The Santa Cruz Autonomy Vote: What People are Saying

Readers:

The attention of most people in Bolivia this weekend, and thousands of others who watch Bolivia from afar, will be on the vote Sunday in the department of Santa Cruz on a proposed ‘autonomy’ plan. We’ve taken our turn at analyzing this situation more than once (including this post earlier in the week). So, on the eve of the vote we bring you a diversity of points of view on the topic, excerpted from various sources and gathered here on the streets of Cochabamba. This gathering of quotes and views was compiled by Democracy Center team members Aldo Orellana, Leny Olivera, and Yi-Ching Hwang.

On Sunday we’ll have correspondents all around the country to offer up first hand reports of how Bolivia reacts to the vote. Look for that here late in the day Sunday.

Meanwhile, one more reminder to our La Paz readers. Friday night I’ll be in La Paz with Naomi Klein for a joint event presenting Dignity and Defiance, from the Democracy Center, and Naomi’s book, Shock Treatment. Here again are the details:

Book Presentation: Dignity and Defiance and Shock Doctrine

When: Friday, May 2 – 6:30pm
Where: Palacio de Comunicaciones, Ave. Mariscal Santa Cruz, isq. Calle Oruro
Admission: Free
Presenters: Jim Shultz and Naomi Klein (with commentary by other guests)
Hosts: The Democracy Center, Fundación Solon, Editoriales Plural

Jim Shultz

THE SANTA CRUZ AUTONOMY VOTE:
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Quotes from Some of the Key Actors and Analysts

...the “catastrophic tie” that the country has been in since 2003, continues. Neither of the political sectors were able to impose their vision of the country and neither reached a consensus in order to achieve an agreed solution.

-- Pablo Stefanoni, Director of Bolivia’s Le Monde Diplomatique magazine


The May 4th referendum is not about Autonomy, contrary to what is published in order to manipulate the Cruceño’s (Bolivians from Santa Cruz) feelings. It is a PROJECT OF STATUTE, therefore, it is the responsibility of all citizens to cast a responsible vote and be conscious of what is being legalized, because the statute will affect and impact the present and the future of the country and the department of Santa Cruz. However, the current Statute project does not have any constitutional framework and in its entire text there is not a single mention of the “Political Constitution of the State.

-- “Santa Cruz We are All” (“Santa Cruz Somos Todos”), an independent Santa Cruz movement, quote taken from an April 2008 publication.


The Santa Cruz statute of autonomy, initially driven by those in power during the neo-liberal governments, has been described by various governmental sectors as “illegal” and “anti-constitutional,” but can we deny its “legitimacy”?

-- Alex Contreras Baspineiro, ex spokesman for President Evo Morales


History shows with ample eloquence, the terrible consequences that the divisionary and separatist processes supported and induced by foreign interests have had for humanity.

-- Excerpt from a letter signed by a lengthy list of left-leaning intellectuals, artists, and institutions, from around the world ("The conspiracy to divide Bolivia must be denounced")


We believe in and we defend democracy, the Constitution, [Bolivian] laws, and we do not manipulate them for our convenience like the hegemonic and totalitarian central government does ... [The government] has tried to intimidate us and crush us with force.... They threatened civil war, planted the seeds of hate, manipulated their followers saying that autonomy would divide the country. Lies and perversities... [They squandered] public resources in a national and international campaign never before seen, lying, false, dirty...

-- Santa Cruz regional governor Ruben Costas, April 30


The La Paz Residents' Committee, which unites La Paz union leaders, business owners, and workers, reported that they have received all kinds of threats and insults from youth acting under the name "Unión Juvenil Cruceñista" (Santa Cruz Youth Union), and that this intimidation has been more intense in the period leading up to the autonomy referendum.

--Residents of La Paz receive threats of ethnic cleansing after May 4


Other Important Declarations

Organization of American States, European Union and several other neighboring countries have manifested that they recognize the national institution and that they will not recognize any expressions that put [the national institution] at risk.

