Former Bolivian Congressman, political dissident and friend, Jose Brechner, sends his analysis on the growing unrest in Bolivia.
Jose correctly predicted the current crisis in a conversation I had with him earlier this year at the Democracy and Security Summit in Prague.
Residents cheer during a town council in Santa Cruz, December 15, 2007. Four Bolivian provinces forged ahead with plans for regional autonomy on Saturday in a challenge to President Evo Morales that has raised fears of political turmoil in South America’s poorest country. Led by the economic hub of Santa Cruz, the provinces bitterly oppose the new constitution and are making separate declarations of autonomy. The banner reads, “No to the Mas (Movement to the socialism party) “.
(REUTERS/Carlos Hugo Vaca)
Here is Jose’s assessment on the crisis:
I wrote since 2004 dozens of articles warning about what is happening today. Bolivia is two different countries. East and west are contradicting cultures. The west is where indigenous primitive Aimara people live, and the east is more westernized with white and mestizo population.
The eastern society is pro western, hard working, modern, and the west is extremely backwards, collective and populist.
Ninety per cent of all Bolivian nightmares come from the West: revolutions, coups, and irrationality. Indigenous people want the government to provide for practically everything, while eastern people believe in free enterprise and individuality.
Evo Morales, an Aimara Indian, reached power with unlimited millions of dollars provided by Hugo Chavez. Morales is illiterate. He bribed thousands to get where he is, but the real president is Chavez to whom he obeys blindly.
Chavez wants to impose a communist Stalin type regime all over South America. The new Bolivian Constitution follows that pattern, and was approved without the opposition, in an Army Headquarters, against the approval of the majority of the population, that now is rebelling, and wants an autonomic regime for their provinces where they can handle their natural own resources, way of life and taxes. Obviously it contradicts socialist, centralized, totalitarian purposes.
Chavez has been sending airplanes to Bolivia with unidentified cargo, probably weapons, as he wants to have total control of South America´s heartland, as Che Guevara and previously the Nazis wanted to do.
We might be on the verge of a civil war. The army chiefs have been receiving millions of dollars to remain faithful to Morales, and civilians have no means to fight back. If violence explodes, which is quite probable, there can be thousands of casualties.
Chavez, and Kirchner –Argentina´s president– warned already, that they will not allow anybody to overthrow Morales, and they will intervene if somebody dares to do so. That means we can also have an international war in South America.
Jose wrote previously about Chavez’s hand in Bolivia and Iran’s courtship of these anti-American Leftists.
Previously:
Bolivia Civil War Watch— Evo Morales Calls Out the Troops
After Vote- Bolivian Socialists Swap Constitutions
Chaos in Bolivia! 4 of 9 Provinces Break From Socialist Government