Bolivia. On the brink

Description

Bolivia, one of the most troubled countries in the region, is fractured by language, race and class. The poorest country in South America, its society is divided into the rich and the very poor. Now, there is a new fault line --globalization. In a recent referendum, voters decided to allow more exports of the country s lucrative natural gas reserves, which will earn the country much needed foreign revenue. The exporting of natural gas is an explosive issue in Bolivia, where public anger at proposals to ship the gas out of Chilean ports toppled the government in October, 2003. Native Indians reinforced the anti-globalization movement when they organized against the privatization of water by the multi-national corporation Bechtel. As Professor Roberto Fernandez, Cochabamba University, points out: "It was theft. Bechtel was stealing from people what they had invested in their small neighborhoods. The water war ... opened a broad path for the popular movement."

Runtime

21 min

Creator

Halton, David

Geography

Genre

Date of Publication

2004

Database

Alexander Street

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