Bolivia's Resistance Group: Who Are They?

Bolivia has a long history of resistance to colonialism and military rule. From the 1952 Bolivian National Revolution to the 2019 coup, resistance in Bolivia has taken many forms, from workers' strikes to mass protests, road blockades, and hunger strikes.

One notable example is the 1979 Sullkawi blockade, led by the Bartolina Sisa Women's Movement, which played a crucial role in bringing down the military coup government of Colonel Alberto Natusch Busch. This blockade was strategically placed on heavily trafficked highways, with women taking charge of the blockades during the day and men at night. The activists drew inspiration from stories of past rebellions, such as the 1781 rebellion against Spanish rule led by Túpac Katari and his wife, Bartolina Sisa.

Another significant resistance movement in Bolivia was the Katarista movement of the 1970s and 1980s, which consisted of the Aymara communities of La Paz and the Altiplano. This movement sought to pursue an Indigenous political identity through mainstream politics and life, influencing many peasant unions.

In the 1990s and 2000s, there was a resurgence of political mobilisation among Indigenous communities, with President Sánchez de Lozada passing reforms to acknowledge Indigenous rights. However, these reforms fell short, and the government continued to pass destructive environmental and anti-Indigenous regulations. This led to further resistance, including the 2000 Water War in Cochabamba, where residents protested against the privatisation of their water system, and the Gas Wars, where Indigenous peoples united with miners, teachers, and citizens to protest the sale of Bolivia's gas reserves to the United States.

The role of civil resistance in Bolivia's pro-democracy struggle

Civil resistance has played a crucial role in Bolivia's pro-democracy struggle, promoting social, political, and economic change. During the period of military dictatorships in South America, civil resistance through nonviolent methods was used to address human rights violations and demand democracy. Bolivia's civil resistance was successful in bringing down military dictatorships and ushering in elected civilian governance.

In the 1977-1982 pro-democracy struggle, a broad coalition of unions, intellectuals, the Catholic Church, and opposition parties played a pivotal role in toppling a series of military leaders. Despite facing severe repression, shifting alliances, and internal divisions, the movement persisted, grew, and maintained nonviolent discipline. The willingness to avoid armed struggle, Bolivia's rich tradition of mass-based civil resistance, and grassroots democratic relations were critical factors in the movement's success.

One notable example of civil resistance in Bolivia is the role of women's groups, such as the Bartolina Sisa Women's Movement, which has a long history of Indigenous resistance to colonialism. During the 1979 road blockade campaign against the military coup government of Colonel Alberto Natusch Busch, women actively participated in the blockades, taking shifts during the day while men took over at night. The sharing of stories of resistance and historical consciousness played a crucial role in building morale and sustaining the national blockade protests.

Another instance of civil resistance was the 1952 Bolivian National Revolution, which liberated Bolivians and granted citizenship to Indigenous peoples, but fell short in providing political representation to Indigenous communities. In the 1960s and 1970s, social movements such as the Kataraista movement emerged, aiming to include Indigenous concerns and pursue an Indigenous political identity through mainstream politics. While the Katarista movement failed to create a national political party, it influenced many peasant unions and laid the groundwork for future struggles.

The 1990s and 2000s witnessed a resurgence of political and social mobilization among Indigenous communities. President Sánchez de Lozada passed reforms acknowledging Indigenous rights, but these were often undermined by destructive environmental and anti-indigenous policies. The privatization of natural resources, eradication of coca leaf production, and water privatization sparked widespread protests and road blockades, with Indigenous peoples uniting with miners, teachers, and citizens to demand social and economic reforms.

The Bartolina Sisa Women's Movement

The movement is formally known as the Federación Nacional de Mujeres Campesinas de Bolivia "Bartolina Sisa" (the National Federation of Women Rural Workers of Bolivia "Bartolina Sisa"). The women in this group, who call themselves "Bartolinas," have been active in various ways. They have called for broader women's participation in politics and union activity, protested abuses and injustices against campesina women, and demanded better education, healthcare, and basic services for rural communities.

The roots of the Bartolina Sisa Women's Movement can be traced back to the 1781 rebellion against Spanish rule, led by Túpac Katari and Bartolina Sisa. This rebellion aimed to establish Indigenous self-rule, with Sisa promising that the rebels would be the "ultimate owners of this place and its wealth." Sisa's legacy has empowered and inspired generations of Indigenous women in Bolivia to fight for their rights and resist oppression.

One notable example of the Bartolina Sisa Women's Movement in action was during the November 1979 road blockade campaign. This campaign demanded an end to the military coup government of Colonel Alberto Natusch Busch. Women played a crucial role in this blockade, taking charge of the blockades during the day while men took over at night. This allowed some residents to care for children and prepare food, while others maintained their ground on the highway. The participation of women, as recalled by Lucila Mejía in her book, was critical to the success of this protest.

The 1952 Bolivian National Revolution

The origins of the revolution can be traced back to the Great Depression and Bolivia's defeat in the Chaco War. The Great Depression weakened the mining industry, while the Chaco War resulted in a profound questioning of the political and social model in force at the time. This led to the emergence of writers, thinkers, and political leaders who sought ideological solutions to the resource problems.

In May 1949, a severe conflict broke out in the Siglo XX mines, owned by Simón Iturri Patiño, in the department of Potosí. President Mamerto Urriolagoitía ordered the arrest of some leaders, and in response, the miners took two foreign employees hostage and killed them. This triggered a government reaction, resulting in the tragic Siglo XX Massacre. On August 27, the Civil War of 1949 broke out, with the MNR leading an uprising in four cities across Bolivia. A revolutionary government emerged in the east of the country, but the army, led by General Ovidio Quiroga, eventually reconquered Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.

In May 1951, Victor Paz Estenssoro of the MNR won the presidential election, gaining significant support from labor workers due to his anti-imperialist and anti-government sentiment. However, a Government Military Junta was immediately formed to prevent the MNR from coming to power. On April 9, 1952, a coup d'état took place with civilian support from Hernán Siles Suazo and the mining leader Juan Lechin Oquendo, both from the MNR. The police force played a crucial role in the revolt, taking control of strategic institutions such as prefectures and radio stations. The MNR had deep support, and armed worker militias fought the army effectively. The Bolivian army, consisting of young conscripts with no strong allegiance to the government, was either defeated or defected to the side of the revolutionaries.

The revolution was led by Juan Lechín, the leader of the federation of tin miners' unions, and Hernán Siles, the vice-presidential candidate of the MNR in 1951. Instead of assuming power themselves, they summoned Victor Paz Estenssoro, the winner of the 1951 presidential election, back from exile in Argentina. The revolution resulted in the implementation of universal suffrage, granting voting rights to the illiterate, indigenous peoples, and women, significantly increasing the number of voters. Additionally, the Bolivian Workers' Center was founded on April 17, 1952, with the aim of integrating unions of miners, factory workers, railway workers, and other employees.

The Katarista movement

The Kataristas sought to establish an Indigenous political party at the national level, but they were ultimately unsuccessful in this endeavour. Despite their failure to create a formal political party, the Kataristas had a significant influence on various peasant unions, such as the Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia (Unified Syndical Confederation of Peasant Workers of Bolivia).

The Gas Wars

One of the leaders of the protests during the Gas Wars was Evo Morales, a vocal opponent of state efforts to eradicate coca leaf production. Morales would go on to become Bolivia's first Indigenous president and attempted to establish a plurinational and postcolonial state to expand the collective rights of the Indigenous community.

Frequently asked questions