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.