In Bolivia, the self-organized blockade committee of District 8 in El Alto has emerged as a cornerstone of the rebellion against the government of Rodrigo Paz. In assemblies held in Puente Vela and among the residents of Senkata, a place with a long history of resistance, calls have been made for coordination among different sectors, the rejection of the treacherous leadership that negotiates behind the backs of its members, and the expansion of the struggle through a general strike to overthrow the Paz government.

Last Saturday, May 23, the Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB) convened an expanded meeting with affiliated and non-affiliated organizations. There, one of the representatives of the District 8 Blockade Coordination Committee, in response to a question from the COB’s National Executive Committee (CEN), categorically rejected the possibility of any dialogue until Paz resigned. Her intervention, which was applauded several times, demanded that the COB’s CEN members implement the indefinite general strike and intensify the struggle. Following this intervention, all subsequent interventions from non-affiliated organizations concurred with this position.

Unfortunately, the COB’s CEN later modified the demand from “no dialogue until Paz resigns” to “no dialogue until the release of those detained,” leaving the door open for potential betrayals. What transpired after this expanded meeting confirms the validity of the intervention by the District 8 Blockade Coordination Committee, which we reproduce below. The translation has been lightly edited for clarity.

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Good afternoon brothers and sisters… a revolutionary greeting as well.

We are from the self-convened committee of District 8. We, as a committee, have convened ourselves, the neighbors, due to the lack and abandonment of our leaders.

We, as a committee, called for open town hall meetings and assemblies where everyone had a voice. We’ve had almost a week of these meetings, and at every local level, they’ve asked for only one thing: [Paz’s] resignation. I’m surprised, frankly, that we’re still talking about dialogue or a temporary truce when the grassroots are demanding resignation. We’re not the only two here representing them; the grassroots are asking for resignation. There’s no other way.

Brothers and sisters, I don’t think we’re learning from our mistakes. Those of us here who spoke before me recall the Supreme Decree 5503, when the government was going to subsidize our gasoline, and some leaderships agreed to dialogue with them. It’s turned out to be twice as bad, the fuel is more expensive, and worse. We didn’t win there, and it seems we’re not learning from our mistakes.

As my comrades have already said, they’ll beat us this time and pull the wool over our eyes. I don’t know why there’s still talk about dialogue or a recess; the only objective here is Rodrigo Paz’s resignation. And I also want to tell you this: the committee has held several dialogues with the grassroots. District 8 will not budge. We are already convening committees in each zone, blockade committees, and we are organizing.

This morning, comrades, we experienced a brutal crackdown. The police and military came, claiming they were going to raise a white flag, creating a humanitarian corridor. They came with tear gas, even though there were children and elderly people present. District 8 stands firm and demands the resignation. We will not budge from this, comrades. We, as a committee, have also received reports from our brothers and sisters. We are neighbors, and we have also received threats from the leadership, from the zone presidents.

My comrade and I agreed that we are new to this; it’s the first time we’ve taken on a position like this, because the rank and file elected us. I’m a university student myself. The university has significantly increased the bureaucratic procedures. My classmates are dropping out of school; they’re working instead of studying, and this will continue to grow if we don’t accept that the rank and file’s only objective is to force Paz to resign.

Also, if Rodrigo Paz falls — and he has to fall because everyone in this government is a criminal — he has to fall, and with him will fall all the charges against us, and all those who filed the charges against us, and all the resolutions and decrees will fall. But we are also calling for a radicalization of our actions. I think it’s important to organize, but we must do so by becoming more radical. We need to call on the mining sectors: Huaguni, Colquiri, Coro Coro; they have already been threatened with the privatization of the mines.

I think we should also take a more radical approach and call on all the workers at the mines to come out, along with all the organizations, but also those from the assembly held on May 1, brothers and sisters, who have been on a general strike. So far, the general strike is not being observed. In District 8, the workers are asking us where the measures are being taken, because we are supporting them and they can’t be left like this, when we are already blocking the roads while some people are demanding dialogue.

I don’t think it’s right; it’s disrespectful to our rank and file, disrespectful to our comrades who are out on the roads, covering themselves with plastic sheeting and sleeping on the highways. Where is the support for them? I also want to call for a general strike, for it to escalate immediately, and for a work stoppage. If we want to get things done once and for all, then we must do it; we must escalate now. We’re coming with our brothers and sisters from a province beyond Ventilla, from Samo, even further. We walked the whole way, and we’re coming down here, and everything is normal here in La Paz.

We also call on Saka Churu, which is the garbage dump here in La Paz, and to flood La Paz with garbage. That’s how we’re going to escalate things here. Like the electrical worker who spoke before me, the unionized workers are also afraid, because what happens if they go out to block roads, or attend town hall meetings, and they’re threatened with being fired? We also have to support them there; we can’t leave them alone. I think they’re afraid at Saka Churu too, but they have nothing left to lose; they’re owed their salaries since February. They have nothing to lose. La Paz will be flooded with garbage, comrades. In four days, La Paz will also mobilize to get Rodrigo out once and for all. I see people asking for dialogue, a recess, when what we need is to escalate the measures and get Paz out once and for all with a general strike.

The measures are becoming more radical in the provinces, on the roads, in the areas, we are organizing ourselves.

I believe we are not alone, we are seeing things clearly, our numbers are growing, we are joining forces, and we in District 8 will continue the fight until the end. The resignation of Rodrigo Paz is the only thing we in District 8 are demanding because those who engage in dialogue — and this is what we discussed with our members — we will call traitors.

Thank you

This article was first published in Spanish at La Izquierda Diario on May 28.

The post A Speech from Bolivia: “We Have to Get Rid of Them All with a General Strike” appeared first on Left Voice.

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