El Alto Sex Workers on Hunger Strike16 May 2012 no comments By Ali Sargent Bolivian sex workers are many – around 45,000 are registered across the country – unionized, working legally but without recognition from the Ley de Trabajo [Work Law]. They are striking to get their doctors and nurses to stop striking. On April 27th, a dozen workers from the union Organization of Night Workers [...] Healthcare Workers May Return to 6 Hour Workday11 May 2012 no comments The leader of the Bolivian University Executive Committee, Eduardo Cortez, said that during a dialogue with the government to end strikes, the proposal of returning to a six-hour work day for the health sector came up. The government has mandated an eight hour work day without a pay increase, causing strikes by doctors and nurses [...] 80 Bolivian Slaves Freed in Argentina10 May 2012 no comments Yesterday, 80 Bolivians were freed from a sweatshop where the allegedly worked as slaves in Argentina. Twenty three Bolivians were arrested on charges of slavery for keeping the 80 people in this sewing sweatshop against their will, some of the sweatshop workers were as young as 12 years old. The textile workshop had cramped living [...] Rioting in La Paz9 May 2012 no comments Five civilians, a TV camera man, and two police officers were wounded by rocks in street fighting yesterday, on day two of the city-wide transportation strike. Private business leaders estimate that La Paz is losing $8 million in commerce every day of the blockade. Transportation workers have taken up solidarity strikes in six departments of [...] Morales Salutes New French President8 May 2012 no comments  President Evo Morales sent his sincere congratulations to François Hollande, the socialist candidate who won France’s general election yesterday. In a letter sent by the Palace of Government, Morales said, “France deserves our highest consideration and admiration for its historic world leadership and for promoting fundamental human rights beginning with the “Declaration of the rights [...] Healthcare Negotiations Advancing4 May 2012 no comments The Vice-minister of Health, Martín Maturano, told the public yesterday that the government is putting forward a new proposal to compensate medical workers for accepting the new 8 hour work day. Formerly, doctors and nurses worked only six hours per day and President Morales had insisted that the work day be increased to eight hours [...] After Nationalization, Morales: “Foreign Investment Welcome”2 May 2012 no comments Spanish Ambassador Ramón Santos, asked yesterday for a new Bolivian law guaranteeing foreign investments after the recent nationalization of Spanish electric distribution company REE. “We’ve been saying for some time that there needs to be a law guaranteeing foreign investment, precisely to clarify the legal status of businesses that invest in sectors and so we [...] Brazil Sends 35,000 Troops to Bolivian Border Over Dispute1 May 2012 no comments Where the department of Pando abuts the Brazilian territory of Acre (formerly Bolivian land lost in the Acre War of 1903) tensions have been rising. Bolivians denounce Brazilian loggers crossing over into Bolivia illegally to harvest their trees and Brazilians claim that the Bolivian soldiers cross into Brazil to kill their cows. Since 2006 President [...] Earthquake jolts Cochabamba27 April 2012 no comments A shockwave rolled across Cochabamba at roughly 5:45 p.m. today, rattling buildings and causing people to run out into the streets. No news of injuries have yet been reported and buildings appear to be intact but the city’s dogs and animals are in an uproar. No news agencies are reporting on the quake at this [...] 9th Indigenous March Begins27 April 2012 no comments Today marks the beginning of the 9th protest march by Amazonian indigenous groups against deforestation and undemocratic actions by the Bolivian government. “At a minimum we are 300 people, but more indigenous communities are arriving by river this Friday morning,” said Amazonian Indigenous Council (CIDOB) leader Adolfo Chávez. The march will take approximately 35 days [...] Bolivia earns $648 Million in 4 Months of Oil/Gas Drilling26 April 2012 no comments Bolivia received a record $648.8 million dollar profit from taxes on the oil and has industry in the first four months of 2012 according to the Contract Administrator of the state-owned oil company YPFB Edwin Álvarez. “This historic profit of $648.8 million dollars is due to production variables and price increases in Brazil and Argentina [...] BOA to add Boeing Plane25 April 2012 no comments Bolivia’s state run airline BOA will be leasing its seventh plane soon- an US-made Boeing 737-300. BOA also announced that it will be increasing the amount of flights offered by 20% according to director Ronald Casso. The new plane will have a capacity of 138 passengers. BOA currently operates a fleet of older airplanes [...] Rumors of Jindal Mining Exit24 April 2012 no comments Bolivian representative Luis Felipe Dorado said the Germán Busch Province of Santa Cruz has declared an emergency on rumors of the withdrawal of the Indian mining giant Jindal from the El Mutún project. El Mutún is the world’s largest iron ore deposit and Jindal had purchased a large stake to mine the deposit but has [...] Bolivian Flagged Ships Violate Anti-Iran Sanctions20 April 2012 no comments  Bolivia may remove 15 ocean vessel linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran from sailing under its flag in order to comply with UN according the the International Registry of Bolivian Ships (RIBB) and the Bolivian Defense Ministry. According to a Reuters report, the Iranian company Irisl has fallen under UN sanction for transporting Iranian [...] Cochabamba Hosts International Puppet Festival19 April 2012 no comments The 6th annual International Puppet Festival begins today in Cochabamba. Puppet and theater groups are arriving from Peru, Argentina and Chile to present their puppet shows. There will be 14 presentations over the next two 6 days in Cochabamba and shows in La Paz and Santa Cruz as well. The festival originated in Bolivia in [...] Striking Medical Workers Will Get No Pay18 April 2012 no comments President Morales said on Tuesday that all medical workers and doctors on strike will have their pay reduced by the number of days during which they take to the streets. “I was to say to them how we characterize ourselves in our work: a day worked, a day paid, he who doesn’t work doesn’t get [...] Doctors and Teachers On Strike17 April 2012 no comments Urban teachers and health workers have nationwide strikes to protest Supreme Decree 1126 which mandates an 8 hour work day. Teachers in La Paz have blockaded themselves inside schools and in Santa Cruz three are going on hunger strikes. They are also protesting that rural teachers make more money than urban teachers. The leader of [...] Brazil Mines Indigenous Bolivian Lands10 April 2012 no comments The President of a protected indigenous homeland (TCO) in the Pando department, Francisco Hilcha, filed a lawsuit against the Bolivian government alleging that private Brazilian companies have been given gold mining concessions on their land without their permission. “The concessions were given five years ago. Brazilian and Bolivian companies work extracting gold and throw the [...] 60th Anniversary of Bolivian Revolution9 April 2012 no comments The National Revolutionary Movement (MNR) announced that today marks the 60th anniversary of the National Revolution on April 9th, 1952. Celebrations will be held in the La Paz cathedral and in the Casa Rosada according to the MNR national director Jhonny Torrez. Torrez said, “On this 60th anniversary, under the principles of the alliance of [...] Evo: “I Will Not Run For 3rd Term”1 April 2012 1 comment  Evo Morales gave a surprise press conference in the rural Cochabamba village of Colomi this morning where he announced that he will not seek a 3rd term, beginning from 2014-2019. The move stunned opponents who expected Morales to violate his own constitution by running for a 3rd term (Presidents are only allowed 2, five-year terms). [...] |