[Lasnetmail] The Hidden Politics of Bolivia's Constituent Assembly

[lucho]

 The Hidden Politics of Bolivia's Constituent Assembly
By Dunia Mokrani and Raquel Gutierrez
The results of Bolivia's elections sealed the right wing's defeat as a powerful political force while demonstrating just how well established the Movement toward Socialism (MAS, for the Spanish initials) has become. However, the procedures established for the new Constituent Assembly severely restrict the exercise of majority power and strategic alliances will have to be made to pass major reforms. 

The new deputies began Assembly sessions on August 15 in Sucre, in the state of Chuquisaca. The first confrontations in this new realm of deliberation will be, without a doubt, questions of procedure. The fundamental discussions, such as agrarian reform, expanding the nationalization of hydrocarbons, and in general, the type of political system that will guide Bolivia in the coming years, will begin at the end of next year. The political process in Bolivia, now taking shape in the discussions in the Constituent Assembly, will be the scene of the persistent confrontation. 

Raquel Gutiérrez and Dunia Mokrani are researchers at the Center for Andean and Mesoamerican Studies in Mexico and Boliviam, respectively. They are analysts with the IRC Americas Program, on line at www.americaspolicy.org.
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