"Fuera carajo, vayan a trabajar"

01.23.2004

That's the quote that opened a Thursday article on Wednesday's protest march through downtown La Paz. This makes the third march attempted since October (a really small number for the city of manifestaciones), all of which have been heckled by city residents who happened to be out & about.

What's striking about this event, though, was the level of confrontations between "passersby of different social conditions" (as mentioned in La Razón) went further than in the other two marches. Anyone that has the romantic notion that the paceño middle class "joined" the October protesters on ideological grounds — rather than just hoping to find a quick return to normality — should seriously reconsider.

The protest itself wasn't entirely illegitimate. The approximately 10,000 marchers were mostly parents of schoolchildren from El Alto (the massive slum city adjoined to La Paz) protesting lack of school supplies (items). On the other hand, Education Ministry officials point out that El Alto can't expect to receive all the available items, not when so many other areas of the country also need them. Priority in providing supplies was given to the cities of El Alto, Santa Cruz, and Tarija.

But the interesting news is the reception of the protesters by people on the street. Passersby whistled at (an insult in Bolivia), yelled insults (including cursing), and confronted marchers in the street. One older alteña replied: "We fought for you in October." She was answered w/ more heckles.

As they entered the Avenida Mariscal Santa Cruz (near the post office), on their march towards the Education Ministry, oficinistas (office workers) threw water & garbage at the manifestantes. A few blocks later, the marchers were pelted w/ tomatoes.

Now, a comité antimarchista has formed (everything in Bolivia's done through a comité or a junta). I don't think any future manifestaciones will be met w/ much goodwill in the coming weeks.

-----
UPDATE: On Friday, the Federation of Parents of El Alto (the group that marched on Wednesday) promised not to march again, but to engage in dialogue w/ the government. Their dirigente, Bernabé Mamani even apologized to the paceño citizenry.

On the other hand, Jaime Solares & the COB gathered in Cochabamba and decided to begin a national strike & bloqueo (highway blockade) to start after Carnival. They're protesting the government's decision to raise salaries only 3% this year. They demand a raise in the minimum wage from Bs. 400 to Bs. 3,000. Other demands include: nationalization of the mines and the oil & gas industries, a trial against the president of the Central Bank, and "seizing power" by closing parliament.

Solares also criticized Evo Morales for supporting Mesa government, saying Morales must "decide whether he's on the side of the Government or the people."

Posted by Miguel at 06:09 PM

Comments

Hi Miguel,

I'm a vietnamese american doing some documentary work in Bolivia at the moment. I'm centered in La Paz to be specific. Definitely not like the states! Can't find a decent vietnamese restaurant! Anyway, I just wanted to correct your statement about the lady who said "we fought for you". What she actually said to the paceños was "We fought for you dogs".

Nosvemos.
David

Posted by: David Nghiem at January 30, 2004 04:38 PM

Thanks for the correction. Yes, she did say that. I cut it short. Actually, in contextual translation, she said: "We fought for you bitches."

Posted by: Miguel at January 30, 2004 05:42 PM