Sacaba-Chapare coca market conflict 2002
Sacaba-Chapare coca market conflict 2002
From January 14, cocaleros mounted protests in the Chapare and in Sacaba in protest of Supreme Decree 26415, which criminalized sale of their coca in public coca markets, the largest of which was in Sacaba. Open fighting over the Coca Storage Center and market in Sacaba led to the deaths of five coca growers, three soldiers, and one police officer on January 16 and 17. After police raids on the cocalero leadership, protests widened in space and participation: urban protesters and the national peasants union CSUTCB mobilized in solidarity on January 25. Protesters were killed in blockades in Shinahota (in the Chapare) on January 29 and Challapata (Oruro) on February 4, and a previously wounded cocalero died on February 5.
On February 9, the government and cocaleros reached agreement, suspending the decree, freeing those detained, and compensating families of those killed. However, Evo Morales, removed from legislature, was not restored to his office (García Linera, Chávez León, Marxa, and Costas Monje, Patricia 2010, 410–11; Gutiérrez Aguilar 2014, 211–14).
The CSUTCB peasant confederation issued a call for nationwide blockades demanding: the reversion of the anti-coca Supreme Decree 26415; freedom for detained campesino leaders; expulsion of corrupt parliamentary representatives; attention for victims of natural disasters; and real and concrete reponses to the October 7, 2000, accords (La Patria, February 2, 2002). The parliamentary expulsion demand was clearly a response to the ongoing exclusion of Evo Morales from Congress.
The highland traditionalist organization CONAMAQ debated participating in the national mobilzation in an February Consejo de Gobierno, and elected to support in after much disagreement. It declared a state of “Territorial Control.” The Federación de Ayllus de Sur de Oruro (FASOR) led rotating mobilization efforts in its region.
At Challapata, CONAMAQ members participated in a blockade on February 4 at Cruce Culta in Challapata, reportedly peaceful per a Defensoría investigative report (“The blockade was carried out peacefully without any type of aggression towards any person or vehicle” (Agencia de Noticias Fides 2002b). There they were confronted by the Rangers Regiment of the Bolivian Army (per a government statement (La Patria 2002)) and National Police (per another source (Choque Villca lunes, 26 de noviembre de 2012)). According to Radio Challapata, the troops used live machine gun fire to repress the approximately 1,000 blockaders gathered there (Bolivia.com 2002b). Galil and FAL bullets as well as chemical agents were shot at the protesters, most (80%) of whose bullet wounds were to the back. Reportedly, “Facundo Barcaya Mayza, 46 years old, died with 2 bullet wounds, one entering the right lateral scapular region and exiting the upper thorax region. Another bullet wound with an entry hole in the left buttock without an exit hole” (Agencia de Noticias Fides 2002b). The Permanent Assembly for Human Rights described this as machine gun fire from a distance of five meters (Bolivia.com 2002b). The government first denied that it fired “to kill,” and alleged that its troops were receiving fire. (https://www.noticiasfides.com/nacional/sociedad/challapata-gobierno-rechaza-informe-del-defensor-del-pueblo-213917 ) However, Minister of Government Leopoldo Fernández separately said only that, “It seems that were being overwhelmed” and that there is no justification for using live ammunition against the public (La Patria 2002). . According to the Defensoría’s report, ten other campesinos suffered bullet wounds, three of whom were severely wounded (La Patria 2002; Agencia de Noticias Fides 2002b). CONAMAQ leaders vowed to continue blockades (Bolivia.com 2002b).
On February 25, the government and CONAMAQ signed an agreement (cited as “Acta de entendimiento entre el gobierno y el CONAMAQ, 25 de febrero de 2002” in García Linera 2004, 332) The Bolivian government agreed to pay 50,000 Bolivianos to the family of Facundo Barcaya, who died in recent confrontations, and compensate others who suffered partial or temporary disability due to clashes with law enforcement. They committed to forming a commission to design development projects, accelerate land title clearance processes, construct secondary schools within ayllus, and develop plans for an Indigenous University. The government pledged to create a Working Commission involving CONAMAQ, mining authorities, and industrialists to address mining issues, provide a draft regulation for ILO Convention 169, and hold bi-monthly follow-up meetings with CONAMAQ, facilitated by the Defensoría. (Agencia de Noticias Fides 2002a; Bolivia.com 2002a).