Bolivian Coca Growers Repudiate March
| La Habana - Cuba - Prensa Latina, 04-Jul-2010-- A forum of the six Federation of Coca Growers in the Tropic of Cochabamba, led by Bolivian President Evo Morales, rejected on Sunday an indigenous march demanding full autonomies. | 
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34 of Bolivia's 36 Ethnic Groups March Against Indigenous President
Santa Cruz - Bolivia - Bolivia Bella, 05-Jul-2010-- 34 of Bolivia's 36 indigenous ethnic groups are now participating in a 1500-kilometer march against the Bolivian government and Evo Morales, the country's first indigenous president. Ten days ago, about 150 members of indigenous communities that make up the CIDOB (Confederación de Pueblos Indígenas de Bolivia - Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia), in the country's northeastern department of Beni, began a long march from Trinidad to the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and plan to continue on from there through Cochabamba and ultimately to La Paz where their goal is to meet with President Evo Morales himself.
Small scale Bolvian farmers take up community reforestation
| Ecologist, 05-Jul-2010-- Arbolivia is a community-based forestry project working with a small group of farmers to stop land conversion and slash and burn' agricultural practices that have helped see the destruction of Bolivia's forests rise at an alarming rate. | 
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Evo Morales Asks For Respect for Constitution
La Habana - Cuba - Prensa Latina, 04-Jul-2010-- Bolivian President Evo Morales on Monday asked indigenous citizens to respect the Constitution in their demands, referring to a national march led by this sector.
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Bolivia Breaks Gas Production Record
| La Habana - Cuba - Prensa Latina, 03-Jul-2010-- Bolivia raised its record of natural gas production to 43.7 million cubic meters a day, Hydrocarbon Minister Fernando Vincenti said. | 
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1st International Educational Congress for Religion, Ethics & Morality
Cochabamba (Agenzia Fides), July 5, 2010 -- "The National Council of Teachers of Religion, Ethics, and Morality, is an institution that is emerging thanks to a 5-year experience of history and life, however it is not yet well structured." "This marks a critical and worrying moment for the education sector," continues Father Colque. "Teachers, through this first Congress, have expressed the need to discuss why this area of education must change its name. According to the government, it will no longer be called Religion, Ethics, and Morality, but "Spirituality and Religions." According to Father Colque, "it is important to be able to work and discuss the identity and rights of teachers, in order to show an integral formation in the area of education, especially in an environment like ours, where society is eroding and dividing with violence, drugs, and alcohol."
Advancing Freedom and Democracy Reports
Washington - EEUU - Knight Center for Journalism, 02-Jul-2010--The U.S. Government's human rights and democracy objectives include fostering democratic stability and transparency and countering international crime and drug activity. The United States prioritizes engaging the Bolivian government to affirm the importance of judicial independence; freedom of the press; a healthy civil society; adherence to internationally recognized labor standards; respect for due process and international legal and human rights principles; effective governance and balance between the branches of government; free and fair elections; protection of women's and indigenous persons' rights; continued integration of human rights doctrine in the security forces; and the fight against corruption. … To achieve these objectives, U.S. officials consult and collaborate with members of the diplomatic corps, the UN, government institutions, NGOs, indigenous movements, labor unions, and other organizations, working with them to encourage reforms and discuss problems related to human rights and democracy.
Computational journalism: using code to uncover corruption
Texas - EEUU - Knight Center for Journalism, 02-Jul-2010-- What is "computational journalism?" Researchers at Duke University describe it here as "interactions among journalists, software developers, computer scientists and other scholars." Their use of algorithms, data, and knowledge from social sciences could help preserve the watchdog function of journalism.
Bolivia's new electoral law criticized for restricting freedom of expression
Texas - EEUU - Knight Center for Journalism, 02-Jul-2010: President Evo Morales enacted an electoral law that is drawing criticism from the opposition and the press for being a gag for the media during election times, reported La Razón.
Bolivian Autonomy Law under Debate
La Habana - Cuba - Prensa Latina, 02-July-2010: The Bolivian congressional joint commission on territorial organization of the state and autonomy is continuing discussions on Friday on a framework law for autonomy and decentralization. The talks began yesterday at the Andres Ibanez Hall of the Legislative Assembly, attended by deputies and senators.
WORLD NEWS, July 1, 2010
This section provides readers interested in news and trends related to democracy, development, governance, leadership, ideology, geopolitics, narcotraffic, security, technology and other news from around the world that in one way or another are of interest and may directly or indirectly affect geopolitics and democracy in Bolivia and South America within the broader context of world affairs.
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Iran Arms Syria With Radar
Wall Street Journal, July-01-2010: Iran has sent Syria a sophisticated radar system that could threaten Israel's ability to launch a surprise attack against Iran's nuclear facilities, say Israeli and U.S. officials, extending an alliance aimed at undermining Israel's military dominance in the region.It could also benefit Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon and widely believed to receive arms from Syria.
Kirchners Climb in Argentine Polls
Wall Street Journal, July-01-2010: President Cristina Kirchner and her husband and predecessor, Nestor, are enjoying a political resurgence ahead of next year's presidential election, after more than two years in which Argentines had grown increasingly disenchanted with them. The Peronist power couple is benefiting from a brisk economic recovery, a surge of nationalism triggered by a bicentennial celebration and the country's strong early showing in the World Cup, as well as missteps by the deeply divided opposition.
