Some of the latest news about Bolivia

News in and about Bolivia continue to be dominated by the Pando massacre that took place in Porvenir on 11 September as leader of the special commission created by UNASUR, Rodolfo Mattarollo, finally handed over to President Evo Morales, the investigative report on the events, declaring the killings a massacre that was planned by the prefecture and made use of the prefecture’s resources, including its staff, to conduct the killings. The Bolivian opposition have tried to dismiss the UNASUR commission’s report declaring it partial and biased because, among other things, ‘it does not give credibility to reports that claim that indigenous peoples in Pando killed each other’.
More on this can be found on:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/latin_america/newsid_7763000/7763930.stm


The other main issue dominating the news headlines in Bolivia is that judicial processes are finally being pursued against some of those who instigated and participated in the acts of violence that preceded the Pando massacre and which we reported here as ‘el golpe civico prefectural’
http://boliviandiaries.blogspot.com/2008/10/golpe-cvico-prefectural-attempted-coup.html


At the time, (in October) I could not personally believe that the government appeared to be rewarding the violent tactics of the opposition led by the prefects of the ‘media luna’ with talks geared to reaching a consensus on the new constitutional text that will be put to referendum on 25th January. With the benefit of hindsight, it now seems that was a ploy to pacify the country and reach the consensus necessary to ensure that this referendum goes ahead next month. However, those who participated in the siege of public buildings, the explosive attack against a gas pipe in Tarija and the killings of indigenous people, are now starting to be caught and brought to justice. This, of course, is seen as a witch hunt and political persecution by the opposition who seem more interested in defending murderers than the victims of murder. Here is an example with these accusations coming from Branko Marinkovic, president of the ‘civic committee’ of Santa Cruz and one of the main instigators of violence in September as well as defender of the corporativist interests of the soya barons:
http://senderodelpeje.com/sdp/contenido/2008/10/14/55702


This is an interesting debate. Clearly dividing those on the side of justice from those on the side of perpetuating impunity, it defines the lines of support and opposition to the government. In that process, the cardinal of Bolivia, Julio Terrazas, has been found wanting after openly criticism the government and offering protection to violent thugs in his church. I wonder if the man really believes in hell…And Spanish newspaper ‘El Pais’? They have just nominated him as man of the year!
http://abnoticias.info/2008/12/01/%e2%80%9cbolivia-pais-sin-dios-ni-ley%e2%80%9d-el-narcotrafico-inquieta-al-cardenal/