TIPNIS and USA relations? Protest Walk UPDATE 8/27/11

This cartoon is from La Razon, August 27, 2011. You can see Quintana, carving a “Gringo go Home” in the TIPNIS. Quintana is a public official who criticized indigenous TIPNIS leaders talking with US Embassy personnel and advocating that USAID should be expelled from Bolivia. This protest walk is in its 13th day;  yesterday the group walked 17 kilometers and…

Potosi and Oruro with border conflicts = violence and strikes

Potosi and Oruro have a territory dispute, Coroma and Quillacas are “ayllus” (communities) for both departments, respectively. Last year a group of Potosi farmers planted quinoa in the conflicting region, at the time of the harvest, they were outnumbered by the Quillacas people and could do nothing to protect their harvest and lost it to the Oruro people. Planting season…

Will USA – Bolivia, restore diplomatic relations?

According to the Bolivian government, the diplomatic relations with the USA can be restored soon, Foreign Affairs Minister said it only needs to set up a date and the place to do it…; provided the US Embassy clarifies their role regarding the TIPNIS leaders phone calls… which are viewed by this Bolivian government as something that…

Bolivian TIPNIS current display of forces… 8/26/11

As time goes by, the Bolivian public perception and stakeholders opinion worldwide are reflected in this cartoon by El Diario, August 26, 2011. Ministers Delgadillo and Romero represent the whole executive power behind current president. The protest march led by TIPNIS and supported by CONAMAQ and CIDOB grows by the minute! So far, ministers who went to meet the walking…

TIPNIS reassumes protest walk; high cost of road questioned

Indigenous groups at the TIPNIS protest walk, resumed the walk at 5am today. They want ten ministers to be present to start the dialogue. Minister Delgadillo said they could start meetings with the three ministers already in the area. It is expected that some ministers will arrive today, uncertain that ten ministers, as requested, will be there….

TIPNIS negotiation/dialogue underway! 16:16 hrs 8/25/11

Bolivian government and TIPNIS leaders have decided to go ahead with the dialogue! The indigenous groups do expect that more ministers (9) join the talks to lead the discussion tables that were created (6) to discuss/evaluate the 16 points the groups are asking the government. http://www.paginasiete.bo/2011-08-25/Nacional/Destacados/Destacados_019.aspx The indigenous group does want current Bolivian president to come to the dialogue,…