Bolivian President Evo Morales insists that the dialogue be shortend from 30 to 7 days.

President Evo Morales

On the fourth day of the national dialogue convened with support of the international community to bring peace to Bolivia, there was the first setback. The government declared that the dialogue had until October 1 to reach an agreement because President Morales said that he intended to sign the agreement before he goes to the UN. He further indicated that he would then push for the congress to approve a referendum on the draft constitution. The Conalde (a association of the departmental governors) rejected this and responded that 30 days was the agreed upon length of the dialogue.

 

While maintaining a medieval siega of Santa Cruz, Bolivian President Morales calls for “dialogue”

Government backed groups reinforce the blockades while others head to Cochabamba. International observers will arrive soon.

Pro-Morales groups of farmers and miners from the western department of Oruro arrived in Cichabamba in more that 20 trucks in order to push the Decomcratic National Council of governors (Conalde) to accept an agreement with the government in a meeting which begins today at 7 am. The aim of the meeting is to reslove a crisis which has left two dozen dead.

The agreement signed by the government before the start of the dialogue requires that social groups demobilize before the dialogue begins. Yet MAS has increased the blockades of Santa Cruz and President Morales has signed up more social organization to defend his constitution.

 

Bolivian President Morales arrests his first policial prisoners

11 political prisioners were transferred to La Paz

Leopoldo Fernández

Eleven people from Cobija arrived Monday to the capitol while under confinment for violating the government imposed curfew in Pando. The government says that they will also be investigated for possible participation in the “massacre” of MAS supporters which occured between Thursday and Saturday in the towns of Porvenir, Filadelfia, Puerto Rico, and Puente Cachuelitas. As many as 15 were killed and 37  injured with the government stating that the death toll could rise in a conflict between MAS pro-government supporters who marched from outside the department, and local pro-autonomy supporters.

 

Clash between Bolivian government and miners results in two deaths and 32 wounded

A confrontation between miners which work at the state-owned Huanuni mining operation and police took place Tuesday in the town of Cahiuasi. The police attempted to gain control of a road between La Paz and Oruro and resulting shooting claimed two lives and wounded 32 miners. The information office of the local hospital indicated that the two dead were identified as Miguel Antonio Alegre age 32 and Hernan Montero age 24. All including the wounded were shot according to the information office in their most recent report.

 

Employers in Bolivia worry that state control of the pension system will allow the government to spend the money.

Confederation of the Private Entrepreneurs of Bolivia (CEPB)

Some say the new pension plan puts the fox in charge of the hen house.

On Thursday, the Confederation of Private Entrepreneurs of Bolivia (CEPB) called the reforms to the Pension Law that the Morales administration has been discussing a case of putting the fox in change of the hen house. “Any model can be improved, but in order to achieve long term success, the reforms must be made on a basis of consensus with everyone involved,” said Exeutive Secretary of the CEPB Andres Torrez.

 

Bolivian Constitutional Tribunal says Electorial Court must suspend the referendum pending a quorum

Silvia Salame Farjat

When asked constutional analysts say that the National Electoral Court (CNE) must suspend the August 10th recall referendum, but not because of the decree issued on Tuesday by Silvia Salame – the single judge left on the Constitutional Court (TC). The CNE will have to suspend the recall because serious questions remain about its legality. The Morales administration disagrees with the ruling and threatens legal action.

The position taken by Chairman of the National Association of Magistrates of Bolivia  Jose Armando Urioste is that Salame complied with legally established procedure when she accepted a challenge to the constitutionality of the bill authorizing the referendum. Article 63 of the Constitutional Court Act says that any new law must be suspended until the TC is able to issue a ruling on a pending case.

 

Bolivia: Investigation into terrorist attack reveals government support of blockades and bombing

Nava's log book

Lieutenant Georges Nava, the prime suspect in the bombing of the Channel 4 TV station in , Tarija had logistical support which allowed him to “organize blockades, provide material support to blockaders in the form of slingshots, road tacks, dynamite, and firecrackers” in Yacuiba, according to Senator Roberto Ruiz, the photographs taken at the scene show that Nava was carrying more than one military firearm, explosives of varying density and size, fuses, wires, firecrackers, road tacks, detonators, and bullets. Also, according to Bolivian newspaper La Razón, in the recovered the log book one of the planned activities reads: “Meeting with the president of MAS.”

 

Bolivian Administration says information on future civil war found on captured terrorist

According to La Paz newpaper La Razon, the files stored on a flash memory card that allegidly was found on Lieutenant Georges Nava Zurita contain information on subversive activities that have occured in Bolivian until June and also future plans for later this year.

A flash memory card was discovered on Lieutenant Georges Nava Zurita during his arrest following the bombing of the TV station in Yacuiba. The information on the card, according to the information provided by the government, is of an alleged civil war and contains references to “special groups”: of the National Police connected with the US Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA).

 

Bolivian political party connects Presidential Spokesman with the terrorist case in Yacuiba

National Unity (UN) Party Deputy Arturo Murillo linked presidential spokesperson Juan Ramon Quintana and Customs General Cesar Lopez with the Counterterrorism Force (formerly called F-10) which saw action in Huanuni, Sucre and other parts of Bolivia were violence occured.

“Cesar Lopez, Head of Customs, is the god father of Quintana, Second in command of F-10 in Chachapuma. They (Lopez and Quintana) became linked when Juan Ramon worked at the Ministry of Defense from 2002 to 2003 and the General Lopez was a Chief-of-Staff, “said Murillo.

 

Special Bolivian Senate Commission investigates terrorist bombing

A special commission of the Upper House of the Bolivian congress that was tasked with investigating the June 21 dynamite bombing of a TV station in Yacuiba, announced that Peter George Nava Zurita had contact with two MAS party senators, and he made calls to other “VIPs” after being arrested. This according to the logs of his cell phone and his notebook. A quote from his notebook reads: “in case of emergency call Santos Ramirez and Ricardo Diaz,” said Senator Roberto Ruiz (Podemos.