Bolivia Weekly

Sanabria’s Son Arrested

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:50:43 +0000

The Public Ministry announced today the arrest of former general Rene Sanabria’s son, Víctor Hugo Sanabria Nava. Rene Sanabria, who at the time was an intelligence advisor to Evo Morales, was caught by the Chilean secret police trying to sell over $5 million worth of cocaine. Sara Villaroel, a prosecutor in the Sanabria case announced, “We have found enough indicators of these crimes to order his arrest.”

To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483954923

Bolivian Health Workers To Strike

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:21:50 +0000

Hospital Germán Busch in Trinidad, Bolivia. Photo from Flickr by Gregory Jaffe.

The Bolivian Medical Council announced yesterday a 24 hour strike to reject the government’s increase of their work day from six to eight hours without compensation. Health Minister Juan Carlos Calvimonte said that the bill was published last Monday and will be approved within 60 days. The President of the Medical Council, Alfonso Barrios said that these forceful measures were adopted because the president refused to meet with them to discuss the situation. Barrios said that the health worker strike will be nation-wide except for in Santa Cruz where they are on red alert from dengue. Meanwhile, the government and the National Confederation of Neighborhood Councils have formed an agreement whereby any health workers refusing to work eight hours per day will be replaced by one of the 5,000 Bolivian health workers trained in Cuba.

To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/nacional/20120201/paro-medico-de-24-horas-contra-decreto_158784_331548.html

Morales Agrees with Conisur Marchers and Pushes for Highway

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:14:07 +0000

President Evo Morales yet yesterday with the leaders of the Conisur march who want to abolish the recently passed Ley Corta, or Short Law in which the government “forever” renounced its plan to build a Brazilian-funded highway through this protected Amazonian Nationan Park and Indigenous homeland. Conisur represents 21 of the 60 mostly indigenous community living inside the TIPNIS reserve and their section consists mainly of coca growers who have come to the area in the past generation. The march leaders stress that they have all four indigenous languages of the TIPNIS represented in their marchers. Morales told the marchers that they were right to want to repeal the Ley Corta because it was “passed behind my back by the legislators.” Morales said that the government had complied by providing the financing for the project ($415 million mostly borrowed from Brazil to pay a Brazilian construction company) and that the TIPNIS needed to resolve their internal conflict. Morales asked the leaders of the former TIPNIS marchers to meet with the Conisur leaders to find a common agreement.

To learn more see: http://www.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483954834

11 Bolivians Arrested in Chile for Car Smuggling

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:12:27 +0000

Eleven Bolivians were arrested yesterday in Chile on the suspicion of trafficking black market cars over the border to Bolivia. The group had ten cars and a large truck, none of which had valid passes or registrations. The group was stopped in the small town of Cariquima in northern Chile. The elven are between the ages of 21 and 41 and have been placed in the custody of the Chilean customs service.

To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.eldiario.net/noticias/2012/2012_01/nt120130/principal.php?n=81&detienen-en-chile-a-11-bolivianos-por-supuesto-contrabando

Doubt Remains of New Communications Law

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:42:28 +0000

The Minister of Communication, Amanda Dávila, guaranteed on Sunday that the Publishing Tribunal and Publishing Law of 1925 will be maintained despite her governments plans to make a new communications law. “The spirit, the foundation of the Publishing Law is absolutely valid, and we will absolutely respect this,” she said. She then said that since the Publishing Law is no longer valid but that Evo Morales’ government will respect the freedom of expression and of information. “What we’re trying to say is that journalists are defending a law that no longer applies, it’s not valid because it doesn’t apply, it only applies in principle.” Dávila said that the government won’t make a new Communications Law until journalism associations in Bolivia propose their own.

To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483954773

Tarija Strike Over Gas Fields Continue

Matthew Grace — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:10:41 +0000

After ten hours of dialogue, the delegation from Tarija walked out of negotiations with the representatives of Chuquisaca department and the Bolivian government, rejecting the accord that would share revenues from the Margarita gas fields between the Tarija and Chuquisaca departments.

