Bolivians in the Olympics

Bolivia has never won an Olympic medal ever since it was recognized by the IOC in 1936. The chances appear slim once again as the Bolivian delegation sets off for Athens on Thursday. As most countries send hundreds of athletes, Bolivia is sending only two.

Katherine Moreño, a swimmer, will be competing in the 100m breaststroke.

Rudolf Knijnenburg will be competing in a shooting event. He was the only one of the two athletes to say that he may have a good chance to win a medal.

World competition is nothing like the competition in Bolivia, where resources and training facilities are much inferior to more developed nations. Perhaps the biggest competition these two athletes will face during the Olympics game will be which one gets to hold the flag during the Opening Ceremonies.

Update: The reports of only two Bolivians in the Olympics games have been greatly exaggerated. Turns out that Bolivia will be sending at least seven in total, including in the events of Judo, 400 meter runner and a gymnast. So maybe our odds a little bit better now.

The Story of the Tournament

Brasilian forward Adriano capped a desperation blitz in stoppage time to tie the game sending the Final of the Copa America to penalty kicks.  This golazo in the 93rd minute against Argentina was a pattern of heartbreaking endings for numerous participants in this year's edition of the Copa America Peru.

Leading 2-1 in the waning seconds of the final of the Continent's oldest tournament, Argentina seemed to have the game in hand.  Ultimately they would lose in penalty kicks to their arch rival Brasil.

In a way, I'm glad that Bolivia wasn't the only one to experience heartbreak in the final minutes/seconds.  Against Peru, Bolivia let a 2-0 lead slip and Colombia scored on a header in the 89th minute.  Even a last minute stunner happened when Bolivia was watching from their hotel rooms.  Costa Rica scored in the 93rd minute breaking the 1-1 tie that would have sent Bolivia through to the next round.

So I hold no pity for Argentina, even watching their star players crying their eyes out.  At least Bolivia did not finish last, finishing ahead of Ecuador, Chile and Venezuela.

Relative Prices

Today I tried yet another Bolivian restaurant in the Metro DC area. There are still plenty of others on my list to try. However, I usually have stuck with the familiars where I know I cannot go wrong. The one thing that I still cannot get used to is the relatively high prices one must pay for to get Bolivian food. Obviously this is the case because of the higher cost of living in the United States. Yet it still kills me to think that I can be paying 1/8 of the price of this food, often higher quality, back in Bolivia.

For example:

Salten~as: Bolivia $0.40 / United States $2.50
Silpancho: Bolivia $1.50 / United States $9.00
Sopa de Mani: Bolivia $0.50 / United States $ 5.00

So considering those prices here in the States, taking chances on new restaurants can sometimes be costly. Today's silpancho was regular, certainly not worth the 3 mile drive and nine bucks from my pocket. It looks like I will go back to my usual place for the forseeable future.

Headlines The Day After

Los Tiempos (Cochabamba)

"Gana el sí; Mesa satisfecho"

La Razon (La Paz)

"Bolivia decide que Mesa recupere y exporte el gas"

El Deber (Santa Cruz)

"Ganó la democracia y se exportará el gas"

El Diario (La Paz)

"Referéndum sobre el gas obtiene respuesta favorable"

Opinion (Cochabamba)

"Bolivia vota por recuperar todos sus hidrocarburos"

Voting Tables - CLOSED

Four o'clock marked the close of voting for the Referendum held on July 18, 2004. There have been reports that some tables were closed even though, law stipulates that as long as there are people in line, the table is to remain open. Some international observers have attempted to reopen the books, but were not authorized to make these recommendations.

According to the Knight-Ridder Tribune news service, the measures have passed. The headline states "Bolivian voters appear to support gas industry nationalization", which shows that there seems to be a question of interpretation regarding the five questions. Many social sector groups decided to write "Nacionalizacion" on the ballot as a sign or protest.

