First Hand Account of Demo/Counter Demo at Bolivian Embassy - May 4 [View All]

[magbana]

Demo and Counter Demo at Bolivian Embassy(Washington, DC) on Occasion of Autonomy Referendum in Santa Cruz

A few days ago, we learned that pro-autonomy forces planned to demonstrate in front of the Bolivian embassy in Washington on Sunday at 11am in support of the referendum vote in Santa Cruz. We organized a counter demonstration and arranged it so that our people got to the embassy this morning before the gusanos. We immediately filled the sidewalk directly in front of the embassy and were determined to hold our ground. When the gusanos arrived they whined about wanting the space we had in front of the embssy. The Secret Service cop said, “they (pointing to us) got here first.” We had about 40 people and the gusanos had around 100.

The gusanos had green and white Santa Cruz flags, fancy t-shirts, and vests emblazoned with “Si” with a checkmark inside of a box referring to the referendum vote. We were quite a different looking crew that included activists from the FMLN, Nicaragua Network, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party, Communist Party, DC Committee to Free the Cuban Five, Venezuela Solidarity Network, and Friends of Bolivia, etc The gusanos were 98% white and we were a full rainbow of color.

The taunts began immediately. They called us communists and we called them bourgeoisie. They talked about the economy and we talked about unity and peace. About three or four of the gusanos brought US flags with them, but not a Bolivian flag was to be seen. We asked why they were carrying the flag of their master and not of their country.

The embassy set up a sound system outside on the front lawn and three performers played and sang beautiful Bolivian music. They also played a recorded version of the Bolivian national anthem for which we stood at attention and at which the gusanos chanted loudly trying to drown it out.

Before long the ambassador’s wife joined us in our picket line and stayed with us for about an hour.

Finally, the gusanos produced a cardboard box