BOLIVIA AFTER CHAVEZ

When Hugo Chavez died in early 2013, Bolivia’s Evo Morales was deeply shocked. He accompanied the coffin of his mentor and Bolivia, like Venezuela, held 7 days of mourning after Chavez’ death (Pulsamerica, 11 March 2013).

With Chavez, Morales did not only lose a mentor for his “Socialism of the 21^st century”, but also the guarantee for economic and international political support (Al Jazeera, April 2013). The important social programme “Evo Cumple” – “Evo keeps his promise” was funded by Venezuelan sources (ibid.). After Chavez’ death, the continuation of all these aspects of support was uncertain (ibid.).

Elections were called in Venezuela, and despite protests from the opposition regarding unfair elections, Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as the new president in April 2013 (BBC, 19 April 2013). Maduro, a former bus driver, functioned as foreign minister under Chavez (Huffington Post, 19 April 2013).

And Maduro has shown that Venezuela’s support for Bolivia will be kept up: bilateral contracts were continued in May 2013 (Eju, 31 May 2013). Maduro also declared that “who messes with Bolivia messes with Venezuela” (El Imparcial, 4 July 2013).

Thus, Morales has found a new ally in Maduro. But the money that keeps flowing from Venezuela is not a present; it is an international debt that Bolivia keeps accumulating (Eju, 31 May 2013). And it is money that the people of Venezuela that suffer from the scarcity of even the most basic goods like toilet paper or milk would need urgently themselves (Eju, 15 June 2013).

 

REFERENCES

Al Jazeera (April 2013). Bolivia without Hugo Chavez. Retrieved from http://www.aljazeera.com/video/americas/2013/04/20134764150239799.html

BBC (19 April 2013). Nicolas Maduro sworn in as new Venezuelan president. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22220526

El Imparcial (4 July 2013). ‘Quien se mete con Bolivia se mete con Venezuela’: Maduro Retrieved from http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Internacional/04072013/723398-Quien-se-mete-con-Bolivia-se-mete-con-Venezuela-Maduro.html

Eju (31 May 2013). Venezuela flaquea y Bolivia se endeuda. Retrieved from http://eju.tv/2013/05/venezuela-flaquea-y-bolivia-se-endeuda/

Eju (15 June 2013). Nexos entre Evo y Maduro. Retrieved from http://eju.tv/2013/06/nexos-entre-evo-y-maduro/

Huffington Post (19 April 2013). Nicolas Maduro to be sworn in as Venezuelan president. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/nicolas-maduro-sworn-in-venezuela-president_n_3115289.html

Pulsamerica (11 March 2013). Bolivia: Morales mourns Chávez. Retrieved from http://www.pulsamerica.co.uk/2013/03/11/bolivia-morales-mourns-chavez-kidnapped-mennonites-oruro-airport-controversy/

THE MAS AND THE MAYAS

Bolivia is undergoing a “process of change”, initiated by the current government formed by the Movimiento Al Socialismo (Movement Towards Socialism) and its leading figure Evo Morales. Although the government has been in power since 2005, no profound change can be noticed: Bolivian society is as divided as ever between indigenous and non-indigenous populations, and the political-economic situation remains volatile (see for instance Pablo Stefanoni’s recent analysis of the “process of change”, Stefanoni 2012).

There is, however, change at the symbolic level: The country has been renamed, Bolivia is now the “Plurinational State of Bolivia”, expressing the country’s ethnic diversity. The Bolivian flag is now accompanied by the Wiphala, the colourful flag representing the indigenous peoples of the Andes. And the president enjoys the attention he receives in the international arena for his anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist speeches - while considerable parts of his own country are being destroyed by mining industries (Gudynas, 5 March 2012).

Recently, the MAS has discovered another powerful symbolism: The end date of the Mayan calendar in 2012 and the fears and hopes surrounding the “end of the world” in 2012 (Salazar,2012). For the Bolivian government, the magic date of the 21^st of December 2012 will bring about the Cambio / change so desired by them.

When the Organisation of American States (OAS / OEA) met in Cochabamba in the last days of May 2012, the opening speeches of the Bolivian hosts made abundant references to the “Mayan prophecies” (Salazar, 2012): For them, the year 2012 marks the beginning of a “time of balance”, a new time, a new system that would, for instance, make a restructuring of the OAS / OEA necessary.

Along similar lines, Chancellor of State David Choquehuanca declared a few days ago that the 21^st of December 2012 would mark “the end of capitalism, the end of Coca Cola, and the beginning of the Mocochinchi” (Gonzales Yaksic, July 2012). For the uninitiated amongst you, Mocochinchi is a traditional drink in Bolivia, prepared by boiling dried peaches. It seems to be the wish of the government that this traditional refreshment should replace the “Black Waters of Imperialism”, Coca Cola.

Mocochini, offered in Cochabamba, source http://www.flickr.com/photos/imenezes/

But does the alliance between the Bolivian government and the Mayan prophecies take a more concrete shape? What is, for instance, the contribution of the Bolivian government to restructuring the OEA? At the meeting this year, the government representatives were focused on gaining support for their demand against Chile – a demand to receive back the Bolivian access to the sea that was lost  to Chile in the Pacific War more than 100 years ago (Salazar, 2012).

And will the government really make Coca Cola leave the country? At their most courageous, they will apply the same technique as with the mines, oil fields and utility companies that have been “nationalised”: Local MAS supporters or soldiers will occupy the production sites until a new treaty is set up, one under which Coca Cola still owns the plants but makes a few concessions to the Bolivian government. At least this is the experience from previous “victories against imperialism” through “nationalisations” (Gonzales Yaksic, July 2012).

In fact, we don´t know if Bolivians will really only drink Mocochinchi from 2013 on. But what we do know is that the Bolivian government entertains a range of symbolisms – more often ridiculous than powerful – to fuel its “process of change”, while at the same time being rather helpless in the real implementation of changes for Bolivia.

SOURCES

Gonzales Yaksic, M. (July 2012). Mocochinchi y Coca Cola. Los Tiempos, 15 July 2012. Retrieved from http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/opiniones/columnistas/20120715/mocochinchi-y-coca-cola_178520_377029.html

Salazar, J. C. (2012). El mar, la OEA y las profecías Mayas. Nueva Crónica y Buen Gobierno. PRISMA / PLURAL editores, No. 106, primera quincena de Junio 2012.

Stefanoni, P. (2012). ¿Y quién no querría “vivir bien”? Encrucijadas del proceso de cambio boliviano. Cuadernos de pensamiento crítico Latinoamericano, Numero 48, Junio 2012

Gudynas, E. (5 March 2012). La izquierda marrón (The Brown Left). La línea de fuego. Retrieved from http://lalineadefuego.info/2012/03/05/la-izquierda-marron-por-eduardo-gudynas/