Bolivia’s government said supporters of former President Evo Morales took more than 200 soldiers hostage on Friday, after storming three military barracks in the central Chapare province. Bolivia’s Foreign Ministry in a statement identified those involved in the hostage taking as members of “irregular groups” and accused them of also stealing weapons and ammunition.
Morales and his supporters rejected reports of a violent hostage situation, with the leader’s Kausachun Coca radio station airing footage that showed protesting union members and soldiers negotiating, reports the Associated Press.
The negotiations aimed at guaranteeing the military wouldn’t violently repress protests in this coca-cultivating area where the armed forces are the last remaining state presence, reports El País.
On Friday Morales called on followers to temporarily cease road blockades — which have affected transit and crucial supplies for three weeks. Morales said he would start a hunger strike until the government, led by his former protégé Luis Arce, creates negotiation tables. (Reuters)
The moves come in the midst of an incandescent political fight between the former allies, ahead of next year’s presidential elections.
The latest escalation comes as Morales faces an investigation into accusations that he fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl in 2016, prosecutors have classified their relationship as statutory rape, reports the Associated Press.
Morales’ supporters say it is judicial persecution aimed at thwarting an electoral comeback for the former president, reports El País. The accusations were made days after Morales led a protest march into La Paz. (Deutsche Welle)
Tension among protesters has grown in recent days after Morales survived an apparent assassination attempt when the car on the morning of October 27, notes Pirate Wire Services. (See last Monday’s post.)
Last week Arce demanded an "immediate" end to the roadblocks and said the government would "exercise its constitutional powers to safeguard the interests of the Bolivian people" — a warning many interpreted as a threat to deploy the military against protesters, whose road blockades have caused widespread food and fuel shortages, reports AFP.
Last week, 30 police officers were injured and more than 50 protesters were arrested after a standoff between security forces attempting to clear the roadblocks.
“Bolivia is living through the beginning of what will likely be a severe and long-term economic crisis, and the blockades have exacerbated existing problems. Prices of basic goods and fuel have risen dramatically. Gasoline and diesel are so scarce that drivers wait in line sometimes for days, and the country’s foreign exchange reserves are practically dry,” reports Pirate Wire Services.
Cenital delves into the history of the prolonged political battle between Arce and Morales to head next year’s MAS presidential ticket.
COP16
COP16 delegates agreed “to establish a subsidiary body that will include Indigenous peoples in future decisions on nature conservation, a development that builds on a growing movement to recognize the role of the descendants of some regions’ original inhabitants in protecting land and combating climate change,” reports the Associated Press. “The delegates also agreed to oblige major corporations to share the financial benefits of research when using natural genetic resources.”
Brazil
“Federal police in Brazil have formally charged the alleged mastermind of the murders of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira in the Amazon,” reports the Guardian. Brazilian press reports identify him as Ruben Dario da Silva Villar, an alleged illegal fishing and poaching boss from the border region where Phillips and Pereira were ambushed and shot.
Mexico
Mexico is hurtling towards a constitutional crisis over judicial reform — a Supreme Court resolution could offer a compromise, but it’s unclear that the ruling Morena party is interested in a deal, reports the New York Times. (See last Thursday’s post.)
It’s a Solomonic proposal that would keep parts of the judicial reform, like making the Supreme Court elected by popular vote, while striking down others, like electing district judges, writes Vanessa Romero Rocha in El País.
Regional
Venezuelan transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua has expanded rapidly across Latin America in recent years. It has become a severe public safety issue in Peru, Chile and Colombia, with reports of its presence in Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and Costa Rica. However, experts caution “its reach and influence may be overstated, especially in the United States,” reports the Guardian.
A U.S. Trump presidency could affect abortion access around the world, thanks to the “global gag rule” - Washington Post
Migration
AtlasIntel and Bloomberg surveyed Argentines, Brazilians, Chileans, Colombians, and Mexicans on a wide range of topics, including immigration. Among their findings, a majority of Chileans (96%), Colombians (68%), and Argentines (65%) believe their respective countries’ immigration policies should be more restrictive, while Mexicans are evenly split between a more restrictive and more open approach. By contrast, 55% of Brazilians favor maintaining the policy status quo. - Via Americas Migration Brief
The story of one Venezuelan family that made the treacherous journey to the U.S. border. - Washington Post
The Wall Street Journal highlights the human and economic impacts of the Dominican Republic’s mass deportation campaign, which has made Haitian migrants in the country more vulnerable, sending many into hiding - Via Americas Migration Brief.
Culture Corner
“Peruvian food has pulled off the culinary hat trick of becoming both popular and prestigious around the world.” - New York Times
Photographer Dougie Wallace captures the Indigenous Arhuaco, who are deeply involved in protecting the Colombia’s biodiversity – and who have produced the region’s first Indigenous film-maker — Guardian