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Image of Cochabamba in Bolivia

Background

What issues were at stake? What was the overall campaign? How were protesters mobilized?

During the first presidency of Evo Morales, there was a divide in Bolivia between the social movements supporting Evo and the urban, middle- and upper-class civic committees. After the rise of political leader Morales, and especially during the Bolivian Constituent Assembly of 2006–2007, Bolivia saw increased level and frequency of violence.[this is flatly untrue, see graphs in our project] there was an increase in partisan political conflict in the streets. The main issue at stake is the definition of autonomy. While the civic side endorses regional autonomy of distributing wealth, Evo Morales and MAS party advocate for the benefit of indigenous population. Morales wishes to increase the influence of the indigenous population, which is his main base for winning the presidency.

Account of the events surrounding the death

Cochabamba's Prefect Manfred Reyes Villa called for autonomy for this department, aligning with the opposition prefects in Beni, Pando, Santa Cruz, and Tarija. This led urban and rural social movements to call for Reyes Villa to resign. Evo Morales was seen as the leader for the cocalero, which is opposed by the urban residents, who see rural population as violent and barbaric. Urban residents see Urresti, a young men died in the conflict as a symbol for defending the city from the farmers. Monuments were erected in the churches of the city Cochabamba. MAS supporter and campesinos were mobilized. As both Reyes Villa and Evo Morales restrained from compromise, marches and blockades begins. In total, 200 people were injured and 3 were killed.

List of dead, who they were, and how they died.

Christian Urresti, 17 Huanuni male. Protestor of civil movement. Killed by grassroot left by beating.

Juan Ticacolque Machaca, 48 male. Belongs to grassroot left, kill by gunshot of the civil movement

Luciano Colque, 41 Cochabamba male. Belongs to grassroot left, kill by beating of the civil movement.

Follow-up/Aftermath

Investigations and Accountability Processes

Bibliography

1. Alvarez, Sonia E., Jeffrey W. Rubin, Millie Thayer, Gianpaolo Baiocchi, Laó-Montes Agustín, and Arturo Escobar. Beyond Civil Society: Activism, Participation, and Protest in Latin America. Duke University Press, 2017.

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