Newspapers in Bolivia
The distribution of newspapers in Bolivia is limited (55 newspaper excl. Per
1,000 inv., 2000). About fifteen newspapers are published. The largest are
conservative El Diario (edition: about 55,000 copies), La Razón (about 27,000
copies) and Catholic Presencia (about 20,000 copies), published in La Paz, and
independent El Deber (about 35,000 copies)..) in Santa Cruz.
In Bolivia there are about 300 private radio stations, most with very local
broadcasting. The television broadcasts were controlled until the mid-1990s by
the state-owned company Empresa Nacional de Televisión Boliviana
(founded in 1969), but since then several private broadcasters and local TV
stations have been established. There are 676 radio and 119 TV receivers per
1,000 residents (2000).
Culture
Bolivian society attaches great importance to
cultural traditions, folk songs and folk tales. While
Bolivia is multicultural with cosmopolitan cities, the
contrasts between the Hispanic elite and the majority of
indigenous people in cultural life are reflected.
During the 20th century, Bolivian literature dealt
with the deep class contradictions, the 1952 revolution
and the military dictatorships (see Older history). The
poet Hector Borda (1927–) debuted in 1965 with the
poetry collection El sapo y la serpiente (The
toad and the snake). He was one of the founders of the
Communist Party forced to flee the military regime, and
in 1977 he came to Sweden as a political refugee.
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Countryaah:
Latest population statistics of Bolivia, including religious profiles and major languages spoken as well as population growth rates in next three decades.
The internationally best-known author is Augusto
Céspedes (1904–1997), who was mainly active as a
politician. He portrayed the consequences of colonialism
and, among other things, wrote a short story about the
war against Paraguay in the 1930s, in which he himself
participated. In Metal del diablo (The Devil's
Metal) of 1947, Céspedes depicts the inhuman
consequences of tin breaking in Bolivia.
Among the later generations of writers is Adolfo
Cárdenas Franco (1951–), who works in La Paz and writes
about society's most marginalized groups.
Eusebio Topooco (1945–), who is aymara, came to
Sweden via Spain in 1970 and has worked here as an
artist and children's book author.
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Songaah: List and lyrics of songs related to the country name of Bolivia. Artists and albums are also included.
The strong social and political commitment that has
existed in the literature has also characterized many of
the Bolivian feature films and documentaries.
Indigenous culture has a strong position, and folk
music has also influenced Bolivian art music. Wind
instruments such as zampoña and quena,
the mandolin- like charangon and a variety of
indigenous rhythm instruments give Bolivian music its
features.
Among popular folk dances is mainly Huayño,
a two-stroke dance with roots in pre-Columbian culture.
2019
December
Diplomats are expelled
December 30
The government announces the expulsion of Mexico's
ambassador and two Spanish diplomats. The message comes
after several days of protests outside the Mexican
embassy in La Paz, where opponents of the old government
demand the release of now-terrorist former Interior
Minister Juan Ramón Quintana. Mexico has complained that
the embassy is in practice besieged and that its
diplomats are being harassed by Bolivian authorities,
and has requested the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
to mediate the conflict. The Mexican ambassador should
already have been called home, for security reasons. The
two Spanish diplomats, including the country's chargé
d'affaires, are accused by the transitional government
of visiting Mexico's embassy with "hostile intentions".
New judges in the voting tribunal are appointed
December 19
Parliament approves six new judges in the Supreme
Court of Justice (TSE). The former judges have all been
arrested after the end of October elections. The first
task of the new tribunal will be to set the dates for a
new election.
Arrest warrant for Morales
December 18
An arrest warrant is issued for deposed President Evo
Morales, which the government is accusing of insurgency
and terrorism. Morales tweets that the allegations are
"illegal, unfair and constitutional". He himself has
said that he does not stand as a candidate in the next
election but believes that he should not be suspended
from taking part in politics.
