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Edited on Sat Sep-29-07 03:42 AM by Judi Lynn
internal affairs. What a triumph, seeing Evo Morales elected, after all the suffering and hardship for native Bolivian citizens. For those DU'ers who already know, please forgive my need to post an abbreviated look at one of Bolivia's nastiest Presidents, Hugo Banzer. This will seem too hideous, too filthy to be true, but it surely can be verified easily: COLONEL HUGO BANZER
President of Bolivia
In 1970, in Bolivia, when then-President Juan Jose Torres nationalized Gulf Oil properties and tin mines owned by US interests, and tried to establish friendly relations with Cuba and the Soviet Union, he was playing with fire. The coup to overthrow Torres, led by US-trained officer and Gulf Oil beneficiary Hugo Banzer, had direct support from Washington. When Banzer's forces had a breakdown in radio communications, US Air Force radio was placed at their disposal. Once in power, Banzer began a reign of terror. Schools were shut down as hotbeds of political subversive activity. Within two years, 2,000 people were arrested and tortured without trial. As in Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, the native Indians were ordered off their land and deprived of tribal identity. Tens-of-thousands of white South Africans were enticed to immigrate with promises of the land stolen from the Indians, with a goal of creating a white Bolivia. When Catholic clergy tried to aid the Indians, the regime, with CIA help, launched terrorist attacks against them, and this "Banzer Plan" became a model for similar anti-Catholic actions throughout Latin America.
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/US_ThirdWorld/dictators.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If this weren't bad enough, guess who was the President when the truly evil subsidiary of Bechtel raised the cost of water so high for Bolivian citizens they had no choice but to protest in desperation: At 10am, President Hugo Banzer places Bolivia under martial law. This drastic move concludes a week of protests, general strikes and transportation blockages that have jerked the country to a virtual standstill, and follows the surprise announcement of government concession to protesters' demands to break a $200 million contract selling Cochabamba's public water system to foreign investors.
The water system is currently controlled by Aguas del Tunari, a consortium led by London-based International Water Limited (IWL), which is itself jointly owned by the Italian utility Edison and US-based Bechtel Enterprise Holdings. Upon purchasing the water system, the consortium immediately raised rates by up to 35 percent. That untenable hike sparked the protests.
In January, "Cochabambinos" staged strikes and blocked transit, effectively shutting their city down for four straight days. The Bolivian government then promised to lower rates, but broke that promise within weeks. On February 4, when thousands tried to march in peaceful protest, President Banzer had police hammer protesters with two days of tear gas that the 175 people injured and two youths blinded.
Ninety percent of Cochabamba's citizens believed it was time for Bechtel's subsidiary to return the water system to public control, according to results of a 60,000-person survey conducted in March. But it seems that the government has come to Bechtel's rescue, insisting the company remain in Bolivia. President Banzer, who ruled Bolivia as a dictator from 1971-78, has suspended almost all civil rights, banning gatherings of more than four people, and severely limiting freedom of the press. "We see it as our obligation, in the common best interest, to decree a state of emergency to protect law and order," Banzer trumpeted.
Local radio stations have been closed or taken over by military. News paper reporters have been arrested. Police conducted nighttime raids searching homes for water protesters and arresting as many as 20 people.
The local police chief has been installed as state governor. The "emergency government" now consists of a president (Hugo Banzer), a governor (Walter Cespedes) and a mayor (Manfred Reyes Villa), each of whom is a graduate of the notorious School of the Americas in Ft. Benning, Georgia (infamous for training foreign military personnel in terror and assassination techniques).
(snip/...) http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/South_America/Bolivia_WaterWarVictory.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~When a peaceful march was attempted, President Hugo Banzer summoned the police. They arrested protest leaders from their beds in the dark of night, shut down radio stations, and sent soldiers firing into the street . During two days of repression and tear gas attacks 175 people were injured. The people of Cochabamba made it clear they had reached their limit. When they refused to retreat, the Bolivian government declared a "state of siege". After four days of strikes Bolivian government officials were forced to nullify the contract they had signed last year.
(snip) http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2827595#2831544
Sharpshooter enlisted to slaughter protesting Bolivians |
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