Bolivia

Overview

Bolivia, located in Central South America, is a land filled with culture. One of few countries in the world where the indigenous population still outnumbers the ruling population, cultural equality is certainly an issue always in focus. The most recent population survey estimated the indigenous population at 55 percent, with another 15 percent being European, and 30 percent mixed or mestizo. The largest indigenous group is the Quechua, representing 29 percent of the population, or 2.5 million people. The next largest is the Aymara, representing 24 percent of the population, or 2 million people. The Chiquitano and Guarani peoples each represent about 1 percent of the population (Bureau 2007). More than 500 indigenous communities have been counted in Bolivia, although aside from the ones listed above, none represent more than 0.5 percent of the total population (Bertelsmann 2007). The official languages for Bolivia are Spanish, Quechua, Aymara, and Guarani.

Government and Political History

Bolivia has a very tumultuous political history, ripe with poor leadership and conflict. 1952 marked a large movement when the Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (MNR) led a revolution after it was denied victory in the 1951 elections. The MNR introduced many political and social reforms that aimed to stabilize the country. They introduced universal adult suffrage, land reforms, promoted rural education, and nationalized the country's largest tin mines.

The MNR ruled for 12 years before a military junta overthrew President Paz Estenssoro. In 1969 the President of the ruling party died, and without leadership the government faltered and the country was plagued by weak leadership until 1971. Upset with the political disorder, the MNR, military, and others installed Col. Hugo Banzer Suarez as President in 1971. The economy prospered under his rule, but he replaced civilians with members of the armed forces for certain governmental positions, and his support faltered with human rights violations and eventual fiscal crises.

He was forced to call elections in 1978, and the country again entered a period of political turmoil, with elections in 1978, 1979, and 1980 all marked by fraud.

In 1980, General Luis Garcia Meza carried out a violent coup, and his government took over. They were notorious for human rights violations, narcotics trafficking, and poor economic management. He was eventually forced out of power by a military rebellion, and he was later convicted for many crimes, including murder.

The political scene was relatively calm after 1985, with democracy coming back into focus. Trouble started again in early 2003 however, with tension between the military and police because of the recent economic recession and tight fiscal situation, and ended in an event that left more than 30 people dead and nearly toppled the current government under Sanchez de Lozada. The government stayed in power, but was very unpopular.

Protests erupted again in late 2003 when people found out about supposed plans to export liquefied natural gas through Chile, when anti-Chilean sentiment was still very strong due to the war in the early 1900s and commodity export tensions with Chile after. Civil pressure and large demonstrations eventually forced Sanchez de Lozada to resign in Oct 2003. Vice President Carlos Mesa Gisbert took office and promised to revise the constitution and hydrocarbon laws, and hold a referendum on the country's natural gas deposits..

The current administration is run under Juan Evo Morales Ayma, who was elected by 54% of the voters. Morales is of indigenous descent, and ran under the platform of nationalizing hydrocarbons, alleviating poverty and discrimination towards indigenous peoples. To the US and many anti-drug agencies, Morales is a drug-funded leftist Bolivian who's turned the support of coca growers into a political movement that threatens the country's wobbly democracy. To millions of Bolivians, he's a hero who grows in stature with every kick from Washington.

Economy

Silver (and, later, tin) mining and agriculture in the highlands have historically been the twin pillars of the economy. The nation traditionally has produced and exported raw materials and imported manufactured and processed goods. In 1994, agriculture accounted for 16 percent of the gross domestic product, mining and hydrocarbons almost 10 percent, and manufacturing and industry over 13 percent. Bolivia is self-sufficient in oil and natural gas and exports significant quantities of both. Tourism has emerged as an important economic force. The currency for Bolivia is Boliviano.

With the political turmoil of the past 50-plus years, it is easy to notice that for the most part the indigenous populations of Bolivia have been all but ignored. More than two-thirds of the country lives in poverty, correlating closely with the indigenous population of around 55 percent. The per capita GDP is low at $1030, with nearly 20% of the population living at under $1 as of 1995.

Health and Disease

Bolivia has one of the highest infant mortality rates in South AmericaÐ'--between sixty-eight and seventy-five per one thousand live births. Major causes of infant and child mortality include respiratory infections, diarrhea, and malnutrition; almost 30 percent of infants under age three suffer from chronic malnutrition (Frost 2004:1). Most people, particularly in the rural areas and low-income neighborhoods surrounding the large cities, lack access to basic biomedical care. Most sick people are cared for by family members and other kin. Many only partially understand and accept Western biomedical ideology and health care. Health beliefs and practices often include aspects of Western medicine and typically Andean elements.

Traditional medical practices, often revolving around rituals and ritual practitioners (diagnostic specialists, curers, herbalists, and diviners) are widespread. Divination, rituals, and ritual sacrifices are important in treating illness, as is the use of coca leaves, alcoholic beverages, and guinea pigs. Traditional medicine attaches importance to the social and supernatural etiology of illness and death, which often are attributed to strained social relations, witchcraft, or the influence of malevolent spirits. Dozens of illness categories, many psychosomatic, are recognized. Many curing rituals emphasize balanced, reciprocal relations with deities, who are "fed" and offered drink to dissipate illnesses (Green 2004:401-425).

The life expectancy is slowly rising at about 1 percent per year, as of 2005 it was nearly 65 years. Fertility rate is slowly