Since Evo Morales became president, Bolivia is viewed as a country where an indigenous ruler has finally ascended to power and is leading his people to a bright and peaceful future. Or something like that. Well people here in the Beni region view things a bit differently. For them, Evo has betrayed them, supporting only highland Aymara indigenous groups and not the different lowland tribes. Many even comment that Evo is worse than all other presidents, breaking all his promises and using the pachamama or Mother Earth when it pleases him, and in other cases pushing ‘development’ projects of road builduing, mining and oil extraction in protected areas and indigenous territories, such as in Isiboro-Secure. Yes of course, that is in the lowland…. I spotted this mural spraying near the market and liked it quite a lot, because it plays with Evo’s political campaign claim of “Evo cumple, Bolivia cambia” (something along of Obama’s yes we can, although I am sure Evo would hate that comparison ;-), meaning to fulfill a promise ). It says that “Bolivia is changing: more drug traffickers, more terrorism, Evo is fulfilling his promise, long live Tipnis”).