News from El Alto

This article from the Chilean daily "El Mercurio" reports that there have been attempts to disrupt the Referendum in parts of El Alto. Roberto de la Cruz, leader of the COR, was greeted with whistles and shouts to "Get out!".

Also from "El Mercurio", members of the delegation from the Organziation of American States were attacked with rocks when attempting to complete the task of observation. At least one person has been arrested for their role in interrupting the process.

Streaming Audio Live From Bolivia

Radio Wayna Tambo FM 101.7

http://radio.uk1.indymedia.org:9000/bolivia.mp3 or
http://backup.killradio.org:8008 or
http://kehuelga.org:8000/radio.mp3


(Place in Winamp or other media player)

They have been getting direct reports from voting centers. Right now they are conversing with Sacha Llorenti from the Asamblea Permanente de Derechos Humanos.

AP Photos July 18

Courtsey of the Associated Press


Two member of the OAS are forced to leave from El Alto



Carlos Mesa shows the ink on his finger proof of his vote today.

First Results

According to Bolivia.com, the first "mesa" has been closed. Albeit only twenty or so persons corresponded to that voting center, all five questions received a majority of "Yes" votes.

Table # 2343 in Sucre received 100% participation.

Question #1 15 Yes 2 No
Question #2 20 Yes 0 No
Question #3 20 Yes 0 No
Question #4 15 Yes 0 No
Question #5 14 Yes 3 No

Sure it's early, but any news is good news that the voting is continuing peacefully.

Up to the Minute Coverage

So far, the only latest coverage of the Referendum can be found at the indymedia Bolivia site. So far there are firsthand reports (unsigned) from Achacachi and the first reports of an attempt to burn ballot boxes in Senkata (near El Alto). Needless to say, the Indymedia site is very biased and the fact, that no one is claiming ownership of these reports, forces one to take them with a grain of salt.

Another source that I have used has been streaming audio from Radio Panamericana. However, currently there are too many connections and I cannot access the stream.

Tomorrow

Let Sunday be a day free of violence. 
 
Let those who want to vote, be able to cast their ballots under no pressure.
 
Let those who want to vote "No", vote "No"
 
Let those who want to vote "Yes", vote "Yes"
 
Is that too much to ask for?
 
 

Don't Blame Ortube

Referees are not especially well-liked in Bolivia.  When the three officials (referee and two linespersons) walk out onto the field before any league match in Bolivia, they are immediately greeted with whistles (the Latin American equivalent of booing).  After yesterday's game that Bolivian referee Marcelo Ortube oversaw, he may be even more disliked than before.
 
However, the bottom line is that the Bolivian team was not physically prepared to withstand the Peruvian comeback, the Colombian late-minute header, nor able to finish off the struggling Venezuelans.  Bolivia had the opportunity to put itself in a position to not have to rely on the whistle of a referee in a game that they weren't even playing.  Only tallying two points in three games was not Ortube's fault.

Carter Center To Observe Referendum

Members from the Carter Center, as well as 22 member delegation from the Organization of American States and a special delegate from Argentina will be arriving in Bolivia to act as "observers" during the weekend's events.

In Other Notes:

The rumors of a possible coup continue to spread throughout the media. Many seem to want to place the blame on the radical social sectors, who have openly threatened with violence and blockades. However, many point to ex-members of the military. The Armed Forces have denied that these forces are collaborating with anyone who is currently serving. The Armed Forces conducted a drill around the Plaza Murillo in the event that Mesa would need to call on the military to restore and maintain order.

Defensor Defends Referendum

Waldo Albarracin, the current Defensor del Pueblo, has publicly come out in support of the July 18 Referendum. He joins Caritas, Amnesty International, Asamblea Permanente de Derechos Humanos, and other lesser known organizations that have come out in support of the Referendum process.

"To demonize the Referendum and to threaten to burn ballot boxes and other acts in order to prevent (the Referendum) from taking place is an attempt against democracy and also against the rights of the Bolivian people," said Albarracin.

