Despite what the media headlines would have you believe, a coup is underway in Bolivia.
by Emma Fiala
11th November 2019
The United States is currently supporting a military coup against Bolivia's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, who was recently re-elected. Bolivia enjoyed relative calm during the tenure of Mr. Morales' presidency, which began in January 2006. In 2008, Morales forced out the United States Ambassador and counter-narcotics officers. The two countries have not had diplomatic relations since 2009.
Despite what the media headlines would have you believe, a military coup is underway in Bolivia. Morales was forced to resign in an attempt to avoid further violence and destruction at the extremities of the violent right-wing opposition.
Sunday night's headlines read:
"Bolivian leader Evo Morales steps down"
"Bolivian President Evo Morales resigns over election fraud charges"
"Bolivia's president steps down amid election fraud allegations."
"Bolivia's Morales resigns amid scathing election report, growing protests"
"Bolivian President Evo Morales resigns amid protests over fraud."
Nowhere in these headlines is the word "coup", nor any mention of the history or violence of the opposition, including thefire of a governor's house, the drag of a mayor in the streets after having his hair cut and his body painted red, and quite recently the destruction from the home of Evo Morales.
Here's what you need to know:
1. Evo Morales was re-elected on October 20
A Bolivian court gave Morales the "green lightto run for a fourth term for president after opponents said it would be unconstitutional. Bolivians went to the polls on October 20, just weeks ago, to choose their president. , Morales walked away with 47,1 percent of the vote, while his main opponent, who came in second, got 36,5 percent of the vote.As Morales got more than 40 percent and had more than 10 points d advance on the second, in accordance with the rules, a victory in the first round was declared without the need for a second round.
2. Reports of electoral fraud are not unfounded
Even before the election ended, Mesa said he would not accept the results if Morales was declared the winner.
#Urgent| No vamos a permitir that a resultado is manipulated that obviously nos lleva a segunda vuelta. pic.twitter.com/mAWa4JlTud
- Carlos D. Mesa Gisbert (@carlosdmesag) October 21, 2019
The following day, after much opposition outrage, the Organization of American States (OAS) released a statement. Although the statement indicates that the elections were conducted "in a peaceful and orderly manner", the OAS expressed "deep concern and surprise at the drastic and difficult to explain change in the trend of the preliminary results revealed after the closing of polling stations".
The statement did not include any actual evidence or data.
Prior to this statement, Senator Marco Rubio had tweeted the following false information:
In #Bolivia all credible indications are Evo Morales failed to secure necessary margin to avoid second round in Presidential election. However some concern he will tamper with the results or process to avoid this. both @OAS_official & @EU_Commission have observers in the country.
- Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) October 21, 2019
The main criticism of the OAS is the significant increase in the number of votes in favor of Morales that came towards the end of the count. Although this is sometimes a red flag, it suffices to examine the results of the votes to see that this is a consequence of the geography of Bolivia. Morales has more support in poor and rural areas, areas whose votes often come later.
The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) reported in a declaration Friday :
The analysis statistical election results and tally sheets from the Oct. 20 election in Bolivia show no evidence that irregularities or fraud affected the official result that gave President Evo Morales victory in the first round.
It should be noted that the OAS was created by an American official and anti-Communist leader from South America in 1948 for the sole purpose of contesting democratic elections in which a Communist or Socialist candidate wins. Indeed, the OAS is a regime change agent, often led by US imperialism.
In 2000, the OAS flip-flopped on Haiti's national elections, first declaring them "a great success" before changing its position, paving the way for Washington's regime change efforts. in 2000-2004 which resulted in the murder of thousands of people. The OAS then interfered in the 2010 elections by literally overturning the results.
OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro recognised the US-backed opposition leader and self-declared Venezuela's "interim president" in January, just before the failed coup attempt.
3. Carlos Mesa has an intimate relationship with the United States
Morales' main opponent, Carlos Mesa, was president of Bolivia from 2003 to 2005. United States hostilities against Bolivia have steadily increased since Mesa left office and he is the preferred candidate of Washington.
Government cables released by WikiLeaks reveal communications between Mesa and US officials.
This June was the 10th anniversary of the US right-wing coup against Honduras' elected leftist President Manuel Zelaya.
- Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) November 10, 2019
Many of the same tactics were recycled to overthrow Bolivia's Evo Morales.
US imperialism is the world's biggest threat to democracyhttps://t.co/rmunPFjyZ6
4. 50-70% of the world's lithium reserves are in Bolivia
Some have called Bolivia "the Saudi Arabia of lithium". The global demand for this alkali metal has steadily increased as technologies such as cell phones, laptops and hybrid cars have become part of our daily lives. And demand isn't expected to slow down anytime soon.
Bolivia has invested heavily in the exploitation of lithium in the country, as has already your Mr. Morales:
"With the exploitation of lithium in an area of 400 km², we will have something to talk about for a century."
But these same salt flats are also a major nature reserve that includes flamingos, cacti, geysers and thermal springs. Thousands of tourists visit the area every year to enjoy the hot springs.
Foreign companies have repeatedly expressed interest in Bolivia's mining operations, but Morales has rightly been wary of foreign intervention. Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in Latin America, although it has significant oil and gas reserves, as well as the largest silver mine in the world.
As the world attempts to transition to greener fuels, it's no surprise that all eyes are on Bolivia and its massive lithium supply.
5. Evo Morales opposes US imperialism in Latin America
Above all, Evo Morales was in direct opposition to American imperialism throughout his presidency. In 2016, Morales opened an "anti-imperialist" military academy in direct opposition to American policy and military engagement across Latin America, to counter the influence of the School of the Americas. Morales said:
“If the empire teaches world domination from its military schools, we will learn from this school to free ourselves from imperial oppression.
