Devastating fires in Bolivia: A political tool

Carlos Guzman reports for Open Democracy: Uncontrolled fires linked to agricultural expansions are being used as a political tool during this election year in Bolivia and are causing catastrophic consequences. Español. 28 August 2019, Bolivia, Santa Rosa de Tucabaca: The Chiquitania forest on fire. | Photo: Gaston Brito/DPA/PA Images. All rights reserved. The fires in the lowlands of…

The bells of San Francisco are refurbished to toll again

Pagina Siete reports: Eight of the 12 centennial bells work only on Sundays and special dates. The rest, however, have not resonated for at least half a century. A view of the tower of the Minor Basilica of San Francisco where the bells are. Photos: SMC-GAMLP 50 years ago, the 12 bells of the Minor…

Bolivia’s fires destroy ‘heritage’ rock art sites

AFP reports for France 24: Wildfires that have raged across forests and grassland in eastern Bolivia for weeks have destroyed rare rock art sites, archeologists announced Tuesday. “We believe that the damage is big and wide in terms of our heritage of rock art,” said Danilo Drakic, chief archeologist in the eastern Santa Cruz department….

Bolivian Bishops Express Concern about Amazon Fires

Mario Schiavone reports for NewsBook: The Bolivian Episcopal Conference considering the Amazon disaster With the evocative title “Our common home is on fire” the Bolivian Amazon Church has issued a statement that highlights concern and clamor for the catastrophe of fires and the consequences of this ongoing ecological disaster, Fides News Agency reported. The Bishops’…

From the frontlines: Fighting Bolivia’s forest fires

Monica Evans reports for Forests News, CIFOR: A firefighter’s account of the country’s burning dry forests Between 22 and 27 August 2019, estimates say forest fires caused largely by land-clearing for agriculture in Bolivia doubled. Photo: Romaneth Hidalgo Bolivia – When firefighter Daniela Azero and her team first saw the extent of the uncontrolled forest fires…