I drove to Viru Viru airport this morning (5:30) with heavy rain fall until I got back home. There was  south wind blowing, on my way back the water canal on the side of second ring was filling rapidly, less than a meter to reach the street. That heavy tropical rain is something I like to watch, not so much while driving…

Regarding negotiation between the labor unions (COB) and the government, Los Tiempos newspaper reports that they will meet around 9:00 this morning.

For the last two days, Bolivian finance minister is in Washington. He met with the IMF and the World Bank; regarding inflation in Bolivia, he said that it will help prevent contraband flowing out of the country. About the unions’ blockades and conflict, he said it was mainly a political move to help the right-wing opposition and because it is an electoral move from COB leaders, who are running for re-election. In sum, he tried to minimize the economy and social unrest in Bolivia. We hope it is only that and not a major problem.

Last night at the tv program Carlos Valverde has here in Santa Cruz, there was a mention that most of social conflicts in Bolivia, for the last 41 years, happened under the so-called “populist governments,” namely UDP (hyperinflation, early 80s), Torres (early 70s) and this government is the one with the most conflicts.

Yesterday at Apacheta, a photographer (Henry Ponce) from Pagina Siete (newspaper in La Paz), was asked to surrender his camera and two memory cards that supposedly had recording of policemen brutality against some of the rural teachers who were blockading the road between La Paz and Oruro. El Deber (Santa Cruz newspaper) reports that this photographer was held by the policemen for 15 minutes around 13:30 yesterday. La Prensa, a La Paz newspaper also reports that journalists Javier Mamani y Alejandro Álvarez were beaten by the police.

El Deber reports that La Paz Judge Rolando Sarmiento, in charge of the “terrorism” trial had requested that prosecutor Soza amends the “mistakes” in his accusations and has five days to amend them, before trial can reassume. For more details and names, please see http://www.eldeber.com.bo/2011/2011-04-16/vernotanacional.php?id=110416003745