Recent Politics of Bolivia

AKA why you should visit soon

Who’s Bolivia?

Hot, humid, sea level jungles:

- fish for piranhas- swim with

dolphins- animals / nature

galore

Dry, cold, high altitude salt flats:

- endless whiteness during winter, reflection during summer

- buildings made entirely of salt

...AND SO MUCH MORE!

- blood red lakes + flamingos

- 4000m downhill mountain biking

- natural geysers + hot springs

- silver mines where you can blow up dynamite

Bolivia = Happiness!?

Bolivia SHOULD be boomin’:- largest lithium deposit in the world (and hella

other minerals too)- 4th largest natural gas reserve in the world- smack dab in middle = aerospace hub- petroleum for days- prime quinoa territory

Bolivia = Sadness :(

- Bottom third poorest country in South America

- ~60% of population live in poverty

- 7 major protests (with wikipedia articles!!) and countless others since 2000

Root Cause Analysis

Most recent presidents:- Gonzalo Sánchez de

Lozada- Carlos Mesa- Eduardo Rodriguez- Evo Morales

⊡Grew up in the States, studied at University of Chicago

⊡Returned to Bolivia to produce films on revolution

⊡Spoke Spanish with a heavy accent (at times needed a translator)

⊡… then became president

Gonzalo Sanchez

⊡Encouraged citizens to invest in USD and said would improve relations with US

⊡Implemented shock therapy (a Harvard economic theory) - massive privatization and trade liberalization - to tackle hyperinflation

⊡Exported more natural gas to increase country’s revenue

Sanchez - the Good

⊡USD significantly dropped. People lost their life savings. US visas became even harder to get for Bolivians because cocaine

⊡Foreign companies took ownership of the newly privatized companies. No $$ for Bolivians

⊡People weren’t even getting enough natural gas in their own homes

Sanchez - the Bad

⊡Unhappy Bolivians = PROTESTS⊡Protests began about everything from

police wanting more pay to farmers wanting coca to be protected

⊡Citizens marched to President’s door demanding his resignation

⊡… he took a secret exit and ran off (allegedly with millions of $$) to the US

Sanchez - the Herp

Evo Morales

⊡Indigenous, low education, coca farmer

⊡Main concern is well being of citizens - lower poverty, illiteracy, racism

⊡Led many protests (including march to Gonzalo Sanchez)

⊡… then became president

Morales - the Good⊡Gave students money for going to school /

doing well in school -> dropped illiteracy⊡Built cable cars, better roads, soccer fields -

> happiness!⊡Renamed country to Plurinational State of

Bolivia -> unifies everyone, less racism!⊡Law of Mother Earth - banned GMOs⊡Nationalized previously privatized industries,

increased government cut of natural gas profits -> decreased poverty and increased GDP

Morales - the Bad

⊡Tried to increase population by taxing women who weren’t pregnant by 18 and by attempting to ban condoms

⊡Launched a satellite to improve communication speeds… accidentally a TV satellite

⊡Pushed for petroleum drilling, natural gas exploration, and highway building through national parks

Morales - the Derp

⊡Supposed to have two terms… did three since technically nation different after renaming!

⊡Popularity significantly declining per election. Previous election supposedly over 25,000 deceased people voted / loud dissenters went missing

⊡Many locals speculating Morales will turn nation into dictatorship to stay in power

BUT SALT FLATS THO

SO WORTH CHECKING OUT!!11

BETTER DO IT BEFORE THE COUNTRY GETS PWNED