Google Says Web Searches Are Partly Blocked in China
Wall Street Journal, July-01-2010: Google Inc. said that its Web search service in mainland China was partially block-ed Wednesday, less than two days after the company announced changes aimed at keeping its Internet operating license in the country. The standoff between Google and China appears to be reaching a pivotal moment three months after the company said it would reroute search traffic to Hong Kong, a move that enabled the Internet search giant to evade mainland China's censorship laws. The Chinese government told Google that the rerouting was "unacceptable," according to a company blog post on Monday. Google said it was told its Internet license wouldn't be renewed if it continued the practice.
Spanish Downturn Sparks Immigrant Exodus
The Wall Street Journal, 01-July-2010: Spain's sky-high unemployment and a backlash against foreign workers that was sparked by the downturn have put the brakes on what experts consider one of developed world's biggest immigration booms in modern times. Overall, immigrant arrivals have dwindled to a trickle, and there has been an outflow of workers from some major feeder countries like Ecuador. In Ecuador, remittances from workers in Spain have fallen by 20%... Ecuadoran president Rafael Correa said tougher European immigration policies represented a "monstrous inconsistency" and "historic ingratitude," pointing out that Latin America opened its doors to Spanish refugees after the rise of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco in the 1930s. matthew.moffett@wsj.com & jonathan.house@dowjones.com
Bolivian Organizations Hold Vigil for Autonomous Law
Prensa Latina, July 7, 2010 -- The Bolivian organizations comprising the National Coordinator for Change (CONALCAM) are holding a vigil on Wednesday until the Framework Law on Autonomy and Decentralization is passed and promoted, confirmed their leaders. The Federation of Municipal Associations of Bolivia (FAM), led by La Paz Mayor Luis Revilla, announced there would be a meeting with the members of the Joint Committee of the Legislative Assembly to present adjustments and clarify some points of the law.
Bolivian Organizations Hold Vigil for Autonomous Law
Prensa Latina, July 7, 2010 -- The Bolivian organizations comprising the National Coordinator for Change (CONALCAM) are holding a vigil on Wednesday until the Framework Law on Autonomy and Decentralization is passed and promoted, confirmed their leaders. The Federation of Municipal Associations of Bolivia (FAM), led by La Paz Mayor Luis Revilla, announced there would be a meeting with the members of the Joint Committee of the Legislative Assembly to present adjustments and clarify some points of the law.
Ukraine seizes record $60 million in cocaine
The Associated Press, July 6, 2010 -- Ukrainian customs officials say they've seized $60 million (euro 47.5 million) worth of cocaine in the Black Sea Port of Odessa, in the country's biggest cocaine bust ever. A statement late Monday said 580 kilograms were hidden in a cargo of scrap metal on a boat from Bolivia. The drugs were stashed between thick pipes to escape X-ray detection, the statement said.
Top News
Indigenous people give the Government 24 hours to expel USAID from Bolivia
Cochabamba-Opinión, 02-Jul-2010--The Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia (CIDOB) has given President Evo Morales a 24-hour deadline to expel the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from Bolivia. USAID was identified by President Morales recently as the primary agency responsible for financing the indigenous movement that allegedly seeks to destabilize his government, according to a digital newspaper from La Paz.
The government sets up a fence to stop indigenous peoples’ march
La Paz-La Razón, 02-Jul-2010-- From diverse flanks, social sectors allied with the Government announced Thursday measures to stop the indigenous march demanding full autonomy and led by the Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia (CIDOB). The dialogue between the Government and the indigenous leaders that are marching towards La Paz has failed. Asterio Romero, general secretary to the Governor of Cochabamba and leader of the coca growers of Chapare, reiterated that the indigenous march will not pass through the Chapare which is controlled by the six federations of coca growers. "We have clearly indicated that this march should not go through the Six Federations of the Tropic of Cochabamba”.
Cochabamba-Opnión, 02-Jul-2010-- The southern region of the Chaco has been suffering a severe drought over the past three months. The drought affects 41,800 families and has generated losses of more than 175 million bolivianos, equivalent to $US 25 million, sources from the agricultural sector and the Government told EFE.
Bolivian Governments’ maritime diplomacy back to square one
La Paz-El Diario, 02-Jul-2010-- The bilateral efforts advanced by President Evo Morales with Chile in pursuit of sovereign access to the Pacific Ocean, through the strategy of “people diplomacy, " is perceived to be “back to square one" after affirmations by President Sebastian Piñera of Chile the “La Moneda (the Chilean White House) is not available" to discuss transfer of sovereignty.
Bolivian Organizations Hold Vigil for Autonomous Law
Prensa Latina, July 7, 2010 -- The Bolivian organizations comprising the National Coordinator for Change (CONALCAM) are holding a vigil on Wednesday until the Framework Law on Autonomy and Decentralization is passed and promoted, confirmed their leaders. The Federation of Municipal Associations of Bolivia (FAM), led by La Paz Mayor Luis Revilla, announced there would be a meeting with the members of the Joint Committee of the Legislative Assembly to present adjustments and clarify some points of the law.
Ukraine seizes record $60 million in cocaine
The Associated Press, July 6, 2010 -- Ukrainian customs officials say they've seized $60 million (euro 47.5 million) worth of cocaine in the Black Sea Port of Odessa, in the country's biggest cocaine bust ever. A statement late Monday said 580 kilograms were hidden in a cargo of scrap metal on a boat from Bolivia. The drugs were stashed between thick pipes to escape X-ray detection, the statement said.
