Bolivia: Gov´t, Indigenous Dialogue on Road Project Stagnates

La Paz, Aug 18 (Prensa Latina) Despite numerous appeals from the government to hold talks, indigenous leaders will begin the fourth day of their march to the capital on Thursday, although some people began to drop out. According to Adolfo Chavez, participants in the march to protest the construction of a road that goes thrugh Isiboro Secure National Park in Beni, insisted on demanding the presence of President Evo Morales as their only valid interlocutor.

Bolivian Govt Insists on Talks with Indigenous Groups

La Paz, Aug 16 (Prensa Latina) The government continued to insist on holding talks with indigenous leaders who partipated on Tuesday in the second day of a march from the Amazonian city of Trinidad to the capital. According to Vice President Alvaro Garcia, the conflict over the construction of a road from Villa Tunari to San Ignacio de Moxos road construction, which goes through the Isiboro Secure National Park and Indigenous Territory (TIPNIS), will be solved in talks along other demands.

UN Highlights Importance of Bolivian Judicial Elections

La Paz, Aug 15 (Prensa Latina) The upcoming judicial elections in Bolivia, to be decided by popular vote, will strengthen the State, stated Denis Racicot, the representative here of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Bolivian Workers, Gov´t Resume Talks on Wage Hike

La Paz, Aug 8 (Prensa Latina) The Bolivian Labor Federation (COB) and Economy Ministry on Monday will resume talks on a wage increase demand, which caused mobilizations in April. The government on Monday will assess the demand of reaching a 12-percent increase to minimum average wages in health and education sectors, said Octavio Urquizo, a COB leader.

Bolivia Boosts Water, Sanitation Programs

La Paz, Aug 7 (Prensa Latina) The Bolivian government on Sunday confirmed the allocation of about 595 million USD until 2015 for at least 100 sewer and water projects.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Environment and Water, the strategy prioritizes rural and urban areas with an emphasis on the Cochabamba region as part of the 2008-2015 National Sanitation Plan.

Evo Morales Highlights Democratic Nature of Bolivian Process

Sucre, Bolivia, (Prensa Latina) Bolivian President Evo Morales stressed Friday that Bolivia is a democratic country, and highlighted the importance of judicial elections in October in which the people will choose the judges.

Bolivia, China Boost Lithium Production

La Paz, Aug 2 (Prensa Latina) The Bolivian government and the Chinese statecompany CITIC Guoan signed a a memorandum of understanding to process lithium from the Uyuni Salt Flats, it was announced.

Bolivia to Host Continental Women’s Summit

La Paz, Jul 28 (Prensa Latina) The 3rd Continental Summit of Indigenous Rural Women and Social Organizations of Abya Yala (Latin America) will be held Nov. 25 in Bolivia, according to the organizing committee.

According to Leonilda Zurita, international relations secretary of the governing Movement Toward Socialism Party, the decision was made at a two-day conference of Bolivian women in Cochabamba.

Evo Morales Greets Chavez Return to Caracas

La Paz, Jul 25 (Prensa Latina) The Bolivian president Evo Morales has greeted the return of his Venezuelan peer Hugo Chavez to Caracas after receiving medical treatment in Cuba to fight cancer.

In statements to the media after attending the women’s meeting in Cochabamba, Morales also decried U.S. officials who voiced happiness over the disease of the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution.

Bolivian Opposition Accused of Obstructing Judicial Elections

La Paz, Jul 24 (Prensa Latina) New Voices from the Bolivian government accused the opposition of obstructing elections of the judiciary, scheduled for October.

According to Deputy Minister of Governmental Coordination, Wilfredo Chavez, opponents of change insist on urging people to spoil their vote, a maneuver destined to fail.

Bolivia: 18th Forum of Ministers of Culture Closes

Santa Cruz, Jul 22 (Prensa Latina) The 18th Forum of Ministers of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean ends today after 48 hours of debate on culture policy strategies.

Role of Culture in Transformations Highlighted in Bolivia

Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Jul 21 (Prensa Latina) Culture is the driving force behind many ongoing processes of change in our countries, said Minister of Cultures of Bolivia Elizabeth Salguero.

ALBA Culture Ministers Meet in Bolivia

Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Jul 20 (Prensa Latina) The fourth meeting of Culture Ministers of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) begins Wednesday, focused on assessing advances and challenges, an official source informed.

The meeting will look at how the ALBA bloc can improve its work in the area of culture, the event’s public relations officer, Silvana Saavedra, told Prensa Latina.

Bolivian Government for Improving Access to Water

La Paz, Jul 14 (Prensa Latina) Bolivian President Evo Morales on Thursday highlighted the importance of developing programs to guarantee access to water, in order to fight drought and other natural disasters caused by the irrational industrialization policies of some powerful countries.

Bolivia Asks for International Aid Due to Snowfalls

Potosi, Bolivia,  (Prensa Latina) Felix Gonzales, governor of Potosi region in this country, confirmed this Sunday a request for international humanitarian aid for thousands of victims, after the declaration of a disaster area because of heavy snowfall.

Chinese Company to Exploit Tin in Bolivia

La Paz, Jul 10 (Prensa Latina) China”s Vicstar Company will invest 50 million dollars in the construction of a plant that will allow tripling the production in Huanuni, the largest tin mine in Bolivia, local press reported Saturday.

Bolivian Legislature Selects Candidates for Judiciary

La Paz, Jul 10 (Prensa Latina) The Plurinational Legislative Assembly (ALP) in Bolivia will meet next Tuesday to begin the process of selecting 125 candidates for the judiciary, according to parliamentary sources.

Bolivia Makes Progresses in Maritime Claim to Chile

La Paz, Jul 4 (Prensa Latina) Legal negotiations with Chile that are part of Bolivia´s demand for a sovereign outlet to the Pacific Ocean have moved forward, an official source reported.

Ruben Saavedra, minister of the Maritime Strategy Department, told Cambio newspaper that efforts to bring these negotiations to international courts are being stepped up.

Protests End, Bolivia-Peru Border Reopens

Lima, Jun 27 (Prensa Latina) The Bolivian-Peruvian border was reopened Monday in the southern Andean region of Puno, after environmental demands that triggered a long strike by the Aymara indigenous communities were met.

The decision to reopen the border was made last night during a mass assembly of the Aymaran community in the town of Desaguadero-Peru.

Agricultural, Livestock Law in Bolivia Defines Strategic Products

La Paz, Jun 26 (Prensa Latina) A law called Productive, Community and Agricultural Revolution that could be enacted on Sunday defines corn, rice and potato as strategic products, assured yesterday a government source.

Bolivia Fights Drug Trafficking

La Paz, Jun 24 (Prensa Latina) The Bolivian government is stepping up its struggle against drug trafficking with the purchase of six Chinese-made K8 aircraft, which will be assembled in Bolivia.

According to President Evo Morales, those planes will not only be put at the service of the air force, army and navy, but also the whole people, to fight drug trafficking.

Bolivian Govt. to Step up Anti-Car Smuggling Measures

La Paz, June 23 (Prensa Latina) The Bolivian government considers it essential to fight the pernicious car smuggling, a crime that has been hitting the country for several years, said an official source.

The member of Parliament for the ruling Movement Towards Socialism, Elio Marcelo, told Prensa Latina that they need to strengthen border control and promote joint collaboration between the countries involved.

National Citizen Safety Summit in Bolivia

Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Jun 17 (Prensa Latina) The first National Citizen”s Safety Summit, convened to prevent delinquency and fight organized crime, ends Friday.

One of the objectives of the two-day event is to design a national policy to fight crime through regional initiatives.

Evo Morales Affirms Commitment to Bolivian People

La Paz, (Prensa Latina) President Evo Morales on Tuesday highlighted his commitment to the Bolivian people and to historically marginalized sectors as the driving force of the current process of change.

Bolivian Gov’t, Unions Resume Talks

La Paz, Jun 13 (Prensa Latina) Leaders of the Bolivian Workers Federation (COB) and representatives of the Labor Ministry will hold new talks Monday on union demands.

The COB will cooperate with a call by newly-appointed Labor Minister Daniel Santalla to work together on the content of a new general labor law, said COB leader Ramiro Condori.