wait a minute

oook - so I don't know if any of you are up on world news ...or more accurately South American news... but just in case you are... you will know that Bolivia has recently made it into World News - which is funny cause with all the problems that I hear about daily, it's interesting to see what actually puts this place in the news. My rundown of things would look pretty biased, and probably embarrasingly ignorant, so I will direct your attention to more credible sources; though I still suggest swallowing this information with a generous helping of salt.... These issues are so polarizing, and bias can be so obvious on both sides, that you're better off reading everything and then guessing that the truth lies somewhere in the middle of what you read.

To lay the groundwork, on Sunday the department of Santa Cruz had a vote for autonomy - which is not actual secesion, but has more incommon with the rights of states and provinces in the US and Canada. However, it is also - on Santa Cruz's part - an attempt to block Evo Morales's efforts to redistribute land (which here is valuable, vast, and in very few hands) and to nationalize the country's gas. And in my personal opinion, if it's not actual driven by racism, it's certainly presented that way. This is a coin with many sides. Personal opinion: the idea is good, the execution and tone of the whole movement sucks. But on the other side, the opposition to Santa Cruz's bid for autonomy (a.k.a. the Morales government) has not exactly been 100% out there honest and kosher about its actions. It seems to me that no one is really in the right here. Morales' government says that the vote for autonomy is illegal and unconstitutional, but Santa Cruz claims that the constitution is invalid because of the manner in which the Constitutional Assembly was handled last year.... which is also a fault that can be found on both sides. The root of all of this opposition? Gonna go ahead and say it's has little to do with autonomy or land distribution... but that's a personal opinion.

For you viewing pleasure:

I suggest the Democracy Center Blog (http://www.democracyctr.org/blog) - a view from the more Western, Altiplano, side of things, based in Cochabamba - they have some really good continuing coverage on this stuff. Scroll down and read the stuff from earlier last week. It's really the best source I've found for news here.

I would also suggest reading the World News stuff that can be found on sites like Yahoo and MSN or CNN. Most of the news concerning this on an international level is best in Spanish, but that being as it is, I suggest these sources. Still thinking the Democracy Center is everyone's best bet. It will even give some insight into culture and the background that it gives to these events. It does, however, tend to bias a little to the West, though does not leave Morales free from fault, which is a tendency of the Bolivian news that I've read on an international level.

The results of this vote and the divisions and separatism that are creating tension here right now will be seen play out over the next few months, as the federal government and the department of Santa Cruz seem to have come to a bit of a standoff right now, waiting to see what the other will do. It could get interesting. Positive thoughts for a united Bolivia anyone?