Giving the old Evo: The beautiful game

I've always had a soft spot for Evo Morales, President of Bolivia. He's not perfect, but who is? Few can say they've done the same amount to tackle corruption, bring multi-nationals to heel or develop real poverty alleviation in one of the poorest countries on Earth.

This, of course, does not excuse thuggery on the football field.



Here we see Evo, first man of Bolivia, giving what can only be described as a quick knee to the balls of an opponent on the football field - apparently in retaliation for an earlier foul.

Press reports suggest that the man Morales left rolling about on the floor in pain was sent off! I suppose there's no point in being President if you can't do this sort of thing, sigh. To add insult to injury Evo's security team then wanted to arrest the man, but were restrained.

I do like the idea of a football playing President - but I'd rather a clean player with good team building skills than a dirty bugger, quick to apply his studs to an opponent's particulars.

Brazil keeps to the left

The Brazilian Presidential election yesterday showed that the electorate continues to have a desire for social justice. The fact that the three main contenders were from the Workers Party, Social Democrats and the Greens speaks volumes in itself, showing the demand for addressing the very real problems that still exist after years of the Lula regime.

The Workers Party (PT) received 47%, the Social Democrats took 33% and the Greens (PV) 19%. Looking at the previous election results it's clear that the Green vote has predominantly come from the left and the Social Democrats rather than the PT itself whose vote has shifted by less than 2%. In 2006 the PT received 48.6%, the Social Democrats 41.6%, and the hard left P-Sol 6.9% (who stood but received less than 1% this time round).

Lula's successor for the PT is Dilma Rousseff is a former rebel who was tortured under the dictatorship. She is set to be Brazil's first female President and has a reputation as a hard minded left-winger - although has been criticised as a bureaucrat without Lula's 'common touch'. As a point of interest of the nine Presidential candidates only two were women who both came in the top three places.

The Green Vote

The Greens' Marina Silva achieved a fantastic result gaining almost one in five of the votes. The high point was in the capital itself (called the Distrito Federal) where she gained 41% of the vote to the PT's 31% and the Social Democrat's 24%.

Silva is from a very humble background and she rose to become Lula's Minister of the Environment, quitting the government in 2006 over its poor performance on environmental issues. Although Silva's votes may lean towards the PT in the second round of voting they certainly cannot be taken for granted, despite Rousseff's large lead.

Indeed the Social Democrats had previously offered Silva the role of Vice President and they may well repeat this offer, or possibly offer the position to another high profile Green, Fernando Gabeira. Gabeira, a founding member of the Brazilian Greens, stood for governor of Rio de Janeiro coming second with 21% of the vote.

Shifting left

Radical socialist and former Presidential candidate Heloisa Helena (PSOL) got 16.6% in her senatorial race in Alagoas. PSOL also recieved 14.3% in the governor race in the capital (where the Greens won the Presidential vote).

It seems to me that the vote demonstrates that a great many Brazilians still have sympathy with the aims of the Workers Party but are willing to break towards a more radical alternative where it seems credible. Both Heloisa Helena and Marina Silva were high profile PT members who became left critics. They have carried a substantial personal vote with them that does not necessarily automatically transfer to their parties, which remain minor players in Brazilian politics for the moment.

Where the PT is criticised from the right it is generally from a position of more moderate leftism rather than neo-liberalism although Lula, it should be said, has not been as consistently of the left as many would have hoped. Whether left critics of the government can keep up the pressure and/or build a more viable alternative to the PT remains to be seen.

Certainly on these results it shows that the Greens and the left have an opening, with a new President, to become a major electoral force in Brazil if they can only ensure they become a real force on the ground as well as fielding high profile, well respected critics of the government.

Trouble in Ecuador

New austerity laws have left Ecuador rocking with an uprising of the police and army protesting at the withdrawal of their benefits.

Around 150 members of the air force stormed the main airport, other soldiers and police officers set light to tires and began looting while others still confronted the President in a tense stand off at the regimental barracks.

The Guardian reports the President said during the confrontation ""I'm not taking one step back. Gentleman, if you want to kill the president, here he is, kill him if you have the guts." The rebel officers responded with shouts, stones and teargas canisters, prompting Correa's bodyguards to spirit him from the scene."

"The protests were triggered by a law passed by congress yesterday on Wednesday that would end the practice of giving medals and bonuses with each promotion. It would also extend from five to seven years the usual period required for promotions."

The FT reports that later President Correa, who was trapped in a hospital, said “It is a coup attempt led by the opposition and certain sections of the armed forces and police. Whatever happens to me I want to express my love for my family and my homeland.”

They report that "Civil society groups joined the government in vowing to free Mr Correa, before marching on the hospital where he was cornered by protesting police officers."



