Bolivia: waiting for Morales move

[Say_What]

Chavez's statement of support for Mesa follows this article.

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Bolivian president Carlos Mesa was confirmed by Congress Tuesday night following the signing of a governance agreement with two of the country’s main political parties which supposedly will grant the administration a working majority hopefully ending weeks of political turmoil and street blockades that were strangling the economy.

Mr. Mesa officially presented his resignation to Congress last Monday amid a wave of anti government protests, sparked by a controversial hydrocarbons bill, which according to the president were pushing Bolivia to a “dead end”.

Following two days of intense negotiations Mr. Mesa crossed from the presidential palace to sign the Legislative-Executive agreement and address Congress where he invited the leader of the main opposition party and promoter of the protest blockades to join the national dialogue.

But Deputy Evo Morales, who leads the main party in Congress (Movement to Socialism, MAS) and represents Indian groups linked to coca planting and route blockading was not present in Congress nor were his legislators.

Since the crisis began Mr. Mesa has had the full support of Mercosur members and most of Latinamerican countries.

http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=5228


Deputy Mr. Evo Morales


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Chavez expresses support for Bolivia's embattled president

...Chavez told reporters in Doha, Qatar, that he had phoned Mesa to show solidarity, according to a Venezuelan official news agency.

Chavez said he was concerned over the current situation in Bolivia, saying he does not hope to see instability in Latin America as well as in other regions of the world.

Bolivia's trade unions, unhappy with the government's natural gas policies, organized demonstrations that paralyzed traffic and social disorder.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/09/content_2671734.htm

[Robbien]

1. Mesa demanded no more protests as a condition

of his staying in his position. I read that Morales agreed to not accepting Mesa's resignation but would not agree to signing the 'no protest' document.

[bemildred]

2. I don't think this is going to work.

None of the basic issues are being addressed, this is just
dog-and-pony show politics.

[Robbien]

3. Appears you are right,

Bolivia Indian groups vow to 'battle' president

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Television images showed highways strewn with boulders to stop traffic as Indian women in purple shawls and bowler hats sat in the road. Radio reported calm in the protest hotbed of El Alto, a mostly indigenous outgrowth of the capital.

Morales said the protesters intended to remain nonviolent, but keep pressure on Mesa.

"The president has lied to the Bolivian people. The problem isn't the blockades. It's the energy law that Mesa wants to force on us in favor of the multinationals, and that's why he blackmailed us with his resignation," Morales said.

Labor unions joined Morales and other Indian protest leaders from coca-growing regions to sign a deal backing further protests, which have become a platform for a long list of grievances in South America's poorest country.

Most opposition leaders do not want Mesa to quit, but demand that he give them more say over the economy. The popular president, however, said he would push ahead with his energy-sector plans and did not fear more protests.

"You can't be afraid when you know that 99 percent of Bolivians are against these blockades," Mesa told reporters on Wednesday, looking a bit tired after celebrations of his decision to stay in office stretched on past midnight.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20050309-0930-bolivia.html