Andean Information Network

This article was originally published in Stability: International Journal of Security and Development.  View full text and .pdf versions here.   From Conflict to Collaboration: An Innovative Approach to Reducing Coca Cultivation in Bolivia Kathryn Ledebur* and Coletta A. Youngers1† *Director of the Andean Information Network (AIN), Cochabamba †Senior Fellow at the Washington Office on [...]

Link to pdf version of the memo Bolivian Drug Control efforts: Genuine Progress, Daunting Challenges By Kathryn Ledebur and Coletta A. Youngers Introduction Following a landslide victory at the polls, Evo Morales became president of Bolivia in January 2006.[i] Head of the coca-growers’ federation, Morales was a long-standing foe of U.S. drug policy, and many [...]

In late May 2012, conflict erupted in Colquiri, a mining district about 350km south of La Paz.  Salaried and cooperative miners who work in different areas of the same mine struggled to control territory.  Although the government, salaried workers, and cooperative miners reached an agreement on June 19th, conflict reemerged in September as cooperative and [...]

  Escrito por Kathryn Ledebur, Directora de la Red Andina de Información (AIN, siglas en inglés) y Coletta A. Youngers, Asesora Principal de WOLA Los críticos literarios citan Las Aventuras de Alicia en el País de las Maravillas como uno de los mejores ejemplos del género “literatura del absurdo”. El intento por parte del gobierno [...]

  AIN-WOLA Joint Commentary By Kathryn Ledebur, Director of the Andean Information Network and Coletta A. Youngers, Senior Fellow, Washington Office on Latin America   Literary critics cite Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland as one of the best examples of the “literary nonsense” genre. The U.S. government’s attempt to cast Bolivia’s recent drug control progress as [...]

The Wall Street Journal’s recent article from August 1st, “Jailed American’s Drug Case Stokes Tension With Bolivia,” fails to acknowledge the many discrepancies in the Ostreicher case, dramatically exaggerates the effect the case has had on Bolivian-US relations, and contrives false connections between Ostreicher’s case and other drug-related cases.  Prolonged pretrial detention and harsh conditions [...]

The police mutiny continued to escalate over the weekend and shows no sign of stopping.  The government and police entered dialogue on Saturday, June 23 but the agreement that was reached in the early hours of June 24th was resoundingly rejected by protesters.  On June 25th, police had a violent clash with supporters of President [...]

The crisis brewing in the police institution has boiled over into a mutiny and continues to escalate.  Several thousands of police across the country have gone on strike, and support appears to be increasing.  Police officers and their wives have taken over several buildings, barricaded themselves in police offices.  Uncharacteristically, the mutiny began on a [...]

A controversial change in the National Police Commander is the most recent manifestation of the deepening crisis within the Bolivian police institution.  On May 21st, Víctor Maldonado replaced Jorge Santiesteban, making him the seventh National Police Commander since Evo Morales took office in 2006.  The Morales administration requested Santiesteban‘s resignation after only one year as [...]

Widespread protests, marches, counter-marches, blockades, and strikes continue throughout the nation, and do not show signs of diminishing.  Doctors, medical students, and health workers continued to protest, entering their eighth week of strikes on Monday, May 14th.   Public university students and staff as well as transportation unions joined the measures.  Early in the week, the [...]