Afro-descendants support the restoration of democracy in Bolivia
El CLACSO Working Group “Civilizational crisis, reconfigurations of racism, Afro-Latin American social movements” adheres to the declaration issued by the Regional Articulation of Afro-descendants of the Americas and the Caribbean -ARAAC- supporting the restoration of democracy in Bolivia.
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The 14 years of President Evo Morales's government in our sister nation of Bolivia represented a recovery of identity, inclusion, and the empowerment of its people. The Plurinational State of Bolivia, with its anti-colonial name, paved the way for economic achievements, social programs, and the reintegration of marginalized sectors. These advances in our sister nation created resentment among the oligarchic sectors that, in the recent past, governed with authoritarianism and repression, where corruption reigned as a means of blackmail and perpetuating a system that catered to economic elites subservient to large financial corporations. Exploitation, racial discrimination, and gender-based violence are expressions of injustice against a people that, under Evo Morales's leadership, sought to eradicate them. The transformation of that nation was cut short by the coup d'état of November 2019.
The pack of conspirators—comprised of military officers, fanatical religious figures, and unpatriotic politicians—ultimately ousted the legitimately elected President of Bolivia with the complicity of the OAS and its unspeakable Secretary General. The illegitimate, brazen, and racist dictator Jeanine Añez sought to intimidate political and popular leaders through the prosecution of President Evo Morales, persecution and imprisonment, and repression and violence against the people. They carried out her orders: the northern empire needs to expropriate Bolivia's vast natural reserves and seize political control of the government to guarantee the definitive destabilization of the region. No multilateral body or human rights organization has spoken out against this period of the worst human rights violations in Bolivia's history.
October 18, 2020, presents an opportunity for the Bolivian people to reclaim democracy. The elections for president and vice president offer a strong possibility that the popular proposal, led by candidate Luis Arce, will triumph in the first round. However, the far right is announcing protests and violence based on alleged fraud, and sectors of the military are attempting to deny the legitimate victory of the people's candidate. This is a mockery of the country and the world.
The Regional Articulation of Afro-descendants of the Americas and the Caribbean -ARAAC- denounces before the world and our peoples that the US government, the Lima Group and the usurious oligarchy of Bolivia intend to disregard the victory of the people, create a climate of civil war, imprison their leaders, and repress popular organizations and movements.
Afro-Bolivians as a people will receive our solidarity and support in defending their democracy and ensuring the continued inclusion and improved living standards that the current dictator has suppressed. Afro-descendant peoples of the world and the region know that the victory of the Bolivian people is our class victory against the colonizer disguised as a politician. The Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, peasants, women, and youth of Bolivia will triumph.
We support the restoration of democracy in Bolivia!
Bolivia, we are with you!!
ARAAC Executive Secretariat
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18th October 2020
CLACSO Working Group
Civilizational crisis, reconfigurations of racism,
Afro-Latin American social movements
This statement expresses the position of the Working Group Civilizational crisis, reconfigurations of racism, Afro-Latin American social movements and not necessarily that of the centers and institutions that make up the CLACSO international network, its Steering Committee or its Executive Secretariat.