Some in the government are saying that the majority of the army and police are loyal and a coup is not about to take place, others are beginning to mobilise to prevent a coup. It's certainly true that the President has been attacked and hundreds of armed forces personnel are on the move.

Wyclef Jean to run for President of Haiti

It looks like Wyclef Jean of the fabulous Fugees may well be running for President of Haiti - and he could even win. This seems the appropriate moment to look at his ready made manifesto.



Righteous.

Bring on the clowns

We all know that Latin America is a hot bed of Communism. So much so that the very bastion of conservative comedy has been infected. Yes, the clowns are on the march in El Salvador.

The demonstration of one hundred professional clowns and their supporters included fire-eating, tricycling, sitting in the road and, of course, a quick break for prayers was in response to the fact that a man had been shot dead by two clowns after he had refused to give them money.

One banner read "real clowns are not criminals". A clowns union spokesman (yes, you read that right) told Sky News "If the criminals can get hold of police uniforms imagine how easy it is for them to get hold of a clown's outfit."

The union is calling for clowns to be issued with official documents which they can show members of the public to show they are "real" clowns. The clowns are concerned that their livelihoods depend upon the public (like buskers) and that any ill-will shown towards them may cost them their ability to put food on the table.

Thoughts on the Falklands

Recently there have been some minor diplomatic ripples over the Falkland Islands / Malvinas between the Argentinian government and the UK. It seems that British companies have been making a nuisance of themselves drilling for oil in these disputed waters and not everyone thinks that this is cricket.

The British government line is that the Falkland Islanders want to be British and so they shall be. It is simply a coincidence that they are parked on top of the most valuable resource in the world, but as they are that's ours too.

Falklands oil is culturally British and the most patriotic oil you might be able to imagine. So we'll set up our oil rigs where we like.

However, I have a compromise position that is bound to please everyone. The Falkland Islanders want to be British? Well, that's fine, they can stay that way - self determination and all that. Argentina can have the oil - which has no views on what nation should own it and is geographically far closer to them than us. That's fair isn't it?

After all the British government only cares about the rights of the people - every statement they make is on that very subject, and they skirt meticulously round the subject of the black greasy stuff - the only conclusion I can draw is that this is an issue they care nothing about.

Haiti: nine links

• Clare Durham of the Red Cross explains why they don't want goods.
• Oxfam encourage you to write to the IMF to drop Haiti's debt.
• Socialism or your money back describes it as an unnatural disaster.
• Andy Kershaw in the Independent demands we stop treating people like savages.
• The London Progressive Journal looks at Venezuela's response.
• The whole thing has made Cruella think about God.
• Madame Maiow has darker thoughts.
• Pambazuka presents its own fact file.
• Adam Ramsay looks at the historic legacy of Haiti.
  

Helping Haiti

I'm sure everyone reading this has, like myself, been horrified by the scale of the carnage in Haiti.

Estimates are that around one third of the population is homeless and thousands upon thousands are dead. For a poor nation to suffer such an extraordinary catastrophe means long term misery and poverty as well as short term destruction and death.

Looking around to see how best to make a practical contribution to the disaster relief I have been recommended Partners in Health. Someone on the ground said of them;

"PIH is a well-established, very dependable organization with long-term presence in Haiti... It provides urgent medical care throughout the country. PIH is not headquartered in Port-au-Prince, which means its staff and infrastructure are still functional."

PIH is also recommended by the New York Times in a very interesting piece on how to deliver aid effectively.

I was also recommended a more anarchist leaning organisation working on the ground in Haiti although I have no way of judging how effective they are so I'll leave you to judge.

I'll also point to the Disaster Emergency Committee which is an umbrella organisation for thirteen leading NGOs and is designed to help deliver a speedy and coordinated response to international disasters.

Full details on how to donate can be found at all of these websites.

My second thought is about what we should be asking of our government(s) and whether they are going to deliver that help. A number of nations including the UK have sent specialist teams to deal with the immediate problems and Mr Obama made an impassioned speech which I've embedded below.



I'm sure that Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary, will be as shocked as all of us are on a human level. Politically it may well be worth ensuring that we maintain a commitment to Haiti that does not become an excuse for aspects of our foreign policy that may not be in the interests of this poor nation.

To this end I've written a short email to DFID at enquiry@dfid.gov.uk expressing this simple appeal. If there is anything else meaningful that we can do at this time please feel free to leave your suggestion as a comment.

Bolivia: victory for Morales

Good news. I see Evo Morales, the first democratically elected indigenous President of Bolivia, has been re-elected for his second term. The vote was around 61% far outstripping his right-wing, racist rivals - at least one of whom is awaiting trial for political murders.

