Take action against U.S. policies in Bolivia
By: Sarah Van Etten
Issue date: 10/24/08 Section: Opinion
When I arrived in Bolivia nearly two months ago for my semester abroad, I had little idea just how much the politics of its president, Evo Morales, and my own government would affect my visit. Within weeks of my arrival, Morales expelled U.S. Ambassador Phillip Goldberg, the American Department of State issued travel warnings, Peace Corps personnel evacuated, and U.S. officials did not recertify Bolivia in their evaluation of "compliance with anti-drug objectives."
As Bolivian-US relations worsened, I began an internship with a local non-profit organization that relies on aid from American non-governmental organizations.
The Asociación de Artesanos Andinos (AAA) is owned and operated by its members, a group of indigenous weavers from 230 families in the Cochabamba region in the east. These artisans live in their traditional villages where they dye and weave wool from sheep and alpacas by hand, using techniques that date back thousands of years. The finished products are sold at their own store in Cochabamba.
With the creation of this organization six years ago, weaving in these villages went from a hobby of cultural preservation to a means of monetary income that supplements a generally subsistence based existence, improving the weavers' quality of life and reducing economically-motivated migration of youth from the area. Families are staying together, culture is being preserved, and people are living more comfortably: a true example of a grassroots development project that is working for its own people.
Unfortunately, projects like this can only exist with help from foreign institutions; the U.S. government has had immeasurable impact on Bolivian policy changes in recent decades through stipulations written into aid agreements and requirements attached to World Bank and IMF loans. Additionally, the Bolivian export economy relies heavily on American investors and consumers. Through the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA), Andeans from Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia have all been able to export their products to the United States tax-free. While this market is minimal by U.S. standards, but these benefits have enormous impacts on Andean businesses.
As Bolivian-US relations worsened, I began an internship with a local non-profit organization that relies on aid from American non-governmental organizations.
The Asociación de Artesanos Andinos (AAA) is owned and operated by its members, a group of indigenous weavers from 230 families in the Cochabamba region in the east. These artisans live in their traditional villages where they dye and weave wool from sheep and alpacas by hand, using techniques that date back thousands of years. The finished products are sold at their own store in Cochabamba.
With the creation of this organization six years ago, weaving in these villages went from a hobby of cultural preservation to a means of monetary income that supplements a generally subsistence based existence, improving the weavers' quality of life and reducing economically-motivated migration of youth from the area. Families are staying together, culture is being preserved, and people are living more comfortably: a true example of a grassroots development project that is working for its own people.
Unfortunately, projects like this can only exist with help from foreign institutions; the U.S. government has had immeasurable impact on Bolivian policy changes in recent decades through stipulations written into aid agreements and requirements attached to World Bank and IMF loans. Additionally, the Bolivian export economy relies heavily on American investors and consumers. Through the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA), Andeans from Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia have all been able to export their products to the United States tax-free. While this market is minimal by U.S. standards, but these benefits have enormous impacts on Andean businesses.
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
Ted Smith
posted 10/24/08 @ 8:10 PM CST
Ms Van Etten has a very naive view of the world. She plays the doe-eyed undergrad believing the leftist agenda of the "democracy center" in Cochabamba. (Continued…)
Joe C
posted 10/25/08 @ 6:00 AM CST
I agree with Ted. Evo has blamed everything on the US and has insulted us in everyway. He was elected by those people and is a dictator. He wants to make Bolivia a communist state(redistribute the wealth who does that sound like?). (Continued…)
Oz
posted 10/25/08 @ 9:54 AM CST
Not naive at all. The US person writing the article, Sarah represents the good people of the US. As a bolivian I can only thank her and other of her fellow patriots. (Continued…)
Camba14
posted 10/25/08 @ 1:11 PM CST
Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA)
This trade deal has specific provisions for the DEA part of the title that require cooperation and good faith efforts on the part of the Andean countries to reduce cocaine production and export. (Continued…)
Sickuv It All
posted 10/25/08 @ 3:18 PM CST
Dear Ms. Etta feels that kicking out a US Ambassador is a small thing,grossly over reacted to. It is not a small matter to kick our country in the shins politically. (Continued…)
Sideliner
posted 10/25/08 @ 4:45 PM CST
DEA was kicked out, USAID was kicked out, Evo increased the amount of coca that could legally be produced. Since Evo was elected, the certification of Bolivia has been teetering on the fence. (Continued…)
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