Bolivia re-invents democratic socialism with Indigenous people in the lead

[Judi Lynn]

Bolivia re-invents democratic socialism with Indigenous people in the lead
By Judy Rebick | November 14, 2009

On December 6, Bolivia will hold a general election where Evo Morales, the first Indigenous President in South America will no doubt be re-elected. His party, the MAS, has recently released an election programme that Susan Harvie has kindly summarized and translated. Bolivia is reinventing democractic socialism. They are in the process of creating a plurinational state with equal rights for all nations and people, redistributing land, providing free health and education for everyone, creating what they call a pluri-economy that includes public, private, co-operative and communitarian. In four years of power they have eliminated illiteracy, reduced extreme poverty by 6%, insituted a senior's pension for the first time, nationalized hydrocarbons and achieved a 6.5% economic growth. They are showing that a government that acts in the interests of the majority really can succeed and that an alternative is truly possible. The full list of achievements and election platform for the next four years is below:

PROGRAM OF THE MOVEMENT TOWARD SOCIALISM – POLITICAL INSTRUMENT FOR THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PEOPLE (MAS – IPSP)

BOLIVIA, COUNTRY IN THE LEAD

OUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND OUR PRINCIPLES

In almost 4 years of government, el MAS has accomplished:

1. Nationalized hydrocarbons:
• In 3 years Bolivia earned 6.413 billion dollars.
• The oil companies pay 73% of profits.
• In 2005, the 9 Departmental Governments, the 327 Municipalities and the public Universities received 1.2 billion bolivianos from the Hydrocarbon Taxes. In 2008, they received 4.476 billion bolivianos.
• 59,665 residential natural gas connections.
• Gas was sold at US$0.60 cents per million British Thermal Units (BTUs) to Argentina. Today it is sold at US$ 5 per million BTUs.

2. Five billion dollars in exports
• Minerals: US$ 5.139 billion in 3 years.
• Mining royalties: US$ 128 million.

3. Widened the electrical coverage to more than 160,000 Bolivian homes. Saved, with the Energy Efficiency Program, 63 megawatts of the forecast national consumption of 962 megawatts, with an annual rate of increase of 7 megawatts. Distributed almost 8 million efficient light bulbs to 1,300,000 dwellings. With the Dignity Price, homes saved 25% of their bills which benefited 634,528 people.

4. Gave title to 26 million hectares which benefited 98,454 families.

5. Created 124,497 productive jobs with loans with an annual interest of 6% for a term of 12 years and a total of 454 million bolivianos.

6. Built 276 kms. of highways per year. Created the Bolivian Administrator of Roads (ABC) and built 2,951 meters of bridges. Created the Bolivian Aviation (BOA) with 3 airplanes.

7. Nationalized the National Telephone Company (ENTEL):

• Payment by the user for consumption in seconds, not rounded up to minutes.
• National calls are charged as local calls.
• There are 5 million users.

8. Operation Miracle, Juana Azurduy bonus, budget for health, hospitals and ambulances. Reduced the infant mortality rate from 54 per 1,000 live births to 50. Constructed 545 health establishments (391 of the first level and 154 of the second level). Created 3,880 new budget items for health, 194% with respect to previous governments. Performed free vision operations for 425,000 people.

9. Eradicated Illiteracy
• Yes, I Can: 824,000 literate people.
• 52,000 people in post literacy are continuing their studies from grade 1 to 5 of primary school.
• Juancito Pinto bonus decreased the student drop out rate from 5.3% to 2.5% in grades 1 through 8.
• Increased teachers’ salaries by 30%.
• Professionalized more than 4,000 temporary teachers.
• Constructed 269 school buildings and installed 356 telecentres in the education units.

10. Reduced extreme poverty by 6%.

11. Water and Sewage for 821,000 people.

12. Dignity Pension for 687,000 old people.

13. Evo Acts Program: 2,387 projects.

14. Economic Growth of Bolivia: 6.15%.

15. International Reserves: $US 8 billion.

16. Public Investment: $US 1.8 billion

17. Reduced the Foreign Debt from $US 4.4 billion to $US 2.4 billion.

More:
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/judes/2009/11/bolivia-re-invents-democratic-socialism-indigenous-people-lead