We want to build an anti-colonial and anti-capitalist thought with this school that links the armed forces to social movements and that counters the influence of the School of the Americas which has always considered the natives as internal enemies.
At a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, he explained :
“I would like to tell you, frankly and openly here, that the United States has no interest in defending democracy. If that were the case, it would not have financed coups and supported dictators. wouldn't have threatened military intervention from democratically elected governments like he did with Venezuela. The United States doesn't care at all about human rights or justice. He wouldn't have threatened the investigative mechanism of the International Criminal Court, nor would it have encouraged the use of torture, nor would it have distanced itself from the Human Rights Council, nor would it have separated the children migrants from their families, he would not have put them in cages."
Every time the United States invades countries, launches missiles or funds regime change, it does so behind a propaganda campaign that repeats over and over again the message that it is acting in the name of justice, freedom and democracy, for the cause of human rights or for humanitarian reasons.
And in 2017, Morales declared that Bolivia was "completely independent" from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
A day like hoy in 1944 finalized the Economic Conference of Bretton Woods (EEUU), in which the creation of the IMF and BM took place.
- Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) July 22, 2017
Such a move automatically makes a country a potential target for regime change efforts.
Many world leaders have described the situation in Bolivia as a military coup.
to see @evoespueblo who, along with a powerful movement, has brought so much social progress forced from office by the military is appalling.
- Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) November 10, 2019
I condemn this coup against the Bolivian people and stand with them for democracy, social justice and independence. #ElMundoConEvo
There's a word for the President of a country being pushed out by the military. It's called a coup.
- Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 11, 2019
We must unequivocally oppose political violence in Bolivia. Bolivians deserve free and fair elections.
In Bolivia, a group of Estado producto del accionar conjunto de civilians violentos, el personal police autoacuartelado y la pasividad del ejército has been consumed. Is a golpe perpetrado contra el presidente @evoespueblo, que había convocado a nuevo proceso electoral.
- Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) November 10, 2019
BREAKING: Mexico's foreign minister rejects the 'military operation' taking place in Bolivia
- The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) November 10, 2019
La derecha con violento y cobarde golpe de estado attempta contra la democracy en #Bolivia. Nuestra enérgica condena al golpe de estado y nuestra solidaridad ad el hermano Pdte @evoespueblo. The world must be moved by the life and freedom of Evo. #EvoNoEstasSolo #We are Cuba pic.twitter.com/dPvZ8zQqJA
- Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) November 10, 2019
We categorically condemn the coup against the brother president @evoespueblo. We, the social and political movements of the world, declare ourselves in mobilization to demand the preservation of the life of the native Bolivian [...] https://t.co/KpD2x1HCCy
- Nicolás Maduro (@maduro_en) November 11, 2019
It's a saber that you're a member of the state of Bolivia and your company @evoespueblo Obrigado faith has renunciar. É lamentável que a América Latina tenha uma elite econômica que não saiba conviver com a democracia e com a inclusão social dos mais pobres.
- Lula (@LulaOficial) November 10, 2019
Yesterday Noam Chomsky wrote a letter warning that there was about being a US-backed coup against Morales in Bolivia. Today it appears to have happened. https://t.co/9DKKeybg6q
—Jason Hickel (@jasonhickel) November 10, 2019
If it looks like a coup and it smells like a coup...it's probably a coup. So what can we do?
There are many ways to challenge the dominant discourse and they are all important. Be sure to share independent media stories like this, read news from both sides of the conflict and check their sources, talk to friends and family about what's going on, and learn more on the history of American imperialism in Latin America.
As news of the violent military coup spreads, supporters of Evo Morales, the Bolivian people and democracy are rising to say #HandsOffBolivia. Attend a planned emergency demonstration in one of the following cities:
Washington DC | 11/11 at 12 PM – 1:30 PM
New York City | 11/11 at 4 PM
San Francisco | 11/11 at 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Philadelphia | 11/11 at 4 PM – 6 PM
Los Angeles | 11/11 at 4:30PM – 6:30PM
Baltimore | 11/11 at 5 PM – 6 PM
Miami | 11/11 at 4 PM – 6 PM
Albuquerque | 11/11 at 4 PM – 6 PM
London | 11/11 at 5 PM – 8 PM UTC
Toronto | 11/12 at 6 PM – 7:30 PM
Boston | 11/12 at 5:30 PM – 7 PM
St paul | 11/13 at 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Pittsburgh | 11/13 at 6 PM – 7 PM
London | 11/13 at 6:30 PM – 8 PM
Denver | 11/13 at 6 PM – 7 PM
Athens, Georgia | 11/13 at 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Salt Lake City | 11/14 at 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Newark | 11/15 at 5 PM – 7 PM
Las Vegas | 11/16 at 10 AM
Boston | 11/16 at 1 PM – 2 PM
Manchester | 11/16 at 12PM – 3PM UTC
Washington DC | 11/16 at 12 PM – 3 PM
London | 11/16 2 PM – 4 PM UTC
Amsterdam | 11/16 at 2 PM– 3 PM
Attending a protest and spreading the truth is one way to help resist the coup in Bolivia. If enough of us stand up to challenge the dominant discourse, the damage can still be undone.
Featured Photo | A shattered portrait of former Bolivian President Evo Morales lies on the floor of his private residence in Cochabamba, Bolivia, after hooded opponents broke into the residence on November 10, 2019. Photo | PA
Source | TheMindUnleashed.com
Articles published in our Daily Digests section are chosen based on the interest of our readers. They are republished from a number of sources and are not produced by MintPress News. The opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of MintPress News.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of MintPress News.
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