Q&A: “Bolivia Marked the Start of a Major Indigenous Awakening”

[Peace Patriot]

1. Batchelet solved the sea access problem. Piñera unsolved it.

Perhaps Batchelet will solve it again.

Bolivia has not had diplomatic ties with Chile since 1978. But during Chilean President Michelle Bachelet’s first term (2006-2010), relations warmed with Morales – in office since 2006 – although they cooled again under the government of Chile’s right-wing former president Sebastián Piñera (2010-2014). --from the OP

Batchelet--one of the best problem-solvers among the new Leftist leadership of South America--settled the dispute with Bolivia, and granted Bolivia access to the Pacific, during her first term as president of Chile. This was a problem that had lingered for over a hundred years, with Bolivia landlocked with no sea access. Batchelet--though she had an 80% approval rating--then got termed out, but could run for president again later (and, of course, did). Meanwhile, billionaire Sebastián Piñera conned Chileans into a stint of Reaganism and Reagan-like trouble-making, and, among other things, on the very day of his inauguration, revoked Batchelet's order granting Bolivia access to the sea.

That's why Bolivia sued Chile in the International Court. I was struck by this at the time: The Left solving problems; the Right un-solving them. Batchelet's action on Bolivia occurred in the context of the violent white racist coup attempt in Bolivia in 2008, which was backed by the U.S. (Bush Junta) and funded and run out of the U.S. embassy in Bolivia. South America pulled together at this critical moment to support Evo Morales, who had been elected democratically by a hefty margin, the first Indigenous president of Bolivia. Batchelet called the first emergency meeting of Unasur (which had just been formalized a few months before) to bring unanimous backing to Morales. And several countries--including Brazil and Argentina, and Chile--offered material assistance to his government. Brazil and Argentina made it clear to the white separatists that they would not trade with them (natural gas was the main issue--the white separatists wanted to split Bolivia in two, and take control of the region with big gas reserves). And Chile, among other things, arranged Bolivia's sea access (so they could export the gas via the sea).

Problem solved. Democracy upheld. Rightwing coup stopped. U.S. interference defeated. South American unity enhanced.

Then Piñera comes in and starts undoing it all, causing Bolivia no end of headaches, at a time when Bolivia and all of South America needed to concentrate on development and poverty reduction, requiring cooperation, trade diplomacy and unity.

Note: How did Piñera get elected in Chile? That's an interesting question. Part of the answer is that the socialist party in Chile wasn't leftist enough, according to knowledgeable DUers and other analysts. The poor (including students) sat out that election. Though termed-out Batchelet was very popular, her successor was not and her party was not. Now, after student protests in Chile, which Batchelet sympathized with, the left is resurgent in Chile. At least one of the student protest leaders was elected to the legislature. And all sorts of reforms, for poverty-reduction, are in the works. Chile is back on track, as to common cause with other South American countries, on poverty-reduction, and will more than likely be back on track as to problem-solving issues like Bolivia's sea access. But Chile, like the U.S., has a troubling and trouble-making 1% of rightwingers/fascists who manage--with their billions and their media monopolies--to hoodwink the vast poor majority, as they did here, with Reagan and the Bushes. (Here, they now have 'TRADE SECRET' vote 'counting' to aid their greed, their fascist policies and their wars--but, as far as I can tell, ES&S/Diebold election rigging systems haven't caught on in Latin America.)