At the root of the conflict is the hiring of a U.S. company, Gaffney Cline & Associates, to survey the gas field and determine how royalties are shared between the two bordering departments.

Twenty-six people are on hunger strike in Tarija to protest the surveyor, and strikes have paralyzed the capital city. Meanwhile, border crossings into Argentina and Paraguay have been closed, interrupting shipping and stranding tourists.

To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/nacional/20120126/tarija-abandona-dialogo-y-gobierno-advierte-con-iniciar-estudio-en-campo_158105_330047.html

Real Potosi Beats Brazil’s Flamengo with Ronaldinho 2-1

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:14:46 +0000

Ronaldinho and Flamengo lose to Real Potosi.

In a historic match, Bolivia’s Real Potosi soccer team has defeated one of the world’s best clubs, Flamengo from Brazil in the Copa Libertadores yesterday. Real Potosi will play the next round in Río de Janeiro against Olimpia (Paraguay), Emelec (Ecuador) y Lanús (Argentina) for the group 2 title. Flamengo’s Luiz Antonio started the game with an early goal but Potosi’s Claudio Centurión responded by heading in a gaol to tie the game at 1-1. With 12 minutes left, Edgardo Brittes kicked the winning goal for Potosi that left the Brazilians stunned. Flamengo had spent nine days training at high altitude in preparation for the game and had stated that altitude would not be a factor. Flamego put both their stars Ronaldinho on defense and Deivid as forward to no avail.

To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/deportes/20120126/real-potosi-vence-por-2-1-a-flamengo-por-la_158077_329914.html

La Paz Governor and Mayor in Fooseball Clash

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:16:39 +0000

La Paz mayor Luis Revilla faces off against governnor César Cocarico in a hotly contested fooseball match. Photo by Radio Erbol.

The Department of La Paz’s governor César Cocarico used a strong defense to help him defeat La Paz mayor Luis Revilla 3-2 in a televised bout of fooseball that kicked off La Paz’s famous Alasitas Fair. Alasitas are miniature versions of everyday objects that many Bolivians believe can be used in rituals and sacrifices to gain the larger objects that they represent. The fair sports a dazzling mileau of miniature cars, trucks, houses, currencies, food, and household objects. The two mayors demonstrated how they will put aside their differences by playing this friendly fooseball match. Revilla took his loss like a gentleman and gifted Cocarico miniature Euros and miniature US dollars to the laughter of the gathered throng. Next, the two officials ate a traditional Chairo soup in the Camacho market and visited the rest of the Alasitas fair.

To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483954582

New Cabinet Sets Longer Hours for Health-Care Workers

Matthew Grace — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:29:03 +0000

Bolivian President Evo Morales issued a decree yesterday morning that will enforce an eight-hour workday in the health sector, despite protests from health-care workers, who say that the shift from a six-hour workday would be too demanding.

At a press conference, the new health minister, Juan Carlos Calvimontes, asked health-care workers to comply with the new regulation in order to allow the population to gain better access to health care.

But according to the president of the Medical College in La Paz, Luis Larrea, the World Health Organization and the the Pan-American health Organization recommend that health-care workers limit their workday to six hours. “There will be a conflict, and it is not because [health-care workers] do not want to work,” Larrea said. “Within six hours, a doctor sees 30 patients. It is exhausting.”

To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/politica/20120124/decretan-ocho-horas-de-trabajo-en-sector-salud-a-pesar-del-malestar_157868_329449.html

Chilean Tourist Dies In Copacabana

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:08:29 +0000

Three young Chileans were on vacation in Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca when one of them, Sergio Gachón began feeling ill. In the small town hospital they prescribed Gachón penicillin without ascertaining that Gachón had a severe penicillin allergy. Gachón died later that day in his hostel. Gachón’s family said that this was a case of medical negligence while Chile consul in Bolivia said that a full investigation and repatriation of the remains were pending.

To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.eldeber.net/eldeber.htm