As leader of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) he's seen some extra-ordinary opposition to his plans for addressing social inequality in Bolivia including shocking plans like actually taxing foreign companies that mine gas and other resources (gasp), or building schools and clinics in rural areas (shock).

Morales came to power on the back of a vast protest movement that had overthrown President after President in Bolivia. In that election, in 2005, he received 53% of the vote and, if I remember correctly, this was the first time a Presidential candidate had ever received more than half the vote in the first round of the elections, meaning there was no need for a run off between the top two candidates. To increase that historic lead makes this even more impressive.

Once again the indigenous dominated West of the country voted for Morales with La Paz peaking at 73% and in the richer East MAS was the second party. The senatorial elections held at the same time, which take place under a first past the post system, saw MAS win just under 70% of the seats.

It's not surprising Evo won when schemes like the Juanito Pinto, a bit like the first form of child benefit Bolivia has ever seen and the MAS government's hard line stance on purging the police of corrupt officers the government has been extremely popular with the many, despite the fact that these reforms have all been conducted against the extreme hostility on the part of the rich, white land owning elites.

Years of enrolling indigenous people onto the electoral register saw the total numbers eligible to vote rise from 3.6 million in 2005 to 5.1 million today. Today is a real victory for the Bolivian people. Hurray!

Update: My piece in the Morning Star on same topic - more detail.

Good news day!

E-ON has shelved it's plans for Kingsnorth power station. Greenpeace says;

"This development is extremely good news for the climate and in a stroke significantly reduces the chances of an unabated Kingsnorth plant ever being built.

"The case for new coal is crumbling, with even E.ON now accepting it's not currently economic to build new plants. The huge diverse coalition of people who have campaigned against Kingsnorth because of the threat it posed to the climate should take heart that emissions from new coal are now even less likely in Britain."

He added: "Ed Miliband [the environment secretary] now has a golden opportunity to rule out all emissions from new coal as a sign of Britain's leadership before the key Copenhagen climate meeting. With E.ON's announcement he's now got an open goal."

And then we have the news that "four of the largest cattle companies in the world are joining forces to ban the purchase of cattle from areas of cleared rainforest in Brazil." Greenpeace says;

"The companies are committing to "zero deforestation in their supply chains", which is a really tangible and permanent commitment to take. This adds to the measures that we've been successful in bringing in to protect the Amazon - there's also an industry-wide moratorium on soya produced on deforested areas.

"The effect of having four of the largest players in the global cattle sector committing to wipe out Amazon deforestation in their supply chain is massive. It fundamentally changes the economic dynamics of the cattle ranching sector. Up until now, the cheap Amazon land and the promise of extra profit from selling timber was encouraging ranchers to expand into the rainforest. Now there's an incentive for farmers to use their land in smarter ways and buy up land that's not in the forest."

Drops in the ocean perhaps, but it's good to remember there are little victories sometimes.

Life and death in Sao Paulo

Two thousand slum dwellers on the outskirts of Sao Paulo have been fighting attempts to evict them today. The police fired tear gas at crowds who erected burning barricades and threw Molotov cocktails and stones to resist the eviction.

Homes in the Capao Redondo area, which have stood on the site for the last two years, were bulldozed (right) leaving thousands of the poorest Brazilians homeless.

As the former residents of Capao Redondo look on helplessly at the rubble where their shacks once stood they can take heart that their nation is to receive a massive new oil windfall pouring wealth into somebody's pockets at least.

Brazil is one of the biggest economies in the world but there is a massive gulf between the richest and poorest. The Brazilian government effectively criminalises poverty. For all the promise that President Lula once held the situation for these workers has not improved. Sadly, there is little that they can do but fight back and hope for a better day.

Whilst the squabbling continues...

Here is a picture of the Chacaltaya glacier in Bolivia. On the left we see it in 1996 and on the right is what it looks like today.

This glacier used to be the world's highest ski run. No longer.

Alas, the problem extends beyond the ability of the rich and famous to ponce about with sticks tied to their feet. It also means that indigenous peoples who've lived there since before the Aztecs are running out of water which means they are running out of time, running out of life.

I'd quite like to see the politicians in this country begin addressing some pressing global issues with a little more alacrity. Alternatively we can keep wranging over their pay packets. Arguing about why some unknown MP charged £4.60 to the tax payer for dog food is going to get us annoyed, but it doesn't get us very far unfortunately.

We can't trust a sty full of pigs to focus on political issues over how full their troughs are. Perhaps we ought to replace them with politicians of principle and no, I don't mean UKIP. That's for the short term, in the longer term we really need to start addressing how we improve our democracy and whether the representative model is up to the job.

