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139 The Reconquest of Latin America October 16, 2003 Friends, we are witnessing a great international revolution. The reconquest of Latin America is well underway. The Aymara and Quechua of Bolivia are telling US educated President Sanchez de Lozada to resign. (And he did resign). This is not an indigenous separatist movement. This is a movement of oppressed people. The currents are obvious in Haiti, Venezuela , Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, Paraguay, Central America and the Caribbean. But the most significant is Bolivia. Here is where princes are being pulled down from their thrones and the lowly exalted. Here is where the hungry will be filled with good things and the rich sent away empty. In predictable fashion, the Bolivian government has responded with slaughter and support from the U.S. Embassy. Is this any different than our support of Israel as it continues its oppression in Palestine? Is this any different than a policy which creates suicide bombers in Iraq? Come with me in spirit today into the Cathedral in La Paz, Bolivia . . . La Paz . . . The Peace. Here we find the poorest people in the hemisphere. Here we find the best organized people in the hemisphere. How I wish we in the US could trade our affluence for the organizing skills of the Bolivians. Here in the La Paz Cathedral, the Latin America of the future is present. These non-violent revolutionaries are on a hunger strike . . . a fast. Here is their statement: Concerned by the government’s repression and violence against social sectors in protest, and in the face of a deep political crisis that has paralyzed Bolivia, we declare ourselves in hunger strike, and: 1. We demand the immediate cessation of all repressive actions of the government against the people. 140 2. We exhort the mobilized social sectors in protest to put aside actions that would lead to further violence, and opt for peaceful forms of struggle in defense of democracy. 3. We call for the immediate resignation of President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, to allow for a constitutional succession and the conformation of a government of national unity, presided over by the Vice President of the republic. 4. We call on the Armed Forces and the Police to follow their constitutional mandate, to defend public security, human rights and democratic liberties which are under threat by an irrational effort to suffocate popular discontent. 5. We call on citizens committed to democracy to join this initiative and to expand the hunger strike all over the country in temples and parishes in every neighborhood, until will achieve justice, peace and unification of all Bolivians. We take this extreme measure with full responsibility and honesty. We are determined that the path of our struggle must be peaceful. Friends, please demand that your government stop its interference in the hopes and desires of the Bolivian people. ...

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