war provoked by the secessionist attitude of the
oligarchies in Santa Cruz and the other departments of the Half Moon
(Tarija, Pando and Beni), the prefect of Cochabamba, and maybe
someone else who remains in the shadows.

The
position of Evo Morales’ government weakened after the failure of the
talks with the separatist prefects and his refusal — very human but
not very political — to call the people to the streets and prevent
the partition of Bolivia into two nations, one rich, the other poor.

The
defiance of the oligarchy in Santa Cruz, led by prefect (governor)
Rubén Costas and the president of the so-called Civic
Committee of Santa Cruz, Branco Marinkovic (of Croatian origin), is
an unequivocal sign that they feel supported by powerful internal and
external forces.

It
is no secret that the U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, Philip S. Goldberg,
is a specialist in the dismemberment of countries, an experience he
acquired during his term in the former Yugoslavia. Goldberg spends
more time in Santa Cruz than in La Paz, Bolivia’s capital.

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The
oligarchy rejects any type of negotiation

By
Eduardo Dimas Read Spanish Version

It
is evident that the U.S. government is interested in halting the
process of change that is occurring in Latin America. Of all the
progressive and nationalistic governments that have emerged in the
region, the Bolivian government is the weakest, due to internal
divisions, the ignorance of its people and the racism that has
characterized Bolivian society. Evo Morales is an Aymara Indian.

The
alternative media report that the secessionists also are supported by
the Colombian government. Although definitive proof is not available,
it is not possible to rule out that this is true, when we take into
account that Colombian paramilitary groups have been organizing and
training far-right formations in the four departments of the Half
Moon.

The
Santa Cruz secessionists are so sure of their success that Prefect
Rubén Costa, a well-known oligarch, declared that after May 4,
the date for a separatist referendum, "a second Bolivia will be
created," because the departments of Tarija, Pando and Benin
will join Santa Cruz. He said he enjoyed the support of the prefect
of La Paz, an assurance that the latter has not denied.

In
an urgent meeting called at the request of Bolivia, the Organization
of American States on April 26 approved by consensus a call to the
separatists to suspend the referendum and begin a dialogue with the
government, which, although difficult, could prevent an inevitable
confrontation, with the consequent spilling of blood.

The
OAS’s political secretary, Dante Caputo, who visited Santa Cruz de la
Sierra (the department’s capital) but was not received by the prefect
and the other authorities, expressed his concern over peace in
Bolivia, given the aggressiveness of the authorities of that
prefecture, who accused him of being "a Chavista."

The
White House, through its ambassador in Bolivia, declared its
neutrality in the conflict. That’s the equivalent of giving a green
light to the secessionists it has helped to organize and to develop a
systematical propaganda campaign to convince Santa Cruzans that
secession would improve their lives.

The
autonomy document drafted by the authorities in Santa Cruz
resuscitates the Camba Nation, an old secessionist project of the
local oligarchy, first expounded in 1905, that has always had
supporters. Santa Cruz is Bolivia’s richest and most densely
populated department, with more than 2 million people.

The
rest of the departments in the Media Luna (Tarija, Pando and Beni)
have large fields of crude oil, natural gas and other minerals. Also,
Bolivia’s largest agricultural riches are concentrated there. The
idea of becoming independent from the rest of the country — poor and
less developed — could sound like a sirens’ song to Media Luna
residents, particularly those of the white race.

But
there is another element that cannot be forgotten. Evo Morales’ rise
to the presidency meant for the oligarchy the loss of much of the
power it held for more than a century. Whenever the oligarchy’s
interests were in danger, the Army staged a coup d’état —
sometimes more than once a year — and controlled the situation.

The
oligarchy has been unable to convince the Armed Forces to take a
similar step for various reasons, among them the existence of a new
military high command not trained in U.S. academies. The high command
has repeatedly stated its obedience to the constitutional principles
and its respect for the president, who was elected by the people.

The
other reason the oligarchs cannot forgive Evo Morales and his
followers is that he tried to give dignity to the living conditions
of the poorest sectors of the population. The nationalization of
hydrocarbons has served to improve the state’s revenues and to
alleviate the difficult economic situation of most of the Bolivian
people.

The
Dignity Bond, which is the lifetime pension given to people 60 and
older, the campaigns of health and education — with the help of Cuba
and Venezuela — and Bolivia’s membership in the Bolivarian
Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) are changes that the oligarchy
cannot forgive, much less accept, because they diminish its power and
existence as a class.

Those
changes cannot be accepted by the White House, either, or the other
oligarchies of Latin America. It is a problem of the survival of
class distinctions, a topic that dovetails perfectly with the
interests of the power elites, not only in the United States but
everywhere else in the world. The plan to keep the neoliberal model
alive at any price remains in effect.

It
is no surprise, then, that the European press talks about the
impossibility of an accord between the opposition and Evo Morales’
progressive government. It is no surprise that the U.S. media are
minimizing a situation that could lead to a civil war.

Next
May 4, several issues will be settled in Bolivia. An unconstitutional
referendum called by the Santa Cruz oligarchy can lead the country to
a state of civil war in which — have no doubt — external forces
will participate on the side of the secessionists.

In
an urgent meeting of ALBA, called by President Chávez, the
other three member countries (Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela) gave
their unconditional support to President Morales. How far they can
furnish that support, only they know.

But
there is another way to keep the Bolivian oligarchy to achieve its
purposes: to call the people to the streets. A people "who have
nothing to lose, except their chains." I think that it is better
to die defending the interests of that nation than to surrender.

Before
it is too late, it is up to Evo Morales to mobilize the people and,
if possible, the Army (though that’s not known) before the oligarchy
achieves its purposes and implants anew the neoliberal model, with
all its consequences. Several years ago, a gallows was built in Santa
Cruz de la Sierra for Evo Morales and his followers. I invite you to
meditate.