What was once a battle conducted in the political arena has moved to the streets of Bolivia, violence has ensued throughout the eastern provinces this past week. The clashes between indigenous groups and activist youth groups has turned deadly as government offices have been destroyed, private companies have been looted.Evo Morales, the President of Bolivia, has reacted by expelling US Ambassador Phillip Goldberg from the country, who he accuses of inciting riots. Meanwhile, in an act of solidarity, Hugo Chavez, has declared US Ambassador Patrick Duddy persona non grata and has given him 72 hours to leave Venezuela. All while opening doors for Russian military envoys to enter.  As of now, the immediate U.S. response  is the designation of three high profile Venezuelan officials as collaborators of the FARC, as well as expelling Bolivia’s ambassador in the Unite States. This article, by HACER’s Eneas Biglioni helps set the stage.

Stay tuned for more news as Latin America heats up.

Speaking at International Thursday this month:

• Anthony Livanios- Hellenic Leadership Institute (Greece)
• -Initiatives in Egypt
• Chris Brown-Potomac Institute for Policy Studies
• -Constitutional Referendum in Bolivia
• Jon Utley- HACER
• -Proportional Representation
• Jeff Goldstein- Freedom House
• -The Russia/Georgia Conflict

The Atlas Podcast series appears each Friday with a new theme each week of the month:

• Week 1: Network News with Regional Officers
• Week 2: An Interview with Intellectual Entrepreneur
• Week 3: International Thursday
• Week 4: Management Tip

Music by Gold Standard

 

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Templeton Freedom Award winner FULIDE (Bolivia) is joining with PEN Santa Cruz (the acronym stands for Poets, Essayist and Narrators) to hold the first National Contest of “Free Stories”. Submitted stories should center around the theme of “the importance and value of liberty,” and should be entered no later than Septmber 1, 2008.  The contest is open to all Bolivian youths 18-25 years old and allows individuals to personally explore the ideas of freedom, as well as giving them a chance to win sizable prizes!

Further information, including submission instructions, can be found at http://www.fulide.org.bo/fulide/p_eventos_a.asp.