Bolivia Weekly

Bolivia and Paraguay to Invest in International Fiber-Optics Cable

Nate — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:04:02 +0000

Bolivian telecommunications officials recently announced their readiness to join a telecommunications project which will bring faster and cheaper internet access to the region. Mario Esquivel, president of the Paraguay Communications Company (Copaco), has said that in email correspondence with his Bolivian counterpart, Entel president Ramón Reyes, Bolivian officials have expressed serious interest in allowing the new fiber-optics cable to pass through Bolivia. The project, headed by American company AT&T, will connect trans-Atlantic cables in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, and eventually the United States. If approved by the Bolivian legislature, the cable is expected to connect Bolivia in July of 2011 and will be completed in 2013.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483933831

Proposal Grants Far-Reaching Jurisdiction to Community Justice

Nate — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:58:14 +0000

In the recently released Jurisdictional Definition Law drawn up by the Vice-Ministery of Indigenous Justice, jurisdiction over cases involving public corruption, drug-trafficking, rape, contraband goods, terrorism, and genocide will fall on the indigenous system of community justice. In coordination with the common law system, community courts would be included in almost all areas of the justice system with no exceptions. According to Eddy Burgoa, general director of the Vice-Ministry of Indigenous Justice, “community justice is going to participate in common law actions, even in cases that have only been brought before common law courts.” The proposal also supports the creation of mixed tribunals to judge particularly notorious cases and cases relevant to indigenous issues.

The provisions of the law granting full power to community justice are detailed in Article 14 of the proposal. While the judicial powers granted by Article 14 have been sought by proponents of the community justice system, critics say the two competing judicial systems will be too complicated and unwieldy in practice. Jaime Álvarez, president of the Participation and Justice Network, said proposal “will produce a confusion which will lead to an overlap of jurisdictions. Rather than help define jurisdiction, this proposal is confounding and will complicate the implementation of the law.”

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.laprensa.com.bo/noticias/3-9-2010/noticias/03-09-2010_3386.php

Japan To Help Fund Geothermal Plant in Potosí

Nate — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:04:44 +0000

Today Luis Fernando Vincenti, Hydrocarbons and Energy Minister, announced the cooperation of Japan in the construction of a geothermal plant in Potosí. According to Minister Vincenti Japan will lend $320 million of the expected $400 million needed for the project with an annual interest rate of 0.1% to be repaid over the course of 40 years. When completed the plant will have the capacity to produce 100 megawatts of electricity in a cheap and more environmentally-responsible way. The plant will use geothermally heated wells near Laguna Colorada (Red Lake), a popular tourist destination, as a renewable source for electricity production.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483933743

Bolivia to Present Legal Framework on Nature´s Rights

Nate — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:53:25 +0000

In the upcoming 16th United Nations Summit on Climate Change in Cancún, Mexico, Bolivia will present a legal framework detailing the rights of Mother Nature. According to Galo Bonifaz, president of the Mixed Commission on the Environment, Land and Territory, and Natural Resources, President Evo Morales will be in attendance to introduce the law in Cancún. Mr. Bonifaz said, “That will be the message we send from Bolivia, that we have to conserve nature. `Living Well´ isn´t just a saying, there has to be harmony between human beings and Mother Earth.” Many of the ideas to be included in the legal framework have been drawn from the World Peoples Conference on Climate Change held in Cochabamba in April, 2010. Bonifaz hopes that many proposals from the Cochabamba conference, such as an international climate tribunal to punish damage to the environment, will be implemented globally following the Cancún Summit.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.indigena.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483933679

“Chito” Valle Extradited to Bolivia on Embezzlement Charges

Nate — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:56:45 +0000

After 11 days of tense negotiations with Peruvian officials and accusations of political sabotage, former Prefecture of La Paz, Luis Alberto “Chito” Valle Ureña, was returned to La Paz and San Pedro Prison last night. Chito, who served as Prefecture of La Paz between August 1997 and May 2000, is accused of embezzling $17.7 million through illegal sales of state property and the falsification of records. Chito had left San Pedro prison 3 years and 6 months ago and illegally entered Peru to seek asylum. Last Thursday Peruvian officials decided to deport Valle in light of his illegal entry to the country and refused his requests for refuge and political asylum. Valle was turned over to Peruvian Immigration Police and then Bolivian authorities yesterday. According to Peruvian ambassador to Bolivia Manuel Rodríguez Cuadros, his government had been working with the Bolivian Foreign Ministry since Valle was apprehended in Peru. Ambassador Rodríguez´s comment came after Bolivia Vice-President Álvaro García Linera blamed Peruvian officials for delaying Valle´s extradition for political reasons.

