Bolivia Nationalised Tin Smelter
Steve la fevre | 17.02.2007 14:13 | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | Sheffield
On Feb 9th 2007 the Bolivian government nationalised a tin smelter plant owned by the Swiss multinational company Glencore AG
The Nationalisation of tin smelter Vinto without compensation located 110 miles southeast of La Paz was completed Feb 9. The owners of the plant a Swiss multinational Glencore AG demanded compensation from the Bolivian government. President Evo morales said his government would not compensate Glencore for the February 9th nationalisation of the plant.
An Aymara indian shamen performed the traditional ceremony on the smelters dirt floors as workers cheered and molten tin poured from the furnaces the ritual was meant to bring good fortune to the plant.
The nationalisation of the plant follows the nationalisation of gas and oil last year and it is unclear whether these nationalistions will be bureacratic statist nationalisations or nationalisations under workers management and control. "We shall see" said one activist when asked about the role of the working class in this move.
An Aymara indian shamen performed the traditional ceremony on the smelters dirt floors as workers cheered and molten tin poured from the furnaces the ritual was meant to bring good fortune to the plant.
The nationalisation of the plant follows the nationalisation of gas and oil last year and it is unclear whether these nationalistions will be bureacratic statist nationalisations or nationalisations under workers management and control. "We shall see" said one activist when asked about the role of the working class in this move.
Steve la fevre
