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Bolivia's Choice Towards Economic Success
By Machi (Canada), Section Bolivia
"Washington rumbles with suppressed outrage over Latin America's latest demonstrations of its sovereignty - Bolivia's nationalization of its oil and natural gas reserves. At the same time, newly inaugurated president Evo Morales is a prime candidate to join Washington's pantheon of Latin American bad boys, presently dominated by Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez," wrote COHA director Larry Birns.
In Bolivia, specifically what has re-awakened is the vision for a different economic option than the one offered by Washington. Indigenous populations have not benefited from past economic models and now want a third choice where social policies are in place and where economic growth can also be possible without having to exclude the majority of its people. "As this new awareness peaked, indigenous communities began to retroactively say "no" to presidential candidates who, once in office, reneged on their glib commitments and proceeded to repudiate campaign pledges to their Aymara and Quechua-speaking altiplano constituents.", wrote COHA director Larry Birns.
Provided that Evo Morales is successful and has a long presidency, then Bolivia might have a hope to rip itself away from the strangling grip of the US economic arm and make trade partnerships with China and countries in the EU. Bolivia has never needed the economic model that has been imposed where free market reigns; there is simply too much poverty to benefit those who need it the most. Like many other Latin American countries it is a small minority who control the majority of the wealth and power and they prefer the status quo. But more than just an economic need to change the situation in Bolivia is faced with a real social cost if no alternatives are found. Boliva is divided not only by race but by class. In a country where being of the right class (mainly white European) is crucial to success and where any or good education and economic prosperity is only for the few, change though painful must come for the benefit of Bolivia's' future; otherwise, the majority of the population will continue to exist and not thrive. Advertisement
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Bolivia's Choice Towards Economic Success | 20 comments (20 topical, 0 hidden)
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