May 24, 2008 violence in Sucre
Encyclopedia
The May 24, 2008 violence in Sucre
, Bolivia
, consisted of clashes, hostage-taking, assaults, and public humiliation against primarily indigenous rural leaders and their supporters. The events prevented Bolivian President Evo Morales
from making a scheduled visit, during which he was scheduled to preside over the donation of amubulances to rural municipalities of Chuquisaca
, the department of which Sucre is the capital.
Prior to the planned visit, the civic movement led by the Inter-Institutional Committee and the Chuquisaca Civic Committee demanded that Morales apologize to the families of three Sucre residents who were killed in November 2007 clashes outside the final meetings of the Bolivian Constituent Assembly. These organizations planned disruptive protests of Morales visit. However, under pressure from the protests, Morales decided on May 24 not to attend the presentation.
Participants in the civic movement protests then engaged in street clashes with peasants who had come to Sucre to attend the ambulance presentation. During the afternoon, several dozen indigenous peasants were marched by civic movement protesters to Sucre's central square, the Plaza 25 de Mayo. There they were punched, threatened, forced to strip to their underwear and kneel, subjected to racist insults, and publicly humiliated in various ways.
The incident heightened political and racial tensions in Bolivia, then in the midst of a political conflict between Morales and the CONALDE group of governors. On the second anniversary of the violence, May 24, 2010, the first public draft of Bolivia's Law Against Racism
was presented. A large number of officials in the Inter-Institutional Committee and Sucre's municipal government were indicted for conspiring in the violence in April and May 2010. Former Inter-Institutional Committee president Jaime Barrón
, who had recently been elected mayor, was suspended by the City Council and later resigned in the wake of the indictments.
Sucre
Sucre, also known historically as Charcas, La Plata and Chuquisaca is the constitutional capital of Bolivia and the capital of the department of Chuquisaca. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of 2750m...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, consisted of clashes, hostage-taking, assaults, and public humiliation against primarily indigenous rural leaders and their supporters. The events prevented Bolivian President Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
from making a scheduled visit, during which he was scheduled to preside over the donation of amubulances to rural municipalities of Chuquisaca
Chuquisaca Department
Chuquisaca is a department of Bolivia located in the center south. It borders on the departments of Cochabamba, Tarija, Potosí, and Santa Cruz. The departmental capital is Sucre, which is also the constitutional capital of Bolivia.-Geography:...
, the department of which Sucre is the capital.
Prior to the planned visit, the civic movement led by the Inter-Institutional Committee and the Chuquisaca Civic Committee demanded that Morales apologize to the families of three Sucre residents who were killed in November 2007 clashes outside the final meetings of the Bolivian Constituent Assembly. These organizations planned disruptive protests of Morales visit. However, under pressure from the protests, Morales decided on May 24 not to attend the presentation.
Participants in the civic movement protests then engaged in street clashes with peasants who had come to Sucre to attend the ambulance presentation. During the afternoon, several dozen indigenous peasants were marched by civic movement protesters to Sucre's central square, the Plaza 25 de Mayo. There they were punched, threatened, forced to strip to their underwear and kneel, subjected to racist insults, and publicly humiliated in various ways.
The incident heightened political and racial tensions in Bolivia, then in the midst of a political conflict between Morales and the CONALDE group of governors. On the second anniversary of the violence, May 24, 2010, the first public draft of Bolivia's Law Against Racism
Law Against Racism 2010
The Law Against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination is a statute passed by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly of Bolivia as Law 045 and promulgated by President Evo Morales into law as Law 737/2010 on 10 October 2010...
was presented. A large number of officials in the Inter-Institutional Committee and Sucre's municipal government were indicted for conspiring in the violence in April and May 2010. Former Inter-Institutional Committee president Jaime Barrón
Jaime Barrón
Jaime Barrón Poveda is former mayor of the city of Sucre, Bolivia, representing the Pact of Social Integration political party, which is closely aligned with the Inter-Institutional Committee of Chuquisaca. Following his election in the April 4, 2010 regional elections, Barrón was sworn in as...
, who had recently been elected mayor, was suspended by the City Council and later resigned in the wake of the indictments.
Further reading
- Alex Contreras Baspineiro, "In educated Sucre: 'On your knees, shitty Indians'," 6 June 2010.
- Nick Buxton, "Colonial backlash: Reflections on recent racist violence in Bolivia," 28 May 2008.