Interview: Jose Sagaz on coca

With the war on drugs much in the news over the last couple of days I thought this would be a good opportunity to have a chat with my friend Jose Sagaz on coca and Bolivia.

i) Why do people in Bolivia chew coca? Are they drug addicts?

Basically is part of our culture and tradition as it is the English culture to drink tea, chewing coca is much older tradition and has much deeper role in the society. About if we are drug addicts because we chew coca the answer is no, and I should emphasis that coca is not cocaine.

ii) President Morales quite often talks about the cultural significance of coca, could you explain a little bit more about that?

In the Aymara and Quechua culture we use coca in our sacred ceremonies, we chew the leafs to suppress hunger and for altitude sickness. The coca leave is rich in minerals and vitamins, much needed in our diet.

iii) There has been talk of an increase in cocaine production from Latin America, primarily from Peru and Bolivia. Is the MAS government's position on coca responsible for this?

Yes there was an increase of coca crops and that was a 5% in Bolivia* and 26% in Colombia. The MAS government had been punish by the USA administration, cancelling the trade preferences agreement with the potential result of loosing 20,000 jobs and around $150 million, while Uribes’ government is the second biggest recipient of help from USA after Israel.

iv) In your opinion, why has the US led war on drugs been unable to reduce drug production?

The bottom line is that the US government used the war on drugs as a pretext for repression, violence and to control countries. That is why Bolivia has been punished, because they act as a sovereign country and Colombia with state crimes and terror has been rewarded.

v) How do you think the issue of drugs production should be dealt with?

We should learn from the past strategies that didn’t work which are bullying, killing poor peasants, using the “Drug Wars” to eliminate political opponents, violating humans rights, interfering in affairs of other countries, making illegal chewing coca, not recognizing traditions and customs of indigenous people with policies like “coca cero”.

I strongly believe that each country should fight against drugs. Bolivia is doing it through social control that is the coca growers themselves unionize, which will control and make sure only legal plantations of coca exists, that means the production is controlled and there is not overproduction. The US should reduce the demand of cocaine; US politicians shouldn’t use the illegal trade of cocaine to finance cover-up operations.

*The Election, Economy, War, and Peace (November 25, 2008 By Noam Chomsky)

Venezuelan elections: something for everyone

On Sunday Venezuela held a series of regional elections. This is the first electoral outing since President Hugo Chávez (left of photo) founded his party of left unity (PSUV) and it has been hailed by both left and right as a vindication of their positions.

Chávez's party won 17 out of the 22 states that went to the polls and, on a record 65% turnout, increased their vote by more than a million. So when the Independent describes the vote as a "set back" for Chávez you are left scratching your head somewhat. With around 60% of the national vote the revolutionary process taking place in Venezuela clearly still has real support.

After Chávez lost his constitutional referendum last year there was much chatter that perhaps the so called Bolivarian Revolution was losing momentum. These results appear to refute that pretty conclusively.

Caracas falls to the right

Having said that the opposition did make substantial gains and were coming from a very low position (as they boycotted these elections last time). Of the five gains four are new wins taken from the left.

Most importantly the right won the Mayoralty of Caracas with 52% of the vote to the PSUV's 45%. Shockingly the PSUV lost four of Caracas' five municipalities, only holding onto to the very poorest area. This is a double set back for Chávez because not only has he lost the most important Mayoralty in the country it also means that former Minister for Education Aristobulo Isturiz, one of Venezuela's few prominent black politicians is no longer a front line politician.

And those to the left of Chávez win real support

It was also a good election for the furthest left of the leftists. In three of the votes for governor it was the far left (or should that be further left?) who came second, leaving the right choking on their electoral dust. In Guarico Lenny Manuitt (pictured) won 33.7% of the vote, in Delta Amacuro Pedro Santaella won 25.4% and in Barinas Julio Cesar Reyes won an outstanding 44% of the vote against Chávez's own brother. Although none of these candidates were quite able to win, their substantial vote must have been very gratifying.

Of all of the independent left candidates it was in Lara where the greatest success was seen. Henri Falcón was elected on a whopping 73% of the vote despite having been expelled from the PSUV earlier in the year. Chávez is not always entirely keen on independently minded leftists (hence Falcón's expulsion) so it will be interesting to see how his term in Lara pans out.

When all is said and done though the excellent Richard Gott is right when he says that "many Venezuelans, after 10 years of upheaval under the leadership of Hugo Chávez, remain solidly supportive of the project of which they see themselves to be an integral part." So although there was something for everyone to celebrate on Sunday Chávez's revolution is still very firmly on track.

Bolivia: expulsions and explosions

The crisis in Bolivia is still rumbling on despite the overwhelming support given to Morales in the recent referendum. There are two new developments both related to the so-called autonomy movement who, despite their name, are not free thinking anarchists but well heeled racist arseholes of the highest order.

