Mark your calendar

http://correodelsur.net/2005/0829/titular.shtml

The interim president Rodríguez and his people won´t meet with or fulfill the demands of the coca farmers from here in the Yungas and so there will be bloqueos on the 5th of September in Unduavi and on the road from La Paz to Oruro. The road blocks, among other issues related to coca, will protest the ongoing construction of a military installation called La Rinconada which will be yet another control on what goes in and comes out of the Yungas. The farmers say that there is no cocaine coming out of the traditional coca growing region, but the government (of course under heavy pressure from the US) says that there is, and so they have the right to beef up military bases.

I think that Martín and Willi and/or their fathers will have to paticipate in the roadblock protests, as they are coca farmers and are obligated to participate as part of the syndicate. The roadblocks are very costly, as there is no other way to trade between the city and the Yungas region (and further South) . Also, the confrontation with the military has high potential of turning violent. Let´s hope the government responds with concessions and not with bullets and tear gas.