The list of organizations have not declared an official position regarding the five questions, but said that the results should be respected and carried out. However, if the five questions pass with a "Yes" vote, there still is a long road ahead to determine what those votes actually mean.

It's a very good thing that the Defensor del Pueblo has voiced his support for this exercise. However, he should have spoke out stronger against the boycotts, strikes, roadblocks and threats of violence that are certain to accompany this coming weekend.

You're F-ing Kidding Me

Needing a 0-0 or 1-1 tie in the game between Chile and Costa Rica, Bolivia had their rematch against Colombia set. In the final minute, with 3 minutes additional time Chile and Costa Rica were deadlocked at 1. In the 93rd minute, an awkward rebound off a Chilean defender, gave the ball at the feet of a Tico. He striked and scored the winning goal.

Ironically, the referee was Marcelo Ortube, Bolivia's most well known referee. He could have stopped the game at 47:51 but decided to let them play on.

When I saw the goal hit the back of the net, I got up and said the title of this post, but without the dash.

Maybe it was for the better, I couldn't stand anymore disappointment from the Bolivian side in this tournament.

Keep Hope Alive

If Bolivia does not win tonight's game against Venezuela, I promise I won't post another thing about the National Team for several months, maybe longer, maybe forever.

However, I learned last night that mathematically the team still has the osibility to qualify for the next round. Among the three groups, the top two from each move on. There are also two wild card teams, which are the 2 next best third-place teams. So technically, a win against Venezuela would leave Bolivia with four points while several other teams have zero.

So, there's still a possibility that this Copa America won't be a major disappointment.

Back to Cecilia's tonight!

Another Loss in the Final Minutes

My VCR was waiting for me upon my arrival. The game was over for two days but I decided to withstand finding out the score. Everything seemed to be leading towards a 0-0 tie, but suddenly in the last fifteen minutes my stomach started to become nervous. I need to learn that it is just a futbol match, and not a matter of life or death. My premonition was correct, a late Colombian goal would erase that crucial single point.

A cousin in Bolivia told me once that it is difficult for him to watch important futbol matches because his anxiety rises. Now I understand why. Even though Bolivia faces much more important issues than securing a tie in a sporting match, to me success for the National Team seems to be one of the few bright spots that the entire country can look forward to.

La Esperanza

There's a buzz in the air after the tie against Copa America hosts Peru.



This Friday's game against Colombia is a rematch where the cafeteros will try to erase the memory of the 0-4 drubbing at the hands of Bolivia last September. I'll be away camping in Maryland the entire weekend away from a TV. Relying only on my recorded copy when I return on Sunday, I'll be watching the game as if it was live, yet with an uneasy feeling that somewhere far away Bolivia is either happy or sad over the outcome.

Lorgioooooooooool

Click here to see one of the greatest goals I have ever seen. This video (after sitting through a 10-second ad) doesn't quite do it justice. Lorgio Alvarez, who definitely was not a star in Bolivia before his remarkable goal, played the ball between the legs of the goalkeeper. At a very difficult angle, he curved tha ball into the net for a goal that literally left me in tears.

That goal could have been the gamewinner, instead it is now one of the most memorable goals in Bolivia futbol history.

The Tie That Feels Like a Loss

Bolivia almost pulled off a monumental upset against Peru in the opening match in the Copa America tournament. The host team is always under pressure to go far in their own tournament. So when Bolivia jumped out to a 2-0 lead, things seemed too good to be true. After a penalty call that brought the game within one goal, Ramiro Blacutt decided to pull the entire team back and try to withstand the onslaught. Finally Peru was able to tie the game and all the hopes of an upset win went out the window.



Pictures and words about the night at Cecilia's will come soon.

This Year's Greece?

Bolivia, like Greece (recent winners of Euro 2004), is not known for their football prowess.

