From bad to worse

10.12.2003

I'm online, listening to the radio. There are many dead & wounded in El Alto after clashes w/ the police & army. The woman on the radio complains that ambulances have a hard time getting to the wounded.

There's still no gasoline in the city. Transportation's grinding to a halt, affecting other businesses. Bread's in short supply; there's almost no more meat available in the city. Soldiers & police keep moving up the main roads to El Alto. The airport's closed. Rumors of all kinds fly through the city; there's a subdued panic in the Zona Sur.

Things are bad. They're getting worse. Everyone hopes the protesters' dirigentes agree to negotiate w/ the government soon. Last night, a government minister was hospitalized after his vehicle was destroyed; he was in El Alto on a government mission to negotiate w/ the dirigentes. Neighborhood vigilante groups in El Alto have formed to fight the protesters/looters. There's talk of Zona Sur residents arming themselves & organizing to defend their homes if necessary.

It's amazing that so many businesses are still open, that couples walk the rainy streets arm & arm as if it were any Sunday. Most people seem to be nervous, but optimistic. It's El Alto that's on fire. But everyone asks the same thing: When will Goni declare a state of siege?

Posted by Miguel at 05:38 PM

Comments

on Oct 6, you write: "The ironic thing, is that the army/police have been really rather soft w/ them. Sure, a few people died two weeks ago ... after the army was ambushed near Warisata. But the army hasn't cracked down on them. Not yet. Is that what they want?"

you´re a real smart, cynical guy. you seem to have enough money to give a shit about people who have not and who are fighting for their rights. yeah right, the army really must be "soft". who cares about people running into their bullets? is that what you think?
so better stay in your upperclass world. otherwise you could get in touch with the reality of capitalism. better stay there and do not understand what it means to be poor.
i think, you are the one, who is hoping for dictatorship, little pinochet-friend!

Posted by: Anticapitalist at October 13, 2003 07:35 AM

Anticapitalist:

I'm sure Miguel can easily defend himself from you comments: But I'll add a few things. living in Bolivia, seeing many other LA countries it's not about "UpperClass" poeple sheltered in "Thier" worlds. We are by no means upper class, but that's not the point.

To be honest, I'm not sure what your point was? Do you know anything about Bolivian Politics? People running into bullets... the military was ambushed. I am trying to respond to your post .. but it's real hard since you position isn't very clear. Maybe you will write more, and capitalise on your nice computer with high speed internet access ... and use one of those mouses with the red laser on the bottom, with a cool sticker on top.

Posted by: Andres at October 13, 2003 10:12 AM

Anticapitalist:

What I wrote on 6 October was after the army was ambushed; in the firefight, two people died. This is regretable. I've never felt otherwise. But the army could've gone in w/ tanks and just pulverized the town. The police could've just shot at the marchers during any day of the three weeks they marched. None of that happened.

Now the city is in chaos. Utter chaos. I hate that. I don't want the government to fall. I don't want a dictatorship. You don't know me at all, if you think that.

But don't just assume that all the chaos is the fault of "capitalism". It's also the fault of cynical syndicalist leaders who use the poor people as cannon fodder for their goals.

Finally, I don't want Goni to declare a state of siege. And so far he refuses to. He wants to stay as much w/in the bounds of the constitution as possible, under the circumstances. But people are asking if/when he'll declare a state of siege.

Posted by: Miguel at October 13, 2003 10:45 AM

Anticapitalist:

My response to your email bounced back. Since you don't even have the courage to use your real email address, I won't even take any comments you made seriously.

If you want to debate Bolivian politics, or anything else, use your real email address and stand behind your opinions, as I do.

Posted by: Miguel at October 13, 2003 10:51 AM