Valle´s arrival at El Alto International Airport was met by several government officials who briefly met with Valle before he was moved to San Pedro Prison. According to La Paz Governor César Cocarico´s calculations, the government will only be able to recover approximately $7 million of the total $17.7 million of embezzled money. Governor Cocarico assured his constituents that his government will aggressively pursue those funds after Valle´s trial in Sucre.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.laprensa.com.bo/noticias/1-9-2010/noticias/01-09-2010_3318.php

http://www.laprensa.com.bo/noticias/1-9-2010/noticias/01-09-2010_3317.php

http://www.la-razon.com./version.php?ArticleId=117046&a=1&EditionId=2271

Indigenous Leaders Request Institutes for Traditional Medicine

Nate — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:54:02 +0000

Filemón Suaréz, indigenous representative from the Guaraní people, announced yesterday that indigenous leaders will submit a proposal in the next few days supporting the creation of institutes of traditional medicine in Santa Cruz. In his explanation of the project Mr. Suaréz said, “This is one of the important points for us because we want to strengthen our traditional healing. It´s important even there are few hospitals in our communities and our people live off the medicinal herbs they find in our forests.” For Mr. Suaréz the issue is particuarly important in light of the shortage of doctors in indigenous communities and the very basic healthcare available there. Leaders hope the centers of traditional healing will enable doctors and healers in those communities to address a wider range of medical needs. The proposal will also include amendments calling for the recognition of traditional medicine in the Autonomy Statute of the Santa Cruz department.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.indigena.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483933491

Rains Calm Forest Fires in Santa Cruz

Nate — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:25:38 +0000

After weeks of raging forest fires in many areas of the country, firefighters finally made headway when rainstorms last weekend and yesterday brought much-needed moisture to affected areas. Satellite images showed a drop from 6,000 hotspots in the country to 2,000 over the four-day period. In Santa Cruz, where low visibility from smoke has occassionally halted air-traffic in recent weeks, air quality had returned to normal by this morning. Although the three provinces with the largest fires, Germán Busch, Ángel Sandoval, and Velasco, did not receive rain, satellite images still showed a drop from 600 fires to 58 in those areas.

While the rains provided a welcome respite from the choking smoke, officials warned that the rains carried concentrated contaminants from the smoke. According to government Director of Natural Resources, Ever Menacho, as those rains wash into already ash-contaminated rivers and lakes, “they could increase mortality in fish populations and cause diarrhea in humans.” Biologist Lesly López confirmed that the polluted rains will have damaging effects on animal and human populations.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.la-razon.com/version.php?ArticleId=116967&a=1&EditionId=2270

Government Creates New Independent Superpower

Nate — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:01:52 +0000

The Bolivian government today announced the creation of a new government body which will be responsible for guiding the country´s transition to community socialism. The National Coordinator for Change (Conalcam) will be focused on forming political ideology and preserving the change process. The idea for Conalcam arose in early 2007 in the face of protests opposing the administration of President Evo Morales as a kind of “high level” political body responsible for supporting the president´s movement. In its current reincarnation Conalcam´s role will be greatly expanded. Conalcam will be a space to consider social demands, reach consensus on laws, define measures to take against internal conflicts, create new leadership positions, and coordinate actions to protect the Morales government.

Vice-minister of Coordination with Social Movements, César Navarro, explained that Conalcam is important in Bolivia´s political transition and is “anti-imperialist, anti-neoliberal, and anti-colonial.” Mr. Navarro also said Conalcam, “will be responsible for constructing a plurinational state in accordance with the Political Constitution of the State with the historic objective of reaching community socialism.” Conalcam will be a meeting point for trade leaders and representatives from the President, Legislative Assembly, and the MAS party.

This new entity will not only operate on the federal level but will also have a departmental and regional presence. Because this initiative is strongly focused on the MAS party and its goals, Conalcam will be instituted differently in MAS-controlled departments and departments controlled by opposition parties. In all of its newly designated projects, Conalcam´s fundamental mission will be the implementation of MAS policy and the realization of the MAS party´s socialist aspirations.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.la-razon.com/version.php?ArticleId=116903&a=1&EditionId=2269

Bolivia and Iran Sign 200 Million Euro Credit Agreement

Nate — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:59:17 +0000

This morning the governments of Bolivia and Iran signed a 200 million euro credit line that will enable Bolivia to initiate new development projects. The agreement was signed by Bolivian Minister of Development Planning, Viviana Caro, and Iranian Minister of Industry and Mining, Ali Akber Mehravian, in the Government Palace in La Paz. President Evo Morales, who witnessed the signing, said that he met with government ministers yesterday to discuss which projects will be prioritized. He also announced that a commission headed by Minister Caro will travel to Iran at the end of September to thank Tehran for the loan. While the loan does not come with conditions on how it should be used, Minister Mehravian expressed his hope that the money will be put toward mineral exploration and lithium development, the improvement of textile plants, and the expansion of milk processing plants in Bolivia.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483933511

Bolivia and South Korea Sign Lithium Agreement

Nate — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:21:50 +0000

In a meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak in Seoul yesterday, Bolivian President Evo Morales signed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) which will enable the involvement of South Korean businesses in Bolivia´s lithium sector. The agreement, which links the state-run companies Korea Resources Corporation (Kores) and Bolivian Mining Corporation, establishes a partnership to begin extracting and processing lithium from the Uyuni salt-flats in southwestern Bolivia. The salt-flats contain an estimated 100 million tons of lithium, 50% of world reserves. Lithium is currently considered a key element for many technology sectors, including cell phones, laptops, efficient car batteries, and various medical and mitilary technologies.

President Morales, who was the first Bolivian president to visit South Korea since the two countries established diplomatic connections in 1965, pressed South Korean businesses to further invest in the industrialization of Bolivia´s natural resources. Morales also announced his intention to establish a Bolivian embassy in Seoul as soon as possible and plans for more accessible business visas for South Korean investors.

In addition to the lithium aggreement, President Lee also officially announced plans to make a $250 million loan available to Bolivia between 2010 and 2014.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.la-razon.com/version.php?ArticleId=116702&a=1&EditionId=2266