But whilst Bolivia has plenty of home grown plutocrats and would be oppressors to deal with it also has pressure on it from the outside. You will not be surprised to learn that one major international headache comes from the United States and Bolivia has today been forced to expel the US ambassador (right) for "conspiring against democracy" (example).

The expulsion comes in the midsts of growing violent protests by those who oppose alleviating the poverty of the indigenous majority through a program of land reform, taxation on large corporations and various social democratic reforms like the institution of old age pensions and child benefit. You know, all that really evil stuff that makes right thinking people angry.

According to Jim Shultz rioters from the Unión Juvenil Cruceñista, a neo-fascist organisation, have burnt down government and commercial buildings, stolen guns, and fought the army and police. Then right wing leaders have the cheek to describe this as a "peaceful takeover" of buildings, specifically those involved in redistributing land to the poor, whilst the Governor of Santa Cruz described this as a reaction to "government terrorism".

I find it difficult to engage with the argument that reversing social injustice is terrorism of any kind - but he's clearly worried by it. This man was described by one website I read today as "el extremo del cretinismo parlamentario" which I rather liked so I thought I'd pass that comment on.

I have to say that when it's these "peaceful" folks who are blowing up gas pipelines it does rather undermine their argument that they are the democratic activists committed to a fairer Bolivia.

The facts are there is serious trouble in Bolivia because the established order is threatened. The rich, white elites are scared that there day is done. The years gone by when they had the ear of the government are over and there is a new government - one that comes directly from the trade unions and social movements - who, whilst their programs have been surprisingly moderate, are committed to making society more equal.

Bolivia is a living lesson for us all - that when we are in a position to seriously enact a radical agenda the old order will not simply roll over and let us reform them away.

Lugo's first moves

Although ex-Bishop Lugo was elected President of Paraguay a few months ago, such is the way of the world he's only just been inaugurated. Today I've learned of his very first acts as President.

He's removed the head of the police, navy, army and air force and put in those he feels might be more comfortable with democracy. Top marks for ruthlessness - this is a good time to start weeding out the corrupt elements in the State and those who might, at a later stage, decide that the will of the people just isn't working out for them.

It's been a lesson hard learned but it has become very clear that those who'd seek to change society cannot simply leave the vested interests and the elites from the old times in place. For change to take place you need both structural change - and a change in personnel.

Of course this can be a dangerous move as the President of Mauritania found out two weeks ago when he tried to dismiss the top commanders in the army. They decided, upon reflection that democracy would best be served by having a President who didn't want to sack them and took over.

Whilst President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi (pictured) is still being held by the new military rulers there is little chance, as things stand, of the coup being over thrown. There is a movement for the restoration of democracy - but the former regime was not well loved by the people, nor was it particularly a government for the people. So unlike when Chavez was overthrown in a coup way back in 2002 there is little chance that there will be a popular uprising supported by many of the lower ranking officers and troops.

But Lugo is in a different position. He has just been elected on a popular wave of enthusiasm and there would be nothing but outrage at a coup attempt at this stage in his Presidency, before his seat is even warm. In my view Lugo has made a bold and necessary first move. If he's to make fundamental changes he needs to ensure those that might jeopardise this are in no position to turn their dissatisfaction into something more tangible.

In fact, that's the fundamental difference between the process in Paraguay and in Mauritania. Paraguay is part of the Latin American leftist surge and those on the right who oppose democracy are too weak to respond at the currant time against a vibrant popular movement. In the tiny African state of Mauritania the military can drive the country back because those that they are ousting from the corridors of power were no friends of the people in the first place.

Great news from Bolivia

Yesterday's referendum to recall the President, Vice President and Eight State Governors has been a stupendous success and a real step forward in attempting to quell the right wing resistance to progressive reforms in Bolivia.

In a bold move the country's leftist President, Evo Morales, put his own position on the line to demonstrate there was real backing for his Presidency and around 60% of the population came out in his support. I wonder what Gordon Brown or George Bush would get if they ever had the courage to make such a move?

As an icing on the cake the State Governor of Cochabamba, Manfred Reyes Villa (who I've posted about before), has been shown the door by the good people of the region. As you might expect with these anti-democratic weasels he's refusing to go, saying the Governor's Palace is far too comfortable, or something. I think it's true to say - they don't like it up 'em.

