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Topic: Bolivian President Resigns

robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195

posted 07 March 2005 04:48 PM

Reuters

quote:
LA PAZ, Bolivia (Reuters) - Bolivian President Carlos Mesa, worn down by Indian protests and wrangling over how to develop massive gas reserves, submitted his resignation to Congress Monday and left opposition lawmakers to decide the fate of his mandate.
Congress will most likely meet Tuesday. Analysts said it could reject the surprise move announced by Mesa Sunday as an influential indigenous majority's protests to nationalize foreign investments, especially in the gas sector, swelled.
***
"I cannot continue to govern besieged by a national blockade that strangles the country," Mesa, a political independent, said in his resignation letter read on television by Presidency Minister Jose Galindo.
In recent weeks, protests and highway blockades, including from a regional autonomy movement, have grown. Demonstrators in El Alto have threatened to cut off La Paz's water supply and occupy the international airport.
If Congress accepts Mesa's resignation, it will be the second time a Bolivian president has quit in less than two years over basically the same issue: the poor Indian majority's drive to have a greater voice in Bolivia's economy.

From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

Rufus Polson
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3308

posted 07 March 2005 08:34 PM

Go, Bolivian progressives!

Man, maybe there was more to the domino theory than we thought. Just look at South America these days--the US mostly turn their backs for a few years to concentrate on Iraq, and they fail to put down Venezuela. Next thing you know, centrists in Argentina start growing vestigial spines, and you get reactionaries turfed in Bolivia, leftists elected in Chile, Uruguay . . . who knows, at this rate maybe Brazil will start acting like it has a leftist government.

From: Caithnard College | Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

Vigilante
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 8104

posted 08 March 2005 12:28 PM

Exciting times. This was one of the key reasons I wanted Kerry to lose. He seemed to suggest that more support needs to be shown to 'our south american friends'. Bush is actually paying little attention to the region that may make the most noise socially in the next 5-10 years.

The Anybody But Bush crowd never thought of this. Fact,they never thought of alot of things. Critical thinking was out the door for them.

[ 08 March 2005: Message edited by: Vigilante ]

From: Toronto | Registered: Feb 2005 | IP: Logged

Coyote
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4881

posted 08 March 2005 12:37 PM

Everybody just shut up about it. Maybe the Bushies won't notice . . .

From: O’ for a good life, we just might have to weaken. | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged

Vigilante
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 8104

posted 08 March 2005 10:38 PM

Oh they notice. They've tied their hands very well fortunately. Another thing to realize is that their European partners in crime are out of sinc with them.

People say it's bad the US isolates itself(from Europe). BS!

From: Toronto | Registered: Feb 2005 | IP: Logged

mayakovsky
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5171

posted 09 March 2005 01:54 AM

Oh, they pay attention to the south Vigilante. Witness the reaction to Hugo Chavez. I may be wrong but do I detect a slight Maoist tinge to your observations? Its got to get worse before it gets better? I do agree with your observations about Europe though. Do they really want to be 'in sync' with the bullies? I hope that Europe uses their buffer to empire well and do not replicate what they critique. No use not being in sync if you become the new kids on the block.

From: New Bedford | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

Vigilante
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 8104

posted 11 March 2005 04:52 PM

I'm an anarchist dude not a maoist. I had a thrash with the other todd about my views on those lovely people.

I'm a postanarchist to be exact.

I think the US will try to hurt the movements, however the mideast thing is supressing that. Had Kerry got in, and cooled up with Europe then there might be more of a problem given the fact that he showed such concern.

As for getting worse. Yeah I think so sadly. I see a global warming catastrophy coming that I do not think we will stop. That may finally wake enough up. I feel for the indiginous to the north and non-humans. They will feel it before our privaliged asses do.

From: Toronto | Registered: Feb 2005 | IP: Logged

Fidel
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5594

posted 11 March 2005 06:00 PM

South American's are rejecting globalism. It's just not natural.

From: Viva La Revolución | Registered: Apr 2004 | IP: Logged

radiorahim
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2777

posted 11 March 2005 07:33 PM

Its not the first time in history that Latin America has moved to reformist, nationalist governments "en masse" so to speak.

Something sort of similar happened in the 1940's and 1950's. You had Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala 1944-54, the tin miner's revolution in Bolivia in 1952, Juan & Evita Peron in the 1946-55 period in Argentina, reformist governments in Brazil and probably a few others.

From: a Micro$oft-free computer | Registered: Jun 2002 | IP: Logged

Doug
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 44

posted 11 March 2005 10:02 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Fidel:
South American's are rejecting globalism. It's just not natural.

I wouldn't say that's quite the case. They're rejecting a US-dominated globalism, but that doesn't mean that hardcore nationalism is on the table.

On the economic level, while the FTAA is spinning its wheels going nowhere, Mercosur is proceeding to expand and is also building an association with the Caribbean nations. It's incremental globalization rather than the all-or-nothing that the developed countries want.

From: Toronto, Canada | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

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