2008 Unrest in Bolivia - Pando State of Emergency

Pando State of Emergency

Bolivian authorities declared a state of emergency in Pando which began at midnight on September 12, 2008. During the state of emergency constitutional guarantees are suspended, private vehicles without authorization are banned from the streets, groups are not allowed to meet; bars, restaurants and discos must close at midnight and residents are prohibited from carrying firearms. Morales said martial law was not needed anywhere else in the country.

Following the declaration of a state of emergency Bolivian troops took control of the airport in Pando's capital, Cobija, and prepared to retake the city. Morales accused the governor of Pando of orchestrating "a massacre" of farmers supporting Morales. Pando Governor Leopoldo Fernández rejected the accusation saying "They've accused me of using hit men, when everyone knows those socialist peasants, those fake peasants, were armed." In a speech in Cochabamba Morales condemned the opposition governors saying they were "conspiring against us with a fascist, racist coup," and said they were "the enemies of all Bolivians." While promising to adopt a constitution opposed by the governors Morales said Bolivia's "democratic revolution" had to be seen through saying "We have always cried 'fatherland or death'. If we don't emerge victorious, we have to die for the country and the Bolivian people." Morales also said he would not hesitate to extend the state of emergency to other opposition-controlled departments. Rubén Costas, the governor of Santa Cruz, belittled the chances of a breakthrough in talks adding that "if there is just one more death or person wounded, any possibility of dialogue will be broken."

Opposition protest leader and pro-autonomy businessman Branko Marinkovic announced on September 14, 2008 that the demonstrators he led would be removing their road blocks as "a sign of good will" to allow dialogue to prosper and calling on the government to end "repression and genocide in the department of Pando." Troops who had landed at Cobija also began patrolling the streets before dawn and began uncovering more dead bodies from the September 11 clash in Pando between Morales supporters and opposition protesters. Alfredo Rada, government minister for Pando, referring to casualty figures said "We are nearing the 30 mark." An aide to the opposition governor in Pando denied the army was in control of the departmental capital. Troops were also hunting for Pando governor Fernández with orders to arrest him.

A spokesman for Morales said blockades remained on the highway and said "an armed group" had set fire to the town hall in Filadelfia, a municipality near Cobija. The Pando government spokesman said the citizens of Cobija did not want the Army to enter the city, and that they were not going to follow martial law.

Bolivia's army arrested as many as 10 people for alleged involvement in the deadly clashes. Leopoldo Fernández was also taken into custody by the armed forces on September 16, to be flown to La Paz to face accusations that he hired hitmen to fire on pro-government supporters. He was charged with committing genocide.

The U.S. began evacuating Peace Corps volunteers from Bolivia and organized at least two evacuation flights in response. In spite of the arrest opposition governors agreed to talks, conditioned on anti-Morales protesters ending occupations of government buildings. Matters up for discussion include the opposition drive for more autonomy for their provinces and a larger share of state energy revenue. Talks were expected to begin on Thursday. The army also professed its support for Morales.

Morales appointed Navy Rear Admiral Landelino Bandeiras as the replacement for the governor of Pando September 20, 2008. Difficulties were reported in the peace talks by presidential spokesman Ivan Canelas who said the position of the opposition governors could hinder peace talks and condemned the "lack of political will of these authorities to backup the efforts being made by the central government to preserve peace and national unity."

Supporters of Morales have threatened to storm the city of Santa Cruz if the talks should fail.

On 25 September 2008, Morales rejected autonomy proposals by the Eastern provinces, putting the talks on hold. On 20 October 2008, Morales and the opposition agreed to hold the referendum on 25 January 2009 and early elections in December 2009; Morales in turn promised he would not run again in 2014 after his likely reelection in 2009, despite the fact that be would be allowed to do so under the new constitution.