Let's a take a look at these results in a bit more detail;

	PREFECTOS				PRESIDENTE
Fuente	TVB		ATB		PAT		UNITEL
	Si	No	Si	No	Si	No	Si	No
Santa Cruz	66	34	67,2	32,8	35	65	39	61
Beni	65	35	61,1	38,9	37	63	43	57
Pando	61	39	58,7	41,3	43	57	49	51
Tarija	61	39	64,4	35,6	38	62	47	53
Cochabamba	42	58	40,5	59,5	64	36	71	29
Chuquisaca					41	59	46	54
Potosi	64	36	75,5	24,5	79	21	79	21
Oruro	39	61	44,9	55,1	79	21	81	19
La Paz	41	59	44	56	80	20	81	19

NB on the chart:
TVB is the preliminary, apporximate count, ATB is the official figure.
PAT and UNITEL are two (rightwing) TV stations.

A few notes on the governors who will now be temporarily replaced by appointment whilst new elections are called. The Cochabama and La Paz governors, who both lost their seats are members of the right wing Podemos party and for the "autonomy" of the white, rich regions from the Bolivian government.

The governor of Oruro (a strong mining district) is from the ruling MAS. You can see, when you compare this to the strong support Morales received in this area that there were specific concerns about the governor (I think revolving around corruption and incompetence) rather than about MAS more generally and it's likely when the new election takes place that MAS will retain the seat, with a new candidate (so actually it's quite a good result because it's given Oruro the opportunity to get rid of an "ineffective" MAS governor).

A good day for democracy all round - that's really cheered me up!

Video of Morales addressing cheering supporters (BBC)
Story reported in La Prensa.
Eye witness from La Paz giving a good feel of the mood yesterday.
Carl Packman in the New Statesman.
Richard Gott in the Guardian

Latin America Round Up

A few things I've spotted over the last week. I've tried to avoid the barrage of coverage on Betancourt - don't want to overdo it on this admittedly very welcome story, although I should say that one of the first people she thanked upon her release was Hugo Chavez.

Strike waves in Honduras, Peru, and Mexico. But Peru's President thinks it's all down to the outside agitators who are trying to bring him down. Others are asking whether Peru's economic model working for the poor?

Things seem to be getting very hot in Ecuador's citizen's revolution as the state seizes TV stations and over 200 companies. The FT reports on some of the economic problems the country is facing, including the resignation of the finance minister. The government is threatening/promising to go further. "The mass confiscation was cheered by most Ecuadoreans, many of whom demand jail sentences to bank owners", bloody communists.

The Huffington Post raises questions about the US relationship with Mexico's torturers.

Whilst it seems Uribe has kissed and made up with Chavez, despite Ecuador's continued reluctance. Meanwhile the Farc have denounced its own members who betrayed them to allow the hostages to go free. The View from Steeltown asks whether we are seeing the end of Farc. More from Latin America News Review on Colombia.

V from S also reports that things seem to look hopeful for the electoral left in El Salvador.

Now, did John McCain literally put the boot into a leading Sandinista in the eighties? A spokesperson says it doesn't matter "Decades have passed since then and he wanted to make the point that over the years he has seen Sen. McCain mature into an individual who is not only spirited and tenacious but also thoughtful and levelheaded," by not thumping people whilst on diplomatic missions anymore.

In Chile they're going nuclear in more ways than one.

Firstly there's the power stations, but then there's the protests against market reforms in education. 150 were arrested as teachers and students demonstrated against the new education bill (right). This comes over concerns that Bachelet, the country's first woman President (and who has argued that Ingrid Betancourt should be given the Nobel Peace Prize), may lose next year's election to right wing billionaire, Sebastian Pinera, which would be the first time the "right" had been in power in Chile for 18 years.

Whilst Chavez is busy buying Russian tanks the New Statesman argues that his time could be running out if he can't get the programme back on the road. But others say the Venezuelan economy is going from strength to strength, which is crucial in my view.

However, it's probably not helpful when nearly 300 opposition candidates for the upcoming local elections are barred from standing. I don't think the left would tolerate this behaviour if it was directed at them, but it seems to be remaining silent when its conducted by one of their own. Annoying.

I'm not the greatest fan of President Lula of Brazil but on his recent trip to Vietnam he did say that "The Vietnamese can be proud of being the people that defeated the French and the Americans in the same century. That says a lot about who the Vietnamese people are and how resilient they are." Credit where it's due I say.

Meanwhile the US has resumed military operations in the region with the redeployment of the IV Fleet. So maybe Lula will have a chance to emulate his Vietnamese heroes sooner than he thought. Will this help repair the diplomatic rift between the US and Bolivia? No. It wont.

Of course there's the news that Bolivia has rediscovered Che Guevara's final diaries, which unsurprisingly has done nothing to prevent the UK tightening immigration from "risky" countries including Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Looking to Cuba it appears that Raul Castro is preparing the people for economic problems ahead which may "slow reform", plans include raising retirement age by five years "from 60 to 65 and for women from 55 to 60". They've already doubled rice production after concerns about rising price of food.

