First-Hand Account of Events in Bolivia: Not What Many Think

The Havana Times published an updated version of a blog entry by an American who has resided in La Paz for 7 years. In the article, Harry Stewart lays out his arguments that the resignation of Evo Morales was more a “heroic revolution to ouster an illegitimate leader” than “an illegal seizure of power.” He explains why the President’s “base, mostly working-class indigenous” started to turn against him: “A 2015 corruption scandal involving his party saw millions of dollars siphoned off from an indigenous fund–the very people he was supposed to represent. A year later, his ex-lover was caught managing a Chinese Corporation in charge of a multi-billion dollar infrastructure contract despite having zero qualifications. Indigenous rights activists continued to criticise his backflip on the TIPNIS highway plan, and environmentalists lamented the destruction of Madidi in favour of a hydroelectric power plant. In a 2016 referendum for a re-election, 52% of the country voted no. At the time, Evo agreed to honour the result.”