Morales is granted asylum in Argentina
December 12
Deputy President Evo Morales moves from Mexico to
Argentina, where the newly-elected left government has
granted him asylum. With him from Mexico, former Vice
President Álvaro García, Foreign Minister Diego Pary,
Health Minister Gabriela Montano and OAS Ambassador José
Alberto Gonzáles will travel. The new Foreign Minister
in La Paz, Karen Longaric, says that Argentina should
follow the "principles and rules" and not allow Morales
to speak politically, as he did in Mexico. Bolivia's
interim president Jeanin Añez was not invited when
Argentina's new president Alberto Fernández a few days
earlier.
Additional ministers are granted asylum in Mexico
December 6
Former Minister of Economy Luis Arce states that he
has been granted asylum in Mexico, just as the deposed
President Evo Morales. Arce was Minister of Finance from
2006 to 2017, when he resigned for health reasons,
during a period of high economic growth. Former Vice
President Álvaro Garia and former Minister of Health
Gabriela Montano have also been granted asylum in
Mexico.
"Stunning evidence of cheating"
December 4th
In its final evaluation of the October election, the
OAS states that there is overwhelming evidence that
"malicious manipulation" affected the outcome. According
to OAS, it is obvious that attempts were made to change
the voting result. Among other things, hidden servers
and counterfeit signatures must have been used.
November
Violent when fuel block is broken
November 19
Eight people are killed and about 30 injured when
security forces shoot sharply to break a block at the
Senkata fuel plant in El Alto. The army accuses
"agitators and vandals" of having destroyed parts of the
facility that have been besieged by Morales supporters
for several days. According to eyewitnesses, at least a
couple of the victims were passersby who did not
participate in the blockade. The event triggers new
unrest in El Alto, which is a stronghold for Morale's
party MAS.
Supplies are flown to La Paz
November 17
Authorities are starting to fly in supplies to La Paz
due to lack of food and fuel in the capital. The
shortcomings have arisen because of roadblocks erected
by supporters of former President Evo Morales. The
unrest continues and UN Human Rights Commissioner
Michelle Bachelet has warned that the security forces'
overwhelm can lead to a serious escalation of the
conflict.
Violent clash in Cochabamba
November 15
Nine farmers are shot to death in connection with
cochlear farmers in Cochabamba clash with police and
military. A total of 23 people have been killed and many
more injured since the unrest following the October 20
elections. The IACHR Regional Human Rights Commission is
strongly critical of Interim President Áñez's decree
guaranteeing impunity for the security forces.
Evo Morales banned from choice
November 14
Interim President Jeanine Áñez ruled out that former
President Evo Morales would be allowed to stand in the
election she promised to be held shortly. The
transitional government states that talks have been
initiated with the socialist party MAS in an attempt to
put a stop to the unrest in deeply polarized Bolivia,
but it is unclear what that means. Morale supporters
continue to gather in La Paz, in protest of Áñez and
clashes with police. The new government has given
security forces clear signs of using force to restore
order.
Senator exclaims president
November 12
Senator Jeanine Áñez from Beni proclaims interim
president. Añez is a member of the Social Democratic
Movement (MDS) and says that she, as Deputy Speaker of
the Senate, was in turn taking over as Head of State and
Government when the President, Vice President and
Speaker of both chambers have left office. The
Constitutional Court approves Áñez who proclaims himself
as president during a session boycotted by MAS, the
ousted president Evo Morale's party. MAS has a majority
in the Legislative Assembly with the MAS members saying
they fear for their lives. At the same time, Evo Morales
has landed in Mexico, following an airplane during which
several countries have refused to allow the Mexican
government plane to stop for refueling due to Morales
being aboard.
Morales is granted asylum in Mexico
November 11
Evo Morales states that he accepted an offer of
political asylum in Mexico, the day after he resigned as
president. Mexico confirms Morales is being flown out of
Bolivia on a Mexican government plane. Morales urges his
followers to resist the "dark forces" that have forced
him away. Continued clashes are reported between
Morale's supporters and opponents.
President Morales resigns
November 10
President Evo Morales resigns, three weeks after the
disputed election. This occurs after a dramatic
development in several stages. First, the OAS
investigation, which Morales approved, states that
election fraud occurred in the October 20 election. Then
Morales says the election should be redone.
Nevertheless, the military is urging him to retire. Then
Morales does, citing that he wants to avoid bloodshed.
But Morales says he has been subjected to a coup d'etat
and says he is leaving his post to protect party mates
and supporters who have been attacked and assaulted.
Also Vice President Álvaro García Linera resigns, as do
the Speaker of both Legislative Assembly chambers. The
country thus stands without the head of state and
government.
October
The election results are reviewed by OAS
October 30th
The government says it has agreed to allow the
regional organization OAS to conduct a "binding review"
of the disputed results from the first round of the
presidential election. But opposition leader Carlos Mesa
dismisses the decision on an investigation and calls for
further strikes. An OAS group of 30 people is reported
to be on their way to Bolivia to deal with the
investigation immediately. At least two people have been
killed in clashes between President Morale's supporters
and his opponents following the disputed election, the
Department of Defense reports. These are two men who
were both shot to death.
Morales warns of dome plans
October 27th
President Evo Morales claims that his political
rivals are preparing for a power takeover in the coming
week. This is the second time in five days that Morales
warns of a coup. The criticism continues against the
sudden shift during the vote, in Morale's favor, with
continued strikes and protests. Opposition leader Carlos
Mesa has dismissed the election results as cheating. The
EU, the US, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia have all
called for a second round of elections, to restore
confidence in the electoral process.
Morales is declared victorious in the presidential
election
October 25th
President Evo Morales is formally announced as the
winner in the presidential election when the final
result is announced: Morales gets 47.08 percent of the
vote and thus more than 10 percentage points more votes
than the second, Carlos Mesa, who gets 36.5 percent. The
protests are expected to continue despite the message
from the electoral authority, but Mesa has called on its
supporters for peaceful demonstrations.
General strike in protest against the election
October 23
The opposition announces a strike in protest of the
disputed election results following Sunday's
presidential election. Opposition leader Carlos Mesa,
who came second in the first round of the election,
calls for continued protests against what he calls
President Evo Morale's attempt to cheat himself for
victory. Unrest continues in the country, including
clashes between political camps in Santa Cruz, which is
a strong opposition base. Morales calls the protests a
"right-wing" and says he is convinced to have won
already in the first round. The President also talks
about measures to "defend democracy". Election observers
from the regional organization OASconsiders that the
large shift in earnings in the voting bill is difficult
to explain and that a second round of elections should
be held. The results reported so far give Morales 46.03
percent against 37.35 for Mesa, with 97 percent of the
votes counted.
Violent protests after the election
21 October
The day after the presidential election, violence
erupted in at least nine cities around Bolivia, due to
what is perceived as an attempt to cheat on the outcome.
After lying down for a day, voting numbers have begun to
be published again, and now a quick count of just over
95 percent of the vote shows that Morales is stumbling
close to getting the 10 percentage point lead.
Second rounds likely
October 20
When 84 percent of the votes are counted and the
result points to a second round of voting, the
publication of the voting bill is abruptly stopped. The
preliminary result is then 45 percent for incumbent
President Evo Morales and 38 percent for former
President Carlos Mesa, who is a candidate for the
Alliance Citizens Community. Morales says in a comment
that he is confident of victory in the first round when
the votes from the rural areas are finalized. For
victory in the first round, at least half of the votes
are required, or 40 percent of the votes and at least 10
percentage points more than the second. In the
contemporary parliamentary elections, Morale's party
backs the Movement for Socialism (MAS) substantially
compared to the 2014 election, but still retains its own
majority in both chambers, 67 in the Chamber of Deputies
and 21 in the Senate. Citizens' Community (CC) gets 50
and 14 seats respectively,
Rain extinguishes the fires
October 8
Several days of intense rain are finally found to
have been overcome by the extensive fires that have been
raging for weeks.
Mass protest against President Morales
October 4th
Hundreds of thousands of people attend a
demonstration in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia's
largest city, in protest of the government's handling of
the extensive fires that have been raging for weeks.
Voters are urged by protesters to "punish" in the
October 20 presidential election - against President Evo
Morales. The opposition calls for the government to
announce national disaster permits and appeal for
international aid to fight the fires.
September
Continued fires cause great havoc
September 25
Over 2.3 million wild animals have, according to
environmental experts, died in the extensive fires that
continue to rage in eastern Bolivia (see August
2019). Although 5,000 firefighters, police and
soldiers fight the fires with the aid of aircraft and
helicopters, they now cover over 4 million hectares
(40,000 square kilometers) of land, a large proportion
of which are nature conservation areas. Among animals
that have been wiped out are cougars, jaguars, llamas,
tapirs, lizards and rodents. The fires have hit the
tropical savannah Chiqutanía (or Llanos de Chiquitos) in
Santa Cruz. An emergency permit has been introduced in
Santa Cruz as well as in Beni. Critics believe the
government's agricultural policy has contributed to the
fires, while the government claims that drought and
harsh winds are the cause, and that "saboteurs" also
start new fires after extinguishing work.
Strengthened support for Morale's main rival
September 23
Support grows for President Evo Morale's main
challenger in the October presidential election,
ex-President Carlos Mesa (2003-2005). His chances
increase when opposition leader Samuel Doria Medina
formally announces his and her party's UN support for
Mesa, a candidate for the Alliance Citizens Community
(CC). Cement magnate Doria Medina came in second place
in the 2014 presidential election but does not stand
this time and has long said that he intends to stand
behind the candidate who has the greatest chance of
defeating Morales. Opinion polls indicate that there may
be a second round of elections, which in this case will
be the first time for Morales who won the three previous
elections in the first round.
August
Fires make Morales cancel campaign
August 26th
President Evo Morales is temporarily suspending his
election campaign to devote himself to extensive fires
that have been raging uncontrollably for a month in
forests and bushlands. Like right-wing colleague Jair
Bolsonaro in Brazil, Morales has received growing
criticism from environmental groups because of the fires
that are doing great damage to the rainforest. Nearly
10,000 square kilometers of land have been destroyed.
Morales is accused by critics of supporting
deforestation. Environmental groups are raging over a
decree that was issued in July, which gives farmers the
right to increase the area they can clear with the use
of burning from 5 to 20 hectares, which they say has
contributed to the increased number of fires. The
country's bishops call the decree "reckless" and say it
should be withdrawn.
March
A new regional forum is formed
March 22
Bolivia participates in a meeting in Chile where
eight other South American countries launch the new
Regional Forum for South America's Progress (Prosur)
which is intended to replace Unasur. Prosecur will
mainly support democracy and the market economy, it
says. The initiative has been taken by the presidents of
Chile and Colombia, and the other participating
countries are Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana,
Paraguay and Peru. In addition to Bolivia,
representatives of the left governments in Suriname and
Uruguay also participate, but none of the three
countries does not join Prosur. Venezuela was not
invited.
February
General health care is being squandered
February 18
The Senate approves a legislative amendment that
introduces general health care. The law has already been
passed in the Chamber of Deputies, so now only President
Morale's signature is missing. The introduction of
general and free healthcare has been one of Morale's
main goals. It is intended to include primary care from
the beginning and then be extended.
January
Contested primary election before the presidential
election
January 27
Primary elections are being held for the first time
in Bolivia, according to a law passed in September 2018.
Opposition parties have objected to the law, which they
believe only serves to legitimize President Morale's
disputed candidacy in the election (see December
2018). The five largest opposition parties
urged their members to abstain from voting in the
primary elections, as a protest against Morales running
for office. As a result, 400,000 MAS members (44
percent) vote for the party's only candidate, Morales,
while only 30,000 vote for all other eight candidates in
total. Regular elections, for both the presidential post
and the parliament, are held in October.
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