It's a shame to see state sponsored homophobia re-emerge in Cuba as Permanent Revolution informs us that Havana's first ever gay pride march has been banned. There's also an interesting piece in the Washington Post about how the mob won and lost Cuba.

Anyway, I'm sure that's enough reading to be getting on with. Ta ta.

Latin America Round Up

Some stories I've spotted from Latin America in the last couple of weeks that you might find interesting.

Colombia

We'll start with Ingrid Betancourt whose very welcome release from her Colombian captors the other day has been long overdue, although the rescue appears to have been less James Bond than a case of simple bribery. There have been fears for her health, but she's been checked out and things look positive.

Coincidentally McCain was visiting Colombia at the time of the rescue, some have their suspicions about the timing, and his links with the regime. Which also happens to coincide with the prospect of the US moving a military base there.

I notice Colombian drug production is up 27% - well done them. Colombia Solidarity have a interesting small piece on the effect the war on drugs having on the poor.

Whilst some on the left have kept the Farc rebels off limits to any criticism others have stronger words (this from GLW) "Bigio argued in relation to the FARC that “a guerrilla force that discredited itself by carrying out unpopular military actions ends up weakening the left itself … and helps in the consolidation of forces that want a greater liberalisation of the economy.”" There are still many innocent people held hostage by the Farc, it's time for their release too, and that's straight from Fidel Castro.

Incidentally it appears that Betancourt plans a play about her ordeal, which may be very interesting. Richard Gott is optimistic that her release has created a window of opportunity to end the civil war. Meanwhile Jeremy Dear, the head of the UK's journalist's union rightly calls on the UK to reverse it's support for the Uribe regime.

Archeology

Meanwhile in Peru they are unearthing very ancient ruins. I'm not referring to the human rights violations of ex-President Fujimora here. No, this is the 1,600 year old tomb of a pre-Inca noble.

Talking of things being discovered in Argentina they've found the lost reels of Metropolis. I didn't even know there were lost reels.

Paraguay

Oh the irony. A US funded aid project to help fight Paraguayan corruption has been questioned over... you guessed it... insider dealing, favouritism over contracts and theft of confidential documents. Oopsie!

Headline of the month goes to Paraguay inmates riot for more sex. This wasn't their only demand - they were rather hoping the guards would stop abusing them too, but the headline refers to the fact that Paraguayan prisons allow for daytime conjugal visits but seeing as both prisoners and their families work it doesn't do them much good - so they want to see the scheme extended into the night time hours. Who wouldn't?

Bolivia

Green Left Weekly reports that Bolivia has thrown out some US spies. It also has an interview with Bolivia's President Evo Morales with the priceless headline Making the oligarchs cry.

I see that Oscar Olivera and other union leaders is on hunger strike. I had the privilege to interview Oscar in 2006, I found him to be extremely impressive (he was also nice enough to say I was the only interviewer that actually understood what was happening in Bolivia, which was ridiculously undeserved praise, but goes to show that I can make a good impression sometimes). Their struggle against violations of workers' rights has reached a critical stage and I wish them all the best.

Economy

Whilst there appear to be problems with the Brazilian economy, Dr Helen Yaffe looks at the Cuban economy and finds its health improving, that despite the fact that British banks don't seem well disposed to those investing in Cuba. Although it seems Fidel is not keen on bloggers, well one of them anyway.

Meanwhile Mexico is imposing price controls on food to help quieten the rising tide of disaffection and hardship that the poor are facing.

The long dispute waged by Argentinian farmers looks set to escalate as the lower house approves extra farm taxes by one vote. Surely at a time of increasing world food prices this is absolute madness. The farmers are not happy.

Meanwhile little old Peru is affecting world copper prices, which are at a two month high due to the strike of 30,000 miners.

Venezuela

Meanwhile the Latin American intervention in European immigration policy continues with Chavez stepping in to demand that immigrants are treated better.

It seems the Catholic Church is having a pop at Catholics who support Chavez. The church playing a right wing role in Latin America - well I'll be!

Lastly, and rather neatly tying in with the beginning, Colombia's Uribe has pledged a reduction in the tensions with Venezuela after they signed a deal to connect the two countries with a decent rail link. Ecuador's government however has remained defiant and has not as yet reestablished ties with the Colombian regime.

From the archive: Morales marks a year in office.

Written in January 2007 for Socialist Resistance I took a look at the first year of Morales government. I found a government that was delivering limited reforms and marking a significant political shift - one that the elites would come to resent.

This time last year the inauguration of Evo Morales as President of Bolivia marked a dramatic shift in Bolivian politics. The victory came on the back of many years of militant and courageous struggle against neo-liberalism, racism and repression.

