Rejection of the coup in Bolivia

The Cuban centers that are members of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) reject the coup that is advancing against the legitimately constituted government in Bolivia, and condemn the violence, the violation of rights and of the institutional framework.

The destabilizing actions called for by the opposition after the general elections of October 20, without waiting for the conclusions of the international audit that the government proposed as a sign of its willingness to leave no doubt about the election results, have manipulated emotions, stirred up colonialist sentiment and racial hatred that has generated violence against popular sectors and government authorities, in order to proclaim their own power.

Recent events, in which the opposition has rejected President Evo Morales' call for dialogue, demanded his resignation, refused to accept a new round of elections with the participation of representatives of the current government, and escalated the wave of violence unleashed against its authorities and supporters, demonstrate that the true purpose is not the defense of democracy but the destruction of the popular process.

The democratic and inclusive participation that the Plurinational State has fostered for the vast majority of the population previously excluded and discriminated against, the economic growth that, with sovereign policies and redistribution of wealth, has allowed it to be the country with the highest poverty reduction rate, as well as the increase in human development indicators for the majority of the poor, has affected the interests of internal reactionary forces with the support of transnational capital and has dragged a part of the Bolivian people into violent confrontation.

We call upon progressive forces, both domestic and international, and the academic community to express their solidarity with the humble sectors of the Bolivian people and to demand respect for the rights and safety of the supporters, activists, and authorities of the MAS.

Cuban centers that are members of CLACSO
Havana, November 10, 2019