Bolivia, like Greece, has only qualified for 1 World Cup. Both appearances were in 1994 USA.

Bolivia, like Greece, was not expected to make much noise in the Copa America and European Cup, respectively.

Bolivia, like Greece, played their first match against the host country (Bolivia vs. Peru; Greece vs. Portugal).

So, in about two hours I'll be heading down to Cecilia's the oldest Bolivian restaurant in Northern Virginia to watch the opening match and hope Bolivia can follow the lead of their Greek inspiration by beating the host country on a road towards lifting the Cup.

Optimism is not a flaw.

Guaranteeing Voter Rights

With less than two weeks left before the upcoming Referendum on the use of hydrocarbon resources, it has become increasingly clear where each political party, social, and civic groups stands on the five questions. Some have publicly stated that they will vote “yes”, “no”, or even abstain from this exercise. However, there are some radical groups that are threatening to disrupt the Referendum altogether.

Felipe Quispe and the Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia (CSUTCB) have announced that they will blockade roads prohibiting anyone to vote, the intimidation of those working the tables, and the burning of ballot boxes. The Central Obrero Regional and Central Obrero Boliviano have also announced similar measures. The government will treat as criminals anyone who tries to disrupt, intimidate or prevent anyone from voting.

President Carlos Mesa reiterated that it is his responsibility to ensure the safety and ensure the fundamental right of anyone who wants to cast their ballot. The use of the military to maintain order and prevent violence is a definite possibility according to Mesa in his weekly address.

Those who often lump Quispe, the COB and Evo Morales all in the same group of malcontents, may be surprised to find that Morales is backing the President and the Referendum.

International observers, possibly from the Carter Center, may be on hand to monitor the transparency of this Referendum process.

The 18th of June is a historic day for Bolivia because hundreds of thousands of Bolivians, who aren’t part of unions, political parties, or civic groups who have had a monopoly on disrupting or affecting national policies will now have a chance to participate directly in their country's future. It is the responsibility of Mesa to protect this right and this opportunity.

When Old Friends Reunite

When it's most convenient, politicians deny any working relationship with other politicians who do not enjoy high popularity. However, when the spotlight is off, these relationship often return to business as usual.



So when a photograph was released showing ex-presidents Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada and Jaime Paz Zamora hamming it up at a conference in Spain, many started to wonder whether the official break from the coalition was just an act. At the Conference for past presidents of Iberoamerica, many were surprised to see these two together.

In the 2002 election, Paz Zamora's MIR party gave Sanchez de Lozada's MNR just enough votes to assume the presidency. This agreement also helped Paz Zamora AKA "El Gallo" gain his piece of the governmental pie, including several ministries. Paz Zamora has always been an opportunistic politician, never winning enough votes in recent elections to win himself, but he always wins just enough to affect the outcome, thus guaranteeing his hand in the million-dollar government budget.

When it became apparent in October 2003, that the coalition government was close to toppling and that Goni would have no choice other than to leave, Paz Zamora made a clean break. The MIR would officially be out of the coalition. Yet, a recent claim by the mayor of El Alto helps raise the speculation whether that break would be a smokescreen.

Just before Goni's flight to Miami, it was later discovered that the "gastos reservados" had not been accounted for properly. This amount, in the millions of Bolivianos, were later found in the posession of the ex-minister of defense Yerko Kukoc. Now there are allegations that additional funds were missing.

Recently, the mayor of El Alto, Jose Luis Paredes, of Paz Zamora's very own MIR party has made a claim stating that Paz Zamora, his son and MIR chief Oscar Eid were given 4 million of these reserved funds. Paredes has since broke ties with his former party.

Naturally the MIR denies any current ties with Goni and the MNR because of the municipal elections. Any association or perceived association can hurt the MIR's chances in these important elections. Yet, one can only wonder whether Paz Zamora's supposed disgust at the way Goni's administration handled their last days never was sincere because they were still included in the illegal distribution of these public funds.