We only needed to hear one more
thing: that the vice president, Carlos Mesa, would accept his
place in the constitutional order and become the new president
of the republic. Cameras turned to Mesa's home, where he emerged
from the house, waving, and began greeting neighbors. "He's
going to accept," cried Gabriela, and giggled.
Mesa took office Friday night around midnight. Since then we
have all been speculating on what this will mean for Bolivia.
His first decision as president was to immediately demilitarize
El Alto and La Paz. That night, gathered around the TV, many of
us collapsed into our chairs, breathing deeply for the first time
since the conflict exploded a month ago. Gabriela sat silently,
lightly clapping her hands and closing her eyes, relieved. For
many, Mesa represents just that: relief and hope.
But we also know that the challenges that Bolivia and this administration
face are complex, overwhelming.
Mesa has shown he "gets it," that he understands that
the demands of Altenos and Bolivians in general represent broad
sectors of Bolivian society, not a "conspiracy of sedition
by armed groups, 'narco-syndicalist' groups, terrorist groups,
and cartels who created a confrontational situation, leaving me
no way out but to resign," as Goni recently claimed to the
BBC. Goni spoke from Washington D.C., where he fled just as his
resignation letter was read to the Bolivian people. Many Bolivians
are outraged at how Goni has portrayed recent protests, denigrating
Bolivians and dismissing their demands. In his letter he neither
took responsibility nor showed remorse for the dead.
Mesa spoke differently. In his acceptance speech on Friday he
said of Bolivia's indigenous communities: "We cannot look
at Bolivia if we do not look at who, for centuries, has been excluded,
and if we do not look at what kind of mechanisms we need to give
them an answer to [their] legitimate demands, a legitimate right
to be true, first-class citizens in a country of equals. And Bolivia
is not yet a country of equals."
But for all of Mesa's understanding, it does not remove the challenges
ahead.
Ely Lopez, who works with the Center for Andean Peoples and Cultures,
explained, "He's presented a very theoretical analysis of
the situation, but now we need to see what that will look like
concretely. People look to him with hope, but we must not forget
that the political system hasn't changed, just the person heading
it. […] Still, he recognizes that the issue of indigenous
peoples is vital. You cannot even talk about Bolivia without addressing
this issue. It is absolutely fundamental."
One major struggle will be to overcome the deep east-west regional
division in Bolivia, divisions that have pitted indigenous farmers
in the west against wealthy businessmen in the east. Divisions
that have widened in this past month.
Bolivia will also have to decide how it will hold the military
and police accountable for the more than 74 dead. Goni has left
the country, but people are already talking about how to open
a case against him. As Lopez explained, "We must demonstrate
that we will not permit impunity. I liked what Mesa said to the
armed forces. We are all responsible for saying ‘no’
to death, for refusing to carry out orders if we believe they
are unjust. This is an important discussion for all of us as Bolivians."
Bolivia will still face many of the same pressures it has in
the past: pressure to adopt policies that the U.S. government,
the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Bank have pushed
for nearly 20 years. External forces have long-dictated Bolivia's
destiny, and Bolivians are sick of it. Many of those same policies
were the impetus for recent mobilizations. And they are still
present.
Leading opposition groups and popular movements have said that
they want to give Mesa a chance, want to support him if his talk
translates into real action, real change. But they also warn that
should this administration repeat the mistakes of the past, they
will mobilize again. And this time they know their power.
Felipa, an Aymara leader, reflected on what lies ahead for Bolivia's
indigenous movements. She said, "This was a big achievement.
I've never seen anything like it before. But it isn't over. The
struggle isn't over. Little by little we must construct our own
vision, our own project for this country. Our brothers and sisters
are now conscious of their power, and the need to keep working.
This isn't about Evo or Mallku [two well-known indigenous leaders].
This is about all of us participating. We are seeking autonomy,
a day when we ourselves will truly govern. This was a big achievement,
getting rid of the butcher. But it isn't over. We must continue
in this struggle."
On the Monday after Goni's resignation, a Maryknoll missioner
friend of mine, Cati, was riding in a taxi with an Aymara driver.
They listened to the radio and a speech someone was delivering
in El Alto. The speaker closed his talk, and shouted in Aymara,
"Jallalla Tupac Katari," "long live Tupac Katari,
he is present with us, in the people." Katari led an indigenous
uprising for dignity, autonomy, and an end to Spanish colonial
rule in the 18th century.
Unsure, Cati turned to the driver and asked, "Who's speaking?"
He grinned. "The president."
Susan
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, page
263
What you can do
I've received so many letters from friends and strangers expressing
their support for the Bolivian people during these past weeks
of violence—and their dismay that they didn't know about
what was happening earlier. Bolivia, like many developing nations,
is rarely covered by the U.S. media. And yet, much of what is
happening in Bolivia is related to U.S. policies and politics.
This lack of coverage can be exasperating for people like you
and me. We don't know what's happening in another part of the
world, then learn that we are somehow tied to events there.
Many people have asked what they can do to help.
Expression your concern
First, let me say that all the expressions of support and concern
that the UMAVIDA network and I have received from people in the
United States have been overwhelming, moving. I continue to compile
those letters and translate them for people here. That growing
pile of messages of concern from average North Americans has been
a powerful statement of support. Over the past 20 years, U.S.
policies on a broad range of issues have given many Bolivians
an extremely negative image of the United States. Your letters
give Bolivians a different image of Americans. That is powerful
and important.
Learning more
To learn more about the relationship between North American Christians
and our brothers and sisters in the South, encourage your church's
mission committees to dig deeper. It's important to understand
the long-term, underlying causes of poverty and injustice. Becoming
informed is a necessary step as we seek justice and work to achieve
God's kingdom here on earth.
Here are some Web sites with information about PC(USA) programs
that work for international justice:
Action
You can also look into your community's interfaith groups working
on issues in Latin America and other parts of the world.
Call, write or email the editor of your newspaper and the news
director of the stations you watch for national and international
news. Tell them you want more news from South America (and Africa
and Asia) and that you want it to go deeper than tidal waves,
earthquakes, bus plunges and ferry sinkings. When they respond
with an informative story, praise them.
Prayer
- Your prayers are important. Thank you for keeping all of the
people of Bolivia and me in your prayers during these past weeks
of violence.
- Right now, we need prayers for Bolivia's new leader, Carlos
Mesa, and his cabinet, and for all the people of Bolivia.
- Please pray for Bolivian families who lost daughters, sons,
mothers, husbands, wives, fathers, and friends in the violence
of the past month. For those wounded and killed, but also for
those who pulled triggers. Pray that they seek forgiveness and
turn away from doing harm, especially if conflict flares again.
- Pray that Mesa's commitment to justice and his promise to
listen to the people's demands result in real and lasting changes
in Bolivia's unjust social structures.
- Pray that Bolivia's varied social movements and groups are
able to offer concrete proposals for the kinds of changes they
need so they can help construct a new Bolivia, not merely attack
the old.
- Pray that the international community, including the World
Bank and International Monetary Fund, will examine its role
in making Bolivia a dependent nation and fueling recent protests.
- Pray that those of us from the United States examine the impact
of U.S. policies and lifestyles on nations like Bolivia. Pray
that our leaders craft policies that foster life, not death,
and pray for guidance as we all work for abundant life for all
of God's children.
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