Although this article in the progressive weekly The Nation acknowledges that “Morales’s tenure was far from perfect” and that it “allowed transnational extractive projects on indigenous lands, including a dam project in the Beni lowlands and the revival of a highway to be constructed along the Bolivian Amazon,” it claims that “Bolivia’s far right has exploited the power vacuum and stoked anti-indigenous sentiment.” It further states that: “The potential return of a conservative government after Morales’s 14-year rule has brought with it a resurgence of a virulent strain of anti-indigenous hatred with deep roots in Bolivia, reminiscent of the country’s “gas wars,” in which discontent over the government’s exploitation of Bolivia’s natural gas grew into large-scale protests led in part by Morales.”
Ruth Alipaz is quoted in the article: “This is a very dangerous scenario,” said Ruth Alipaz, an environmental activist from the northeastern lowlands of Bolivia. “The climate on Sunday was one in which anything could happen.” However, in separate correspondence, Ruth Alipaz expressed concern that her quote was taken out of context and that the article omitted key facts and did not tell the whole story. See her CNN interview to learn more.