Indigenous Uprising: The Rebellion Grows in Bolivia

Friday, June 3rd, 2005

Indigenous Uprising: The Rebellion Grows in Bolivia

 Rebellion is in the air in Latin America's poorest country, Bolivia. For weeks, indigenous-led protests have rocked the country and have brought the government to a near shutdown. The protests began as demonstrations calling for nationalization of the country's natural gas resources but that was just the spark for a much bigger war; a war over the rights of the country's majority indigenous population. We go to Cochabamba for a report from human rights activist Jim Shultz of the Democracy Center. [includes rush transcript]

Bolivia's US-backed President, Carlos Mesa, is scrapping to maintain control of the government and there are rumors in the air of coup plots.

Late yesterday, Mesa signed an emergency decree ordering a referendum on greater autonomy for the richest area of the country and a vote in mid-October to elect members for an assembly to rewrite the constitution. The protests have cut off the capital from the airport and blockades have shut down two-thirds of the country's highways.

More at:

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/06/03/1347232