¡Ahora es cuando!

Now is when!

Thats the slogan of the Movimento al Socialismo (MAS), the party whose candidate, Evo Morales, currently leads the polls for Presdiency.

With the approaching elections on Sunday, Evo seems to be edging ahead in the polls, he has 34%, whereas the nearest condender, Tuto Quiroga has 27%. However he must get 51% to win outright, otherwise the Congress decides who takes the seat in La Paz or a coalition of right parties will win.

Last night I went to the MAS closing rally at the stadium here in Cochabamba. I have never been to anything like it. As we arrived the stadium was full, all you could see where blue and black flags (the offical MAS colours) and the Wipala (the colourful Andean flag). Thousands of people were chanting "Sestente Sestente Evo Presidente", and cheering as candidates made a lap of honor around the stadium. There was traditional music, all using the slogan "somas mas" " we are more". They even set a white dove free and as it flee around the stadium to cheers of hope.

At 7.30pm Jorge Alvero, the MAS candidate for Prefecturo, made an incredible, powerful speech in Quechua (obviously I didnt understand it, but I felt the power of it). The stadium errupted, but unfortunately so did the sky. The clouds opened up and it started raining, with a lightening storm over head it didnt deter the crowds who were waiting for the man of the hour-Evo Morales.

Alvaro Garcia Linera, the Vice-President candiate was next. He is a sociologist, interlectual and a man who spent 5 years in jail under the dictatorships for his political beliefs. He is well respected among many and a powerful orator. He told the crowd that this is a historic moment. That never in the history of Latin America had an idigenous President been elected, that the hope of indigenous from around the continent lay in the vote on Sunday. He said that the power of the social movements in Bolivia, that are the inspiration to people all over the world, is the nightmare of the United States. He said, as his voice was cracking, that he was happy, that MAS were ready to govern and that now is the time to end 550 years of discrimination and imperialism. I was extremely impressed with his speech, it felt like victory.

Evo Morales was not as well spoken and he spent alot of time talking about the lies that other candidates had said about it. But this is a man whose family lost the jobs when the mines closed in the 70s and went to the Chapare to start a Coca farm. Who at one stage of his life suffered extreme poverty, with no food for his family. He was the leader of the Cocalarios during the 80s, he was shot and spent time in jail because of his activities. He is a man of the people, he knows what its like to suffer and to fight. He isnt an educated man in the traditional sense, but he was educated in the pueblo, he knows what the people of Bolivia need and want. He said, the Bolivian people are fighters and now is the time to win the fight.

MAS have many issues, however, there is no choice at the moment, Evo has to become President.

Friends from Central and Latin America yesterday, remarked to me that this is just like Guatmala in the 60s or Chile in 1973. That the feeling of hope among the people, and the fear of the US and the multinationals of an indigenous president collide. Some of them fear a coup, fear that the US government will intervene, like they have always have. Standing in the stadium talking about Chile 1973, a shiver ran down my spine. The staduim in Santiago was used as a torture chamber when Pinochet took power, I thought of how easy it would be for the military and the right to come in and cause havoc.

However this is 2005, the US have changed their tactics some. They have other ways of intervening now. I am hopeful of a new Bolivia and of a new world. If MAS wins, the face of Latin America will change and it will only be for the better.

La lucha continua parte 2

Last night the Congress (a coalition of parties WHO DO NOT REPRESENT ANYONE)threw out the case against Goni and his collaborators for the 35 deaths of February 2003 and for the economic crimes they have been accused of commiting(strangely $20 or so million went missing from the Bolivian Governments coffers on the same day Goni fled the country).

The case against him and his collaborators for the deaths of October 2003 can still proceed and is not affected, but this is a major blow for the families of those who died in February 2003.

Just think of how the mother and young son of Anna Colque feel. She was a 24 year old nursing student who was shot by a sniper whilst trying to help someone else who had been shot. She was unarmed and was wearing the red cross and only trying to save someone elses life. She left a 2 year old son. Where is the justice?

This christmas spare a thought for her family, Nestors family and every other family that has lost people in the various Bolivian struggles. At the same time spare a thought for the thousands of innocents who have been killed in Iraq through the illegal invasion. We are all in this together, in the year 2006 I hope that justice will be done to all who have died.

On a final note, all you slackers who havent signed our petition, DO IT PLEASE. Sign Here to help bring justice to the people of Bolivia.

La lucha continua

The struggle continues for the families of those who lost loved ones in October 2003 and we must stay vigilant. There is currently a cynical attempt by Congress and the Military (no doubt influenced by Goni and his party MNR)to stop the judicial process proceeding against him.

