Director of Center for Global Development links Bolivian uprising to IMF rage
p | 16.10.2003 22:14
"We have to see what is happening in Bolivia as part of a larger set of problems in the Andean region and in overall Latin America," says Nancy Birdsall, director of the Washington-based Center for Global Development.
"It is the outcome of 10 years or more of reforms backed by the Washington institutions, backed by the United States, which is a major player in Latin America, without the kind of result on growth that would have reduced poverty and deliver something good," she said, before highlighting the manifestations in Honduras and the protests in Ecuador against the IMF.
In Bolivia, it is the IMF that is amongst those (besides the US itself) that is strongly promoting the gas line between Bolivia and the United States, that seeks to shore up foreign reserves and growth.
"Washington never seems to learn from its failures or mistakes. It still has, in terms of agendas for reforms, one cookie-cutter agenda, which is not appropriate for Latin America." said Riordan Roett, director of the Western Hemisphere Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Can the power of the uprising in Bolivia awaken the rest of the continent, stimulating a massive simulateous revolt against the neo-liberalism and western greed?
The protests of Praha S26 in 2000 seem more relevant than ever. How can we in the west show our support in the near future? In the US there is the Free Trade of the Americas summit, perhaps in the UK, the targeting of Bush can at some point draw notice to the solidarity and brotherhood so many in the UK feel with the oppressed of Latin America?
In Bolivia, it is the IMF that is amongst those (besides the US itself) that is strongly promoting the gas line between Bolivia and the United States, that seeks to shore up foreign reserves and growth.
"Washington never seems to learn from its failures or mistakes. It still has, in terms of agendas for reforms, one cookie-cutter agenda, which is not appropriate for Latin America." said Riordan Roett, director of the Western Hemisphere Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Can the power of the uprising in Bolivia awaken the rest of the continent, stimulating a massive simulateous revolt against the neo-liberalism and western greed?
The protests of Praha S26 in 2000 seem more relevant than ever. How can we in the west show our support in the near future? In the US there is the Free Trade of the Americas summit, perhaps in the UK, the targeting of Bush can at some point draw notice to the solidarity and brotherhood so many in the UK feel with the oppressed of Latin America?
p