The conflict in the Tipnis indigenous and ecological reserve continues, even after Bolivian President Evo Morales signed a law on October 24 prohibiting the construction of the Cochabamba-Beni highway, a project that mobilized marches and protests throughout the country until its cancellation. Indigenous representative Pedro Nuni said that Morales is attempting to amend the new [...]

The Six Federation of Coca growers of Cochabamba (of which Evo Morales is currently president) has declared a state of emergency after President Morales’ declaration that the Isiboro Securé national park was “inviolable.” Coca union vice-president Gualberto Bustamente said that the union will be deciding whether to begin blocking major highways to protest the stopping [...]

The Brazilian government is waiting for its Bolivian counterpart to find an alternative project to the Villa Tunari–San Ignacio de Moxos highway. That project, which would traverse the TIPNIS indigenous territory, was recently canceled after massive protests and a march on the capital that lasted 65 days. “From the standpoint of the Brazilian government, it [...]

Just 48 hours after the indigenous Amazonian marchers arrived in La Paz, President Morales has caved in to their central demand and announced that he will not build a highway through the TIPNIS (Indigenous Territory in the Isiboro Securé National Park). The marchers have been walking from their tribal villages in the Amazon for 67 [...]

Six hours after the conclusion of their giant welcome in Plaza San Francisco, 20 indigenous leaders who are protesting a proposed roadway connecting Cochabamba and Beni provinces were invited by the government to a dialog at the office of the Bolivian vice president. The proposal was rejected immediately by the protesters, who demanded that a [...]

Since mid-August, indigenous residents of the TIPNIS indigenous territory of north-central Bolivia have been involved in a face-off with Bolivian president Evo Morales. Indigenous leaders, who in the past could be counted on as staunch supporters of the president, have been protesting the government’s plans for a road that would link Cochabamba and Beni states, [...]

The Bolivian Highway Administration (ABC) yesterday defended and ratified the contract with Brazil’s OAS for the construction of the Villa Tunari–San Ignacio de Moxos highway, despite allegations of irregularities in the agreement. “The contract is completely legal,” said the general secretary of the ABC, Antonio Mullisaca, who denied that the project has cost overruns. The [...]

Culture minister Elizabeth Salguero urged Bolivian President Evo Morales and his cabinet to respect the United Nations’ declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. Salguero said under Article 8 of the declaration, indigenous people and individuals have the right to not suffer forced assimilation or the destruction of their culture, and also that Article 32 [...]

The national 24-hour strike by the COB, Bolivia’s largest labor union, in support of the Tipnis indigenous protestors, partially started today, although the main capitals of the scity have not yet began to feel its effect. Union workers said that it the strike will apply more pressure throughout the morning. The executive secretary of the [...]

Bolivian government minister Sacha Llorenti said that neither he nor President Evo Morales ordered the police intervention on the indigenous marchers that occurred this Sunday in San Miguel de Chaparina. According to Llorenti, the order was given by Marcos Farfán, who today resigned from his position as deputy minister of government. He will be investigated [...]