Tick Tock: The Social Movements' Strategy Unfolds (Bolivia)

"At the moment, the most important rural organizations, such as the peasant farmers’ federation from the department of La Paz, have spoken, but the meeting continues. The only things we can report, after speaking with several leaders at the meeting, are the following:

1) Starting now, every social group has declared itself mobilized, whether to march or to set up road blockades, all over the country.
2) Every organization will be free to choose its own methods and will carefully draw up its own plan for the struggle.
3) The city of El Alto and the Chapare region are declared the “main bases” for better coordination.

The clock being wound in conflict. When the second-hand reaches its starting place, it is very possible that Bolivia will experience an unprecedented social explosion... or at least the collective will for struggle and unity will be expressed."

More:
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/3/12/142238/302

That is good news about the public prosecutors.

A BBC backgrounder on Bolivia:

Bolivia is one of the world's largest producers of coca, the raw material for cocaine. A crop-eradication programme, though easing the flow of conditional US aid, has incensed many of Bolivia's poorest farmers for whom coca is often the only source of income.

The country has the second-largest reserves of natural gas in South America, but there is a great deal of sensitivity over the exploitation and the export of the resource. Indigenous groups are opposed to relinquishing control of the reserves, which they see as Bolivia's sole remaining natural resource.

<snip>

But protests have also dogged Mr Mesa, who has faced calls for autonomy in the prosperous Santa Cruz province and conflicting demands from the business sector, unions and coca growers.

In March 2005 opposition demonstrations and blockades aimed at making international energy companies pay higher tariffs to exploit the country's natural gas reserves prompted the president to submit his resignation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1210487.stm

over the ICC exemption.

The ICC has no death penalty for war crimes and crimes against humanity. A new revolutionary post-Bush American government would be very interested in imposing the maximum penalty on US government officials that are found guilty of such crimes.

I'll drink to that.
:toast: