· January, 2009

Stories about Bolivia from January, 2009

Bolivia: Child Labor a Question of Culture?

  28 January 2009

Juan Vasquez of Un Boliviano en la Argentina [es] describes a recent conversation with some friends about the practice of child labor, and one wonders whether it is a question of culture noting that many rural children work in the field as a means of learning from parents.

Bolivia: Under-20 Football Team Loses Yet Again

  28 January 2009

“More of the Same,” writes Jaime Galarza of Once a Once [es] regarding the latest in a string of international debacles by the Under-20 Bolivian National Team, who lost all three games in the first round of the South American football tournament.

Bolivia: Referendum Coverage on Twitter

  25 January 2009

As the polls close across Bolivia for the Constitutional Referendum vote, many of the country's users of Twitter have been hard at work sending messages about their experiences from their cities. In order to centralize the information, they are using the #referendum tag.

Bolivia: Dealing With Dengue Fever

  23 January 2009

Heavy rains in the Bolivian Orient help create the breeding ground for mosquitos that spread the virus that causes dengue fever. There is also a much more severe form which causes dengue hemorrhagic fever and has already caused 3 deaths in the country. One blogger writes about firsthand experience with this illness.

Bolivia: The Situation After the Referendum

  22 January 2009

The campaign for the Constitutional Referendum has ended across Bolivia and Sunday's vote is eagerly awaited. After months of a tension-filled campaign from both supporters and opponents of the draft Constitution, many are left wondering what will happen after the vote. Some other bloggers reflect on some of the problems that will still remain regardless of the vote's outcome and who is to blame for the country's predicament.

Bolivia: Most Bolivians Practice Religious Syncretism

  20 January 2009

Despite the conflict between the national government and the Catholic Church, Bolivian President Evo Morales declares that he is Catholic. Mario Durán of Palabras Libres [es] adds that most Bolivians would classify themselves as practicing a type of “religious syncretism” with native beliefs.

Bolivia: Loyola Guzmán Supporting the “No” Vote

  19 January 2009

With a week to go before the Constitutional Referendum, Miguel Centellas of Pronto* profiles one unlikely opponent of the new document. Loyola Guzmán was a Constitutional delegate representing the government's MAS party, as well as a member of Che Guevara's guerrilla group. She is now coming out and supporting the...

Syria: Arab Leaders Can't Come Together, Not Even into a Room

  15 January 2009

As the aggression on Gaza enters its third week, Arab Leaders fail to agree on the need of holding an emergency summit for the member countries of the Arab League which Qatar and Syria have called for. Syrian bloggers are outraged at the political ping-pong going on that highlights what could be described as the greatest political divide in recent Arab history.

Bolivia: Convincing Others to Vote “No” on New Constitution

  15 January 2009

Bolivians will head to the polls on January 25 to decide whether or not to approve the draft of the new Constitution. With ten days go, early polling indicates that the "Yes" side will emerge victorious, partly because it has the full weight of the national government. However, the opposition, led by the governors of 4 states, as well as some other unlikely opponents, are doing everything they can to convince others to vote "No."

Bolivia: Reduction of Gas Sales to Brazil

  9 January 2009

The Brazilian government has reduced the volume of gas purchased from Bolivia Mario Durán of Palabras Libres [es] thinks that this may cause the government to dip into the international reserves.

Bolivia: Nationwide Referendum on Use of International Reserves

  7 January 2009

The Bolivian government is proposing a nationwide referendum to determine whether the international reserves valued at 7.7 billion dollars will be used to invest in the industralization of the hydrocarbons. Carlos Gustavio Machicado of Guccio's [es] believes that this is a terrible idea, and the decision should be left to...

Bolivia: An Interview With Ingrid Betancourt

  2 January 2009

Boris Miranda, a journalist for the La Paz, Bolivia newspaper La Prensa writes about his recent interview with former FARC hostage Ingrid Betancourt [es] from Colombia, who had been visiting the country.