Those who led this struggle were part of one of the most class conscious, bottom up and successful movements in the world. One year later the aspirations and organisations of those movements have not gone away, but the challenges that they face have been transformed.

It’s important to understand the relationship of Evo Morales and his party, MAS, towards the social movements. Certainly these movements were born out of workers struggles and give expression to many of their demands.

But while the movements were busy overthrowing a succession of right wing presidents Evo Morales was busy trying to calm things down, calling off demonstrations and negotiating with the Catholic Church in preparation for what he hoped would be victory at the ballot box.

Morales’ humble background and demeanor certainly win him support among the poorest but the leaders of the trade unions, neighborhood associations and social movements are painfully aware of the gap between the aspirations he inspires and the policies his government promotes.

MAS is a mixed bag of career politicians, well intentioned reformers and rank and file class struggle fighters. There are constant pressures inside MAS that pull Evo Morales to and fro. When Morales vacillates it gives the impression to many in the country that his government is weak, an impression reinforced by the way government initiatives have been frustrated by the right In the Constituent Assembly a two thirds majority is required to make the changes to the constitution that the people demand.

But MAS only has 54% of the seats and with its allies can mobilise just over 60% of the vote. It may be a clear majority but the right have enough seats to block all significant changes. Since MAS delegates started passing reforms with a simple majority the right wing delegates have begun boycotting the assembly making it inquorate. And protests by some of these delegates against even reasonably mild reforms have gone as far as hunger strikes.

But it’s not just in Parliament that the right are attempting to block reform. For example ever since the appointment of former domestic worker and trade union organiser Casimira Rodriguez as the new Minister of Justice, the white men of the bar have spent their time blocking and frustrating her attempts to bring progressive reform to the Bolivian justice system.

The richest (and whitest) areas of Bolivia have begun a movement to break away from the more rural, indigenous areas. These areas have seen large mobilisations and even strikes supporting the demand for autonomy from the Morales government.

Says Bolivian Minister of Hydrocarbons Carlos Villegas: “Now that they can’t sell Bolivia, they want to divide Bolivia, that’s the basic issue. There will be no division.”

It is clear the right opposes Morales, in the courts, in Constituent Assembly and on the streets, so how radical are his much heralded reforms? Morales has won a great deal of support by redistributing publicly owned land to the very poorest. The National Agrarian Reform Service (INRA) Law, power, allows for the right of the state to seize lands that do not serve a just social-economic function and redistribute them to the landless and indigenous communities.

The policy looks good but is proving problematic to implement. Small strips of land are of limited benefit to the some of the poorest people who have no tools to work the soil, nor money to buy seeds or materials. Often the only thing they can do with this land is to sell it, inevitably to the rich.

The actual effect of the land distribution policy, therefore, has been to distribute public land into the hands of the 5% that own 70% of the land. The landless peasants organisation, the MST, is calling for a second agrarian revolution to seize the lands of the richest in the way the 1952 revolution did, dividing up the massive farms with the possibility of running them on a collective, community basis. It is a demand some MAS representatives support.

But without the two thirds majority in the Assembly it will meet robust resistance from the land owners. Central to the struggles of the past years has been resistance to the privatisation of water, oil, gas and the mines. Any government achieving power would have had to have made concessions on these points. Morales laid down a marker when he sent troops in to take over privatised utilities and the workers hung up banners proclaiming plants were under the control of the state.

Previous governments acted illegally by signing contracts with multinationals that were not properly, democratically ratified. Morales has acted perfectly legally by demanding a renegotiation of these contracts, a process that has just been completed.

However, renegotiation of contracts is not the same as re-nationalisation and although we can expect the terms to be improved this does not amount to public ownership, let alone workers. control. Five months ago the government announced with great fanfare that they had begun re-nationalisation and today not one refinery is in state hands.

Activists are well aware of the shortcomings of the Morales government, but the people want to give him a chance. The trade union federation (COB) tried to call a general strike early in 2006 and hundreds turned out a far cry from the hundreds of thousands just last year. Whilst specific struggles are still able to mobilise well locally (like the teachers in La Paz or the miners of Huanuni) many activists still fear that if they push too hard they may bring down a weak leftist government in favour of one that’s on the hard line right.

In fact, in this sense Morales can be seen in the classic social democratic mould. He is delivering limited reform (which should be supported). At the same time he could be seen as stabilising what was an ungovernable, unruly country. The economy last year has seen much increased investment by multinational corporations in Bolivia. While some companies are squealing, others are very happy that Morales is in power.

Progressive reforms bring their own contradictions. For example pharmaceutical companies are benefiting from more profit-making opportunities as Morales introduces medical provision into new areas.