vida y politica

learning, reading, asking, listening, typing away at our computers.
Life and Politics.
chris and i sit in an internet cafe, attempting to understand some of the deep and complicated history of bolivia that very much influences what is happening today...trying to gain what we can from bolivian news on tv-newspapers and through conversations with bolivian friends and our host family...hoping to understand as much as we can and to relay our limited understanding to those we love, to you all.

Yesterday we started lessons at our language school, and we´re both loving it! Around 7:45 am, we hop on a ´trufi´ or public taxi, which costs the same as the bus, and head to class. We each meet with our first one-on-one teacher from 8:30-10, break for coffee and casual conversation, and meet with our second teachers from 10:30 to 12. In our lessons, we´ve jumped right in and are learning a lot. We love that! And we end up coming home, studying more, and practicing our pitiful new language with each other and our host family. It´s a beautiful place to learn. Situated in the peaceful heart of the country...en Cochabamba, amidst an escalating political situation all around, we are here at quite a tumultuous time.

Actually, the day we flew into La Paz is when things began. So, it´s been a week. But, as I am continuing to learn from conversations with wise Bolivian elders and people who have lived here throughout the turnover of many leaders, conflict and protest and revolt- is nothing new. My second ´language lesson´ today turned out to be more of a history lesson for me from my 60yr old teacher, Sylvia. A retired public school teacher, she is quite informed and, as seems true of most Bolivians, has strong opinions of politics. She sat me down with a map and explained her understanding of things. This is my sylvia-esperanza-bbc-bolivian-korie version of the history and a little background on the current political situation:

Throughout its history, the conflicts of Bolivia have mainly been over land and resources...both of which it is very rich. And like most countries, ethnic conflict is also the heart of disagreement. In Bolivia, there are those who claim spanish-euopean heritage and those who claim indigenous heritage (and those who identify with both). Over time money, resources, and power have mainly fallen into the hands of the S-E´s. Up until now, the leaders have mainly been of Spanish-European decent. The current president, Evo Morales, is the first president who claims indigenous decent. Having grown up a campesino (subsistence farmer), Evo came into office in 2005 with idealistic dreams of creating a more socially-just government. He plans to ´´re-distribute Bolivia's wealth and give a greater voice to the large indigenous community´´(qtd. BBC). Obviously ideas that chris and i support. And we, and many others, believe his intentions. Currently he has a very high approval rating among Bolivians. But in recent days, those who disagree with Evo, mainly those of S-E decent and/or those who have (legally or illegally) aquired the money and power, have taken some pretty serious actions.

The conflict is happening mostly in the north-eastern region of the country. The country has 3 main regions: the altiplano- which includes La Paz and runs along the mountains and eastern side of the country, the southern-central region...where we are, and the north-eastern-jungle region. Those living in NE have taken matters into their own hands, and as a result an estimated 30 (pro-Evo) people have died, roads have been blocked, and airports have been shut down. It is unclear (to me at least) how much the regional governors...of the areas in conflict have been involved, but as we know, there´s always corruption in government. Overall, this is why the US Ambassador was sent home. Because he openly supports the opposition of Evo and it is believed that he was involved in some of the plotting, or at least was supportive of those who led some of the violent revolts.

I cannot tell you where things are going, or how things will turn out. There is the question among some, even those who are pretty pro-Evo, of his lack of experience and education. But I´m not one to believe that one with the most education is automatically qualified to reform a country, and the idealist (or socialist) in me hopes some of his dreams of creating a more just world, even if only in this one country of the world, can come true. At the same time, I don´t worship the ground he walks on or think he will make perfect decisions. Power corrupts and confuses. And greed and violence disheartens even the most courageous and hopeful hearts. I´m just here, trying to listen to the wise voices of those around me, and the one I trust in my heart.

To each of you I hope the same.
And to those of you of the praying-inclination, please pray for Bolivia.