Uprising/Revolution in Bolivia Breaking RIGHT NOW?!!!

Me | October 14, 2004 | Chicago Hebrew

[ChicagoHebrew]

I'm writing this from an internet cafe in La Paz, Bolivia. About fifteen minutes ago, I started to hear what I think was gunfire and cannon fire from right outside the cafe. It was shortly followed by bullhorns booming and people chanting. The gunfire is intermittent now.

I have no idea what's happening.

[daybreakcoming]

LMAO -Was that ever timely - but just spewed water all over my cat in my lap...now he is pezzzzzzzed off big time and used my bare leg to push off on.

[Sunshine55]

Prayers and hugs sent. Please be careful.

[ChicagoHebrew]

Well, on my way back to my hotel, I run into the big demonstration. I finally *think* I know what's going on. There's no revolution or coup, thank g-d. Apparently there were two simultaneous demonstrations tonight. The one I heard earlier consisted of indigeneous Bolivians marching to protest the government's development of the country's oil and gas resources. The two sounds I heard, which I thought were guns and cannons, were firecrackers being set off by the protestors, and blanks fired into the air by police to keep the crowd under control.

The second, bigger protest that I literally stumbled into was more peaceful and consisted of people opposing the former president, and celebrating his arrest or something.

I got some fantastic pics of that protest (when I stumbled upon it, I literally rushed in to buy a camera and film). They set a couple of bonfires up in the streets, had people carrying torches, and people dressed as the former president in a prison uniform locked in a cage.

I should be able to get the film developed in a few days, and I'll try to scan a few pics to get them digitized. If people are interested, I'd be happy to post my pics on this thread. I have no idea how to actually post pictures, so if someone would mind either telling me or pm-ing me their e-mail address so I can send them the pics to post, that'd be great. Just let me know if y'all are interested.

[ChicagoHebrew]

I can´t believe they'd actually eradicate coca farming totally. Something like 80% of the population chews coca or drinks coca tea (neither of which are narcotic), and the indigeneous people -- who are only partially Christian -- still view coca as sacred. Maybe they will just try to control it better?

[ChicagoHebrew]

Yup, I'm backpacking and hiking. Heading to Uyuni tommorow.

[Pahuanui]

Yup, I'm backpacking and hiking. Heading to Uyuni tommorow.

The SW corner of the country is where it's at, friend.

[Henchman]

How's the coffee?

[Wilhelm Tell]

It's pathetic to think of those poor people too ignorant to realize that their "liberators" are actually enslaving them.

[TADSLOS]

Just another wedding party.

[Radix]

They gave me another drink once onboard....

Wow, next chance I get, I am going.

[Travis McGee]

!Usted es muy lejos de Chicago!
!Cuidado senor!

[Shermy]

I have come to the conclusion that the NGOs and environmental groups that work with the tribes are funded by OPEC.

I'm thinking Venezuela funded it with the political organizational help of Cuba. Iran might have a hand in it too, being that IMO they might have become a small paymaster for Cuba in post-Soviet times.

[wtc911]

I can´t believe they'd actually eradicate coca farming totally. Something like 80% of the population chews coca or drinks coca tea (neither of which are narcotic), and the indigeneous people -- who are only partially Christian -- still view coca as sacred. Maybe they will just try to control it better?

___________________________________________

The official phrase was "forcibly eradicate" by 2008. It's a war.

[nicollo]

You need a little adventure in your life, keyboard jockey? Tell you what, when you find it, I'll buy you an orange juice.

[nicollo]

I've watched several "protests" in the banana republics supposedly against the guv'ment which were organized by the same. It's an old trick. Latins are experts at populism. Too bad they suck at justice.

Not saying that's what this one is about, but you never know. Nothing happens by itself in these countries.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Probably just a film crew shooting extra scenes for Motorcycle Diaries.

Ah, reminds me of the good ol' days of attempted coup d' etat in Buenos Aires...

Stay safe, CH. Cuídate.

[judicial meanz]

ChicagoHebrew, keep your head down and get somewhere safe.

[nicollo]

Something like 80% of the population chews coca or drinks coca tea (neither of which are narcotic), and the indigeneous people -- who are only partially Christian -- still view coca as sacred.

I'd say this protest is much larger than farmers and their tea.

Btw, have you seen the teeth of the cocoa chewer? Ain't pretty. The tea ain't so right, either. Not narcotic, but hardly benign.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Could you bring me back some locoto or some aji de la mala palabra? That was some spicy stuff.

Screwed-up government, but Bolivians are some of the nicest, humblest people on the face of the earth. Well, outside of the soccer stadiums.