The Comment Factory

After months of violence and political turmoil, this coming January the people of Bolivia will vote to decide whether or not to accept the new constitution, as put forward by a constituent assembly. If ratified the new constitution will enshrine political and social equality in a country that has for centuries discriminated against the indigenous majority.

Silvia Lazarte, the president of the Constituent Assembly came to the House of Commons in London to present the new constitution. Here is her stirring speech:

“Women in Bolivia are born to be marginalized and discriminated against, this is the long history we have had up until now. I was born into a poor, peasant family in the Chapare region of Bolivia [coca growing region in Bolivia]. I worked on the coca plantations to earn money for my family [The coca-leaf has long held cultural significance among indigenous movements in Bolivia, where it is used for ceremonial purposes and to quell hunger and fatigue]. Without the prospect of an education I joined the trade union movement to defend the right of the indigenous communities to grow coca. I became the leader of our trade union movement and was persecuted for this [by U.S. groups in Bolivia as part of "War on Drugs"], I was tortured, beaten and incarcerated.

When the government of Evo Morales came to power I was approached to join the constituent assembly in their task of rewriting the constitution. Many people criticized them for asking me: “she has no education how can she work on constitutional changes,” they said, “she is a woman and a peasant, what does she know”. But I did have an education, one that I had gained through my experiences in the trade union movement and through the violence that I suffered. Before I took up this post no woman had been involved in constitutional changes in Bolivia’s history.

The new constitution is not about revenge for injustices suffered by the indigenous peoples of Bolivia, it is about justice for everyone, not just those who have money.

Enshrined into the new constitution will be the nationalization of hydrocarbons and natural resources, such as water and gas. These resources are a human right for all those who live in Bolivia. They cannot be put under private control, they belong to the citizens of Bolivia and they should have the right to them. It is up to the constitution to protect these rights from private interests. These are basic rights of all Bolivians.

We spent hours and hours, days and days and nights and nights, thinking over and debating to create this beautiful constitution, which recognizes the people and culture of all Bolivians.

We have received a lot of criticism from the right who have said that Evo Morales wants to eliminate the right to private property. They say that if the new constitution is put into effect, it will mean that if they have two cars, the government will take away one, if they have two plots of land, the government will away take one, if they have two houses, the government will take away one. This is a lie! We have put forward a law to limit large property holdings, but we do respect the right to private property. We also respect the right to a private education and the right to religious freedom and diversity.

In August the President asked the public to vote in a vote of no confidence, he was willing to stand down if the people were no longer behind him. He won the vote by 67%.

On the 25th of January the referendum on the constitution will be held, this will then be followed by presidential elections.

We are now working hard to make sure the people of Bolivia understand the new constitution and what it will mean for them.

The president doesn’t want problems, he wants to be able to continue the process of change and equality in peace. The civic and social organizations of Bolivia support us. He wants to safeguard the interests of all Bolivians, not just a few.”

Useful note

Numerous changes have been made to Bolivia’s constitution following the return to democracy in 1982. This is the first time that constitutional changes are being put to public vote. The last time constitutional changes were made, under the presidency of Gonzalo Sanchez de Losada, they were carried out in private.