Andean Information Network

Despite U.S. concerns that Bolivia cultivates problematic alliances with countries such as Venezuela and Iran, it is important to note that Bolivia also maintains good relations with nations the United States government considers to be allies, including many of Bolivia’s neighbors. For example, Chile benefits from strong economic and diplomatic ties to the U.S., but [...]

Legislative Agenda Loses Steam Almost a month after the whirlwind legislative approval of the “short-term” judicial law, Bolivian government officials appear to be moving slowly on other issues. Although critics initially expressed concern about the MAS leadership’s propensity to aggressively “steamroller”  their political agenda, no other major legislation has been passed. This suggests there is [...]

Bolivian president Evo Morales’s frequent, blunt criticisms of the United States Government often provoke irritation and complaints in Washington about negative “rhetoric” impeding bilateral relations. Unfortunate comments from some U.S. officials complicate relations It’s important to note that although U.S. officials have generally made diplomatic statements regarding relations with Bolivia, there have been some notable [...]

This should quell some fears about how closed to capitalist and American initiatives the new Bolivian pluri-national government could be: During his campaign, Evo Morales promised that he would reach out to the lowland upper and middle classes and lobby to have the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant held in Santa Cruz.  The lowland city has [...]

In September 2008 lowland elites led sustained protests against the Bolivian president, Evo Morales, demanding autonomy for their departments.  Yet, Morales’ MAS government never opposed grassroots autonomy initiatives. In fact, the administration held a 2006 referendum allowing lowland departments to opt for autonomy to be defined in the new Constitution. Ironically, opposition efforts to block [...]

On December 6, Evo Morales, Bolivia’s first indigenous President, easily won reelection with 64% of the vote to 26% for the right-wing candidate Manfred Reyes Villa. During his first term in office the international press and opinion makers hyped a “deep” divide between Bolivia’s eastern lowland regions and the western Andean highlands. For example, an [...]

Evo Morales is the most popular President Bolivia has ever had. Last month he won re-election with 64% of the vote in spite of the fact that he is often at loggerheads with Bolivia’s upper classes that control the country’s print and television media. Evo Morales and representatives of the U.S. government have a history [...]

Alternative indigenous candidates polled relatively poorly.  Victor Hugo Cardenas received the highest percentage in the group (4.5%), leaving him in fifth place, Rene Joaquino (3.5%). Both came in several percentage points behind the category, “Don’t know; didn’t respond.”  It will be interesting to see how numbers change as the campaign season progresses. Department % Votes [...]

Candidates must register by September 7 to participate in the elections. Until this deadline, contenders will actively seek political alliances in an attempt to establish more widespread voter support and funding, calling to mind a desperate singles’ bar scene.  Apparently, postulates continue to seek allies based not upon common principles or proposals, but rather who [...]

The Pivotal Indigenous Vote The candidates’ capacity to bridge deep regional and ethnic divides will also present an interesting campaign challenge. Recent elections and referenda results demonstrate the need for opposition contenders to tap into voter demographics outside of the urban, upper-middle class mestizo populations, which have historically represented conservative opposition groups’ core support. The urban [...]