Abstract

BOLIVIA'S BATTLE OF WILLS

Discusses political and social movements in Bolivia. Idea that many indigenous peasant organizations want nationalization of Bolivia's natural gas reserves; View that there is a trend toward center-left governments in South America; Speculation on the role of Evo Morales and his party, Movement Toward Socialism, in future elections; The author's impressions of Morales during a flight to La Paz; Background on Morales, a former union leader and coca farmer, or cocalero; Description of the Chaparé region and the political upheaval during the 1990s; Violence associated with the drug trade and cocaleros, according to Kathryn Ledebur of the Andean Information Network, a non-governmental organization that monitors human rights; Outlook for the former guerrilla Felipe Quispe, head of the peasant union called the CSUTCB.