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<font size=3>Bolivia: Morales Enacts New Constitution in El Alto <br>
<a href="http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1706/1/" eudora="autourl">
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1706/1/<br><br>
</a>Written by Benjamin Dangl <br>
Saturday, 07 February 2009 <br><br>
<br>
</font><font face="georgia" size=3>Fog covered El Alto, Bolivia on
Saturday morning as social movements from around the country marched into
the city to mark the official passage of Bolivia’s new constitution.
"This is the second independence, the true liberation of
Bolivia," Bolivian President Evo Morales said as he signed the new
constitution.<br><br>
The new constitution was approved by 61.43% of voters in a national
referendum on January 25th. Among many other changes, the document
empowers Bolivia's indigenous and Afro-Bolivian communities, establishes
broader access to basic services, education and healthcare, limits the
size of large land purchases, expands the role of the state in the
management of natural resources and the economy and prohibits the
existence US military bases on Bolivian soil.<br><br>
Wilfredo, a Movement Toward Socialism (MAS, the political party of
Morales) activist, attended the event in El Alto with his daughter Betty
on his shoulders. He said "I am a MAS fanatic, it’s in my blood. It
is very important that this event is happening in El Alto, because during
the Gas War in 2003 it was El Alto that kicked out [President] Gonzalo
Sanchez de Lozada and brought about this process. Now change will even
come to Santa Cruz!"<br><br>
El Alto, a rapidly growing city outside of La Paz, has been the site of
numerous revolts in recent years, revolts which set in stone many demands
– including the nationalization of gas and the re-writing of the
constitution – that become major platforms of the MAS. El Alto was also
the base for the 1781 siege of Spanish-controlled La Paz led by
indigenous rebel Tupac Katari. Morales spoke at length of Katari’s
legacy, describing the passage of the new constitution as the
continuation of a struggle sparked in part by Katari in his fight for
indigenous liberation. <br><br>
"After 500 years of rebellion against invasions, against permanent
looting, after more than 180 years of resistance against the colonial
state, after 20 years of permanent struggle against the neoliberal model,
today, 7th of February of 2009, a new Bolivia is born," Morales
said, his voice echoing across the altiplano. <br><br>
Bolivian flag-colored kites flew in the sky, countless fireworks shot off
from rooftops, some of them colliding in the air, and exploding onto
neighboring buildings. Social organizations’ banners were draped from
balconies around the neighborhood. <br><br>
Daniel Quiroga, a union member of the Regional Workers’ Center who was
born in El Alto, said "I support the constitution because I am
handicapped and this new constitution supports handicapped people. The
constitution will bring about change in Bolivia without corruption. This
is why I voted for it."<br><br>
"For the first time in the history of Latin America, and in the
world, basic services, water, electricity, telephone are now a human
right, they will be a public service not a private business,"
Morales said in his speech. When he announced that the new constitution
prohibits foreign military bases on Bolivian soil, the crowd went wild.
<br><br>
Guatemalan indigenous rights activist Rigoberta Menchu, winner of the
1992 Nobel Peace prize, was in attendance. Regarding Bolivia’s new
constitution, Menchu said, "It is something that will open a new era
of struggle for the people of this continent."<br><br>
<div align="center">***<br><br>
</div>
<i>Benjamin Dangl is the author of
<a href="http://www.akpress.org/2007/items/priceoffireakpress">The Price
of Fire: Resource Wars and Social Movements in Bolivia</a> (AK Press).
Email Bendangl(at)gmail(dot)com</i></font> <br>
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