In October 2015, Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales, announced an unprecedented expansion of financial support by and economic engagement with China. The announcement was the culmination of a growing relationship between China and Bolivia which has begun to bear fruit.
Whatever you may think of Evo Morales and his time in power, Bolivian voters’ narrow rejection of a constitutional amendment to allow him to run again is a good thing for the country’s politics and even Morales’ legacy.
After 11 years in power and the prospect of another four, what will come after Evo Morales and how his MAS will adapt to changing electoral patterns remains democracy’s biggest question in Bolivia.
Personal contacts and questionable contracts between the government and the Chinese company CAMC Engineering reveal both the problems with public procurement in Bolivia and how far Chinese companies have advanced in the country.
Latin Pulse returns from holiday hiatus this week, with a program about culture and politics. The program previews the film Olvidados, about Operation Condor, that will soon make its cable debut on HBO Latino. The film tells the story of Operation Condor from a Bolivian perspective. And the program catches up with the results of the Argentine presidential elections and analyzes how a shift to a conservative government means historic changes for that country.
