A film on Bolivia "Cocalero"

The Latin America Solidarity Committee Present,

What: A film on Bolivia "Cocalero"

When: Sunday, January 25th at 6pm

Where: Happy Bar at the corner of Tory and Vivian Streets

The 86-minute documentary centers on how the U.S. war on drugs imposed a terrible cost from the people in Bolivia who have been growing coca leaves for legitimate purposes for hundreds of years and how Bolivian farmers formed a union to respond the government and put forth their grievances.

In the last decade, Bolivia's social movements have won significant power over their government. In the early 2000's, Bolivia underwent a period of upheaval known in local political discourse as "the process of change." Many social movements emerged to help roll back 20 years of neoliberal policies that privatized public resources and instituted other pro-market principles that did not benefit most Bolivians.

This popular resistance forced two presidents to resign, discredited Bolivia's traditional political parties, and created the conditions for Evo Morales — along with the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party — to become the country's first indigenous president and the first ever to get a 54% majority. The promise of a new constitution was at the centre of Morales' presidential campaign.

This Jan. 25, 2009, Bolivians will be deciding on the proposed constitution, designed to empower Bolivia's indigenous majority. For the first time, Bolivia's Magna Carta will recognize each of the country's 36 indigenous nations and languages as "official languages" of the state, along with Spanish. The document will also recognize its' Afro-Bolivian population, for the 1st time!

Come and share the celebration and hope that Change does happen. The film is presented in Spanish with English subtitles.

ENDS

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