– “Why are you so quiet about the paper factory the government’s building in the middle of the rain forest, in Chapare?” I asked an environmental activist who has been making noise about water pollution, forest preservation, garbage treatment and every single environmental issue inBolivia.
– “Don´t worry” he replied,” That plant will never work. It is a state company, remember?”
Although his comment was ironic, he certainly had a point. (more…)
Poco antes de que el gobierno ordenara atacar la marcha indígena en la zona de Yucumo, donde había sido cercada por colonizadores y por la policía, varias organizaciones ambientalistas del mundo dirigieron una carta al Presidente Morales sobre el TIPNIS. Este es el texto completo de la carta. (more…)
Renato Prada por Alfonso Gumucio Dagrón, 1982
En homenaje al escritor Renato Prada Oropeza (1937-2011), fallecido recientemente en México donde residió la mayor parte de su vida, comparto con ustedes un cuento publicado en enero de 1978. Era el número 8 de Cuadernos de Vientos Nuevos y fue ilustrado por Carlos Rimassa. Para bajar el cuento en PDF, presione en el enlace de abajo: ElEncuentroRPradaO.pdf
The public sector enjoys the most important economic boom in decades due to the coincidence in high commodity prices and long term investments arranged in the past. That explains the unusual level of international reserves and even more the huge growth in fiscal revenues and expenditures.
The Bolivian government is wealthier than ever and it is understandable that its creditworthiness be upgraded. Some financial institutions have been taking advantage of this opportunity and offered loans at high interest rates and soft requirements on feasibility and legal procedures. At the same time, the Bolivian institutional framework weakened due to constitutional and legal reforms and social conflicts keep eroding governance, which also means a reduced managerial capability in the public sector. There is certainly a lot of money flowing into the country, but poor management does not guarantee its proper assignment. Most State-owned industrial projects are not working, large amounts of public money have been used to displace foreign capital without expanding the productive capacity (oil refineries, telecommunications), and partners selected on political grounds, like Jindal and PDVSA, have not made progress developing the iron or the oil industries, crucial for the government´s economic program.
The economy emerging from this boom does not differ from the historical: it is dependant and vulnerable, highly concentrated and unsustainable. The good ratings are based on natural resources, but current policies seem unable to transform them into productive capital to sustain economic growth and reduce poverty and inequality. Some indicators are improving, but they seem part of the monetary illusion, rather than outcomes of a new development process. A country of poor people can pay its debts, at least for a time.
Published in the Latin American Advisor, Inter American Dialogue
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