Special spokes person of United Nations, (UN) believes that the Santa Cruz Autonomy Statute project violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in respect to the indigenous peoples of the department.

The episcopal conference of the Catholic Church: “The approval procedure of the new constitutional laws and the departmental autonomy should occur within a honorable fulfillment of the established laws....”

The National Electoral Court sent a resolution suspending all referendums.

The Superintedent of Banks and Financial Entities (newspaper El Deber, April 16, 2008) informs that no banks, cooperatives, or financial institutions can demand a proof of vote for any financial transactions (Article 152, Electoral code), given that the referendum of May 4th “does not fit into the Political Constitution of the State, the Electoral Code, nor any of the laws of the Republic written by the National Electoral Court.”

Senator from the opposing Social Democratic Power (Poder Democrático Social- Podemos) party, Carlos Bohrt, assured that the statutes of autonomy of Santa Cruz, Pando, Tarija, and Beni will not be applied immediately after the results of each popular consultation due to the lack of constitutional backing.


And Opinions from the Street in Cochabamba

I hope that there are no violent confrontations between the two sectors, the opposition and the government. I would like [politicians on both sides] to put aside their self-absorbed, stingy attitudes so they can open their hearts and see just one Bolivia. This is a unique country where we have all the diversity to build a new country.

-- Anonymous Woman, Business Administrator

It is an important date, without any doubt, for the country’s democracy. Unfortunately the autonomy statutes as well as the political constitution of the state both have certain defects with respect to their legal approval. But without any doubt, [May 4] represents a reflection of what is democracy and the opinions of the population, in this case, of [the people of] Santa Cruz. I approve of it, in principle, even with all its susceptibilities and the threats from one sector to another. It is the people, a sector of the people that is making it known, and showing their wishes for the vote, and the other sectors, the opposition, well, in this case the government, they should accept it (the referendum). I would give [leaders on both sides] the advice of patience, patience and wisdom. Governing a country with so many different ethnic groups and cultural differences is very difficult....and dialog, a lot of dialog. Sometimes it is difficult to converse, it is bothersome, but one has to do it, it is necessary to communicate.

-- Jorge Uberhuaga, civil engineer


It is a date where there should be celebrations for Bolivia, because in reality autonomy, independent of whether there is campaign for a NO, will not stop. You will see that even in those departments that voted for a NO, there will be autonomy as well. It is not something that can be stopped. I think that the topic of autonomy is a celebration for Bolivia. [Politicians on both sides should] stop throwing more firewood in the fire...in reality in Bolivia we don’t need anymore provocations, what we need is that all the politicians, sincerely both the current administration and the opposition, go to the polls. Let’s go to the ballot boxes and trust that if they [the current administration] have done a good job, they will return to their positions, and that [voting] is the only way Bolivia is going to avoid deaths.

-- Alex Brañez, lawyer


First we should recognize that the May 4 referendum is going to happen de facto. I think there are people who support it based on just the slogans. There is going to be some absenteeism and people who criticize it. I think that May 4 will be just another election where symbolically the people are consulted in a fictitious democracy. I think that the moment of tension will be when the Regional General Assembly is created, which is what the statutes that they are voting on call for, because they are going to have to discuss what the competencies they will have. I would tell [leaders on both sides] not to fight racism with racism, to not deepen the differences between cambas and collas [people from the lowlands and highlands, respectively], that when they put forth ideas they should think about whether what they say could cause division and ethnic confrontations, which are hard to control and in which rationality does not exist. The causes can be traced to the media and the politicians who repeat these ideas. I think we should look at the things that unite us, not the things that make us different. I think that is the way.

-- Gary Rojas, Communications student from Santa Cruz, who resides in Cochabamba

This gathering of quotes and views was compiled by Democracy Center team members Aldo Orellana, Leny Olivera, and Yi-Ching Hwang.