Global Voices Online

Want proof that the Bolivian blogosphere is a steadily growing community? In a recent email to the Bolivian blog listserv, Sebastian Molina, one of the masterminds behind the Mundo Al Revés series of blogs, announced his upcoming wedding and how blogs will play a big part in the big day. His bride Annelissie Arrázola has her own blog called Libertad and the father of the groom, Carlos Hugo Molina also happens to have his own blog called Ágora. Other invited guests include Hermany Terrazas who writes at Carpe Diem and Vittorio Cattoretti and his football blog Con Pelotas. Molina wrote:

“Well I didn't want to keep this to myself this and not share my happiness, I think that is what a community is for, right?”

Following the original email, a string of follow-up replies of goodwill would soon follow. Many said “although I don’t know you personally, but…”, and “I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you in person, but….”, they still considered Molina to be a close friend by getting to know him through his own blog and the work that he has done to advance blogging. Molina wrote a series of previews and promises pictures on his blog, Plan B in the near future. Many of these well wishers come from the other side of the country in La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz and even from others living overseas.

The blogs in this community are still primarily based in the three major cities of Santa Cruz, La Paz and Cochabamba, while some are popping up in El Alto. Yet, discovering new blogs are often the result of someone announcing his/her blog in a comment at a central meeting point. More often that not, that central site has been the Blogs Bolivia page.

In the most recent entry on that page, Miguel Esquirol surveys the content related to Bolivia on two tools which helps produce video blogs, You Tube and Google Video. There are only a handful of videos on these sites which covers tourism, folklore and one video about Bolivian food. On a related note, Jonathan Olguin highlights the growing number of exports of Bolivian organic food at the Journal of Bolivian Business and Politics.

Sometimes life should only be about marriages and Bolivian food, but the world of current events/politics carries on. Joaquin Cuevas ponders, “it must be rough being President, right?” and accompanies it with an illustration displaying President Evo Morales dreaming about his former life as a shepherd. Cuevas has another illustration about the recent troubles with the Bolivian Airline, Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano at his blog La Vida del Chico Larva. Javier also is disappointed in the mess that the airline has found itself and the resulting pilot strike blaming it on corruption and poor administration, as he writes in his blog Una Revisión de Todo un Poco.

Boli-Nica writes a thorough and fascinating entry about historical claims to the geography of Bolivia and about the use of symbols. Alvaro Ruiz Navajas is very concerned about the pressures placed on the National Electoral Court by the new MAS government. His blog Off Topic also takes a look at the recent movement around the establishment of the Constituent Assembly, which will be charged with re-writing the Bolivian Constitution.

In his blog Musicantos, Edgar looks back at Black February, which took place three years ago and was a result of several conflicts culminating around the course of few days. The police and military became ensnarled in a nasty conflict with one another. Other protestors challenged a proposed tax hike. As a result, widespread vandalism was reported and many resulted killed or injured, including civilians, police and military.