The day I met Evo

I has been two days since the UNITE delegation arrived in Bolivia on a fact-finding mission, to meet high-ranking officials, and to show its solidarity with what is referred to as the democratic and cultural revolution taking place in the country. Already we have met the foreign minister, the minister of mining, of hydrocarbons, land reform, and an ex-minister of health. But the meeting everyone is most looking forward to is the meting with the president, an indigenous man who, against all odds, has been able to overcome difficult life circumstances, poverty, poor education and accusations from the US of being a narco-terrorist, to reach the presidency of his country.

Having been roped in at the last minute to act as a linguistic and cultural bridge between the British delegation and the Spanish-speaking hosts, the day has already surpassed all my expectations. We have met with incredibly hard-working people and ministers who in very case, have come across as thoroughly decent individuals driven by a mission to achieve social justice. As the minister of hydrocarbons said, “ it is not often that I receive visits from trade unionists. The people you have just seen leaving this office are from the French oil company Total. But I have to say that, as an ex-trade unionist leader, I feel much more comfortable in your presence. How can I help you?”

The day didn’t begin promisingly as the 8:30 am audience with President Evo Morales got cancelled at short notice because he had to travel to Cochabamba first, and Santa Cruz later. We are told the president is very sorry and that we would meet in the afternoon at 5:30 pm. By the time 5pm comes and then 6pm and then the reception organised by the delegation begins at the hotel at 7 pm, nobody expects to see the president. We knew that Jose, Ann and everyone organising the visit were still trying to pull all the stocks behind the scenes to make this possible but by the time the whisky-colas start to arrive at the reception, I abandon myself to this new experience and decide to enjoy the moment talking to Montserrat Ponsa i Tarres, the catalan journalist and activist who I had just seen on TV a couple of days earlier.
The call came through that we should make it to the presidential palace by 9:15pm to meet Evo. And, like excited children, we all run out of the hotel, leaving guests stranded in order to be at the palacio quemado on time.

I wonder why the expectation. Are we now behaving just like the fellow travellers of yesteryear who travelled to China, the Soviet Union, or Cuba and felt under the spell of strong men, the caudillos with authoritarian instincts they were happy to see in the developing world but would not have accepted in their own countries? I don’t think so. When the president arrives after another 45 min wait, the overwhelming impression I get is that he exudes simplicity and humility in more abundance than the charisma that characterises some leaders. Dressed in trainers, jeans, and wearing a jumper, he apologises for the delay and proceeds to recount his day’s programme of activities, which, having started at 5:30 am, has not yet concluded (it is by now after 10 pm). To which Derek Simpson, the General Secretary of UNITE responds “ so what do you do in the afternoon then?” Hasn’t anyone seen the film ‘Lost in translation?’- Jesus Christ! I do the formal translation to Evo’s ear and wait for him to turn to me with a frown to say “ compañero presidente, el secretario general le ha contado un chiste the humor muy inglés” to which Evo smiles; thank god for that!! After this start, the exchange becomes friendly and distended, concentrating on Bolivia’s development plans, the challenges ahead, and the contribution that UNITE can make to this process from the UK. Our delegation shares with the president and his minister for interaction with social movements, a press release from UNITE in support with the process of political and cultural change that pleases them. After about 50 mins, we part our ways and the delegation meets the awaiting press.
That’s the story of the day I met Evo.

Regards and rEVOlutionary greetings to all (check out the handsome guy sitting next to the president in the photo)