Bolivia, the end of a cycle?

Bolivia, the end of a cycle? Reflections on the political crisis, the pandemic, and what comes next.

Bolivia has gone through its most severe crisis in recent decades. After the failed 2019 election, the country was engulfed in a dramatic series of events: accusations of fraud led to large demonstrations, several civilian clashes and the direct intervention of military and police forces led to dozens of deaths and serious concerns about human rights violations. The fall of the Movement towards Socialism (MAS) government historically supported by peasants, farmers and working-class organizations, unexpectedly interrupted the last political cycle in the country. Then to add fuel to the raging fire, the dramatic political crisis was followed by a pandemic that exacerbated existing tensions and lead to consecutive postponements of the elections. The elections in October represent the next phase in this protracted critical conjuncture.

In this series of keynote presentations Bolivian social and working movement leaders, academics, and political analysts will interrogate the main features of this highly complex crisis, along with its social, economic and political roots.

Presentations will be in Spanish with English interpretation made available, and the event will be streamed on YouTube as well as via Zoom.

You can access the session via this link when the event commences: https://carleton-ca.zoom.us/j/93127215999

THE SERIES:

SEPTEMBER 30, 19:00 – 20:00EDT – The political crisis, 2019-2020

- Fernanda Wanderley (Universidad Católica Boliviana)

- Vladimir Diaz Cuellar (Carleton University)

OCTOBER 7, 19:00 – 20:00EDT – Social organizations and the MAS government

- Eduarda Mamani (National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu, CONAMAQ organic)

- Marxa Chávez (sociologist)

OCTOBER 14, 19:00 – 20:00EDT – Social organizations & the political crisis

- Basilio Ticona Calle (Quechua Peasants’ Federation of Potosí - FSUTCOQP)

- Hugo Torrez (Workers Federation of La Paz - COD)

OCTOBER 21, 19:00 – 20:00EDT – Analysis of the electoral results

- Jorge Richter (Political analyst)

- Vladimir Torrez (Political scientist)

DECEMBER 2, 18:00 – 20:00EDT – A new political cycle?

- Maria Galindo (Anarcho-feminist member of Mujeres Creando and Radio Deseo La Paz)

- Luis Claros (Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, CIDES-UMSA)

- Carlos Macusaya (Grupo Jichha)

ENDORSED BY: Americas Policy Group Canada (APG-GOPA) | Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network | Bolivian Studies Journal | Canadian Association for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CALACS) | Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC) | Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University | Department of Political Science, Carleton University | Institute of Political Economy, Carleton University | Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Carleton University | New Brunswick Media Co-op| Postgrado en Ciencias del Desarrollo, CIDES-UMSA | Radio Deseo - La Paz