In the Los Tiempos today (Cochabambas local paper) the Attorney General and the Supreme Court threw out a challenge to stop the investigation into Goni and his collaborators. But this is just one example of the many different attempts being made to sabotage and delay the judicial process, not just here but abroad as well.

The US government, still, has yet to serve Goni and his collaborator who fled to the US with their legal papers, 5 and half months after they were issued. Without the serving of these papers the case against them cannot move forward. This is a blatant disregard for the legitimite Bolivian judicial process.

Not a surprise to many who have been following the history of US imperialism, but still something to stand up against.

If you havent read Harold Pinter´s Nobel Prize Lecture, you should.

Harold Pinter is not only a fabulous play write (not of course for everyone) but is a tireless campaigner for those who have suffered under US imperialism over the last 50 or so years. I remember seeing him speak at a Cuba Solidarity function when I lived in London. A small gathering of around 150-200 people, he read one of his poems, I remember feeling a ray of hope. (This was also the only time I ever saw Kirsty McCall, who came on stage to sing A New England with Billy Bragg).

With the new anti-terrorist legislation in Australia one wonders if blogs like mine and many others will be in existence much longer. But out of England comes news of a 72 year old man who refused to pay his tax because it was going to fund the illegal war in Iraq. He was arrested, charged and found guilty. If we all did actions like this, maybe the world will change.

We want justice!

Nestor Salinas is 29 years old, he lives in El Alto with his Mum and has 6 brothers. He used to work as an inspector in a factory in El Alto.

All this changed on October 18 2003, when his 29 year old brother died due to complications from a bullet wound sustained from a military issued gun. Now Nestor is the President of the Families of the hero's and fallen in the defense of gas, an organisation made up of those who lost loved ones during Black October.

Nestor was with his brother when he died, he fought hard for proper medical care that never arrived. The last words his brother heard was Nestors promise to bring justice to those who were responsible for his death and the deaths of many others. And so Nestors life has changed dramatically.

He no longer works and has dedicated his life to fighting for those responsible (ex President Gonzales Sanchez de Lozada, Carlos Berzian and the other 10 minsters)to justice. He is an articulate man, who very calmly tells you the story of his brother, Davids, death. He must have told this story hundreds of times, but it still packs a punch, there is emotion in his voice, but he doesn't waver.

Nestor talks about what it was like during the uprising in October. He tells you about the 5 year old boy who happened to be looking out the window of his parents house (curious about the commotion in the streets below) only to be shot in the face, later dying. He tells you that all the fatal bullet wounds sustained were to the chest or above. A clear example of the policy of the government and military to shoot to kill.

Nestor tells you that there was no adequate medical care in El Alto. That ambulances from La Paz could not get through to the city to bring the critically injured to hospitals in the city where they may not of died. The roads were blocked by the military. Many of the deaths caused were due to this.

Nestor keeps reminding you that is it easy to forget what happened in Bolivia in October 2003, as we go on with our lives, but the struggle of Nestor, the families, and of Bolivia is inextricably tied with the demand for justice and dignity and the charges of murder against those responsible.

He asks the question "what type of democracy do we have, when you go out and buy a piece of bread, and you get a bullet in the heart? This is the type of democracy we have." A question that can be asked of many countries.

In response to charges of murder this week, the head of the Army in Bolivia, General Antezana actually said that many of the deaths were caused due to "autoeliminacion", that the people shot each other. This, he said, happens a lot during times of political unrest. This absurdity is a direct strategy by the powers that confuse and delay the judicial process. Imagine how the families feel, what an insult.

After meeting Nestor last night, I am more dedicated now to the struggle to bring those responsible to justice. Sometimes its easy to work for a cause and have no emotional attachment. Nestor is one of the most remarkable people I have ever met in my life, he brings dignity and power to a struggle which is surely going to last years.

He said that this is his life now, he will not rest, will never give up and will continue to fight no matter what, until those responsible for Davids death and the death of 60+ others, plus the injuries of over 400 people, are behind bars in jail.

In a world where there is so much injustice, its people like Nestor who make you realise that justice will only be achieved through struggle and if everyone struggled together, justice will come much quicker.

If you want to do something, get involved with the campaign of the Bolivia Solidarity Network to help bring justice to the people of Bolivia.

Sign the Petition

In support of Bolivian human rights organizations we are gathering signatures to demand that US Government immediately serve former Bolivian President, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, and former ministers, Carlos Sanchez Berzain and Jorge Berindoague with legal papers requiring them to return to Bolivia to testify in the deaths of 59 Bolivians who were protesting during the "gas war" of September and October of 2003. To sign the petition click the link below.

Sign Here

We hope to get over 500 signatures by December 9th. Please forward this email and encourge as many others as possible to sign.

For more information about this case go to:
Get Goni