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Revolution Looms in Bolivia
Thousands took to the streets Monday to chant anti-government slogans even after President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada announced he will shelve controversial plans to export natural gas to the United States and Mexico.The choice for Bolivia is simple; export natural gas to the United States and Mexico, or donât export at all. The protestors want the gas processed in Bolivia, by non-existent chemical plants. The government had estimated that revenues from the gas exports would bring about $1.5 billion a year to Bolivia, South Americaâs poorest nation. Thatâs a good thing, right? But union leaders and the nationâs poor Indian majority, which has frequently led protests against government attempts to privatize the countryâs state industries, argue the economic benefits wonât reach them. I guess I was wrong. Union and Indian leaders would rather keep the natural gas in Bolivia than let foreign capital come in. They would rather starve than watch other people prosper. On Monday, public transportation workers went on strike, and shops and banks closed in the city. Sanchez de Lozadaâs own vice president criticized him. President Sanchez de Lozada is being pounded by all sides for trying to lift the country out of its economic hellhole. Unbeliavable. He vowed "to defeat the sedition and restore order," and called the massive protests, "a plot encouraged from abroad aimed at destroying Bolivia and staining our democracy with blood." He did not elaborate. He means the protestors are being financed by Brazilian money. Heâs right. The president said his government "is the result of a popular election," and has the support of the armed forces and the police. Sanchez de Lozada, a millionaire businessman who grew up in the United States, was elected in 2002 to a five-year term. Sanchez de Lozada knows how to eliminate poverty--Capitalism--but the poor remain in love with the ideas that made them poor in the first place--Tribalism, Unionist Collectivism, Nationalism. Opponents are especially upset the government might pick a port in Chile to ship the gas. Bolivia has been a landlocked nation since it lost its coastline in an 1879 war against Chile, and resentment against its neighbor is still strong. As I said, Nationalism. Bolivians should dig deeper into history, and remind themselves they started that foolish war. They should resent their past leaders instead of Chile. Americans may not care what happens to Bolivia, but we should. Another Communist dictatorship means another terrorist base, (see Venezuela.) Posted by: Sorge 2003-10-15 |
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