TWO YEARS after brought to an end the elected government of Hernán Siles Zuazo, a general strike in Bolivia has forced the military regime to resign. On 6 October Zuazo was re-elected president and the Congress of 1980 restored The crisis which sparked off the was the IMF package of measures announced in warch. package, which was the MF's universal panacea in search of an economic problem consisted NOTE TIC CACHANTEER freezing wages; and reducing the size of the public sector.
rate quickly to the US dollar to around 260. In a country depenwent on unports or many products, including basics SUCh As POWUCICE milk, this meant dramatic price increases and sharply reduced lving STEELETES Strikes were staged throughout the country.
In April the miners of Huanini ONe man acmes. a general amnesty for people jailed and exiled during TEC following the 1980 coup; a minimum WANG which would be in dex linked; the ending of the permanent martial law WHen was In TorcIne min May political activi ty in the country became more орел and seifdemonstrations were held contident May calling for an end to the floating exchange rate, a civilian rule and IC SPOUS DEERCOOTE militaries — the squads of armec civilians who brought terror and death trade unionists and pontical activists.
Amnesty Later May the miners demand for an amnesty was 'held in Elecwere LIONS unions, the universitics organised demand autonomy and the political parties gained new life.
The unta. losing the support of the middle classes, particularly in the unions and the parties to private talks to try to avert the coming confrontation. The Central Obero Boliviano (the COB, the trade union confederation) whose leaders had been executed and whose building the beta during the 1930 had been demolished coup, refused to talk Having failed to find a BONE COI SO LOR dent Torrelio resigned and was replaced, in musical Cha1g manner, by Vildoso.
pressure for a real chaned buil: up. or government Employees of the Central Bank went on strike and oCume AC пелвенане of the bank because Fiad by over nato of ficials national Socialist Challenge 28 October 1982 page 8 a violent military coup smelting company Even an attack on the employees once her truck-loads para-militaries throwing ear gas grenades failed to DECEN SKE.
The Movimento de Ised demonstrations in the cities on 7 September call rate, a minimum wage and following Sunday the civic committees for general strike demanding CLOUDHIC development projects for their area and improved WELCE ECLE HE COLLE tion services.
On Wednesday the called massive demonstrations CHIL ding an end to the military rule. These were the biggest demonstrations anyone could remember and particularly LOSESSIVE was the fact that over half the demonstrators were WOTECT The police and the military kept a relatively low profile and there were few violent incidents. On stration was called Sucre, capital of one of the southern department. which had called a general The demonstration was to take the form of a meeting in the central plaza at 3pm. At Ipm the occupied the plaza and set convened on 27 September and decided to elect a new president on 6 October.
Superficially it seems Inal une general strike and the mass mobilsations nave removed one or Latin Amies replaced y regimes and replaced lelt government. There are however grounds for scepticism.
First, there is a financial crisis. The government was unable to meet debt repayments of S50 million due in September and OcForeign banks are unwilling to reschedule the debt and the military regime was therefore facec SCVETE which it may well have orelerred hand temporarily to a civilian government credittials.
As soon as the government stepped down it was announced that Zuazo, still in exue in Peru. had started to negotiate new credits.
Sccond, although the military formally resigned there has been no removal of garrison commanders, no trials of paraimmide personner and no attempt the interim government to disarm the military forces which took in the 1980 coup. tar nothing has happened 19 prevent a repeat of the I coup. Waving goodbye -president Vildoso making his last public appearance in Santa Cruz 24 September Revolucionar demonstration La Paz 7 September Union Democratica/Movimiento de /squierda
----- pull-quotes -----
The she rom 2s peste