2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Why have we heard nothing about this incredibly important development in Iceland? News black-out?!? [View all]Dack
(5 posts)Bolivia for example. Popular movements were able to elect Morales, a coca farmer and union leader - someone of their own, not a Harvard graduate - as president in opposition to the wealthy European elite. He talks about issues that are very important for the marginalized Indigenous people (like privatization of water, resources and indigenous rights, infrastructure projects and anti-neoliberal policies in general, Bolivia is the poorest country in South America).
Morales is very popular in Bolivia but there have also been opposition from Indigenous leaders and big union strikes against him because he wanted to compromised about the Amazon highway going through Indigenous territory. Finally, he canceled the contract.
http://climate-connections.org/2012/04/16/victory-bolivia-evo-morales-cancels-contract-for-controversial-amazon-highway/
and: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/05/10/bolivia-development-at-what-cost-new-conflict-over-tipnis-road/
It has been an amazing development in this region, not only in Bolivia.
Can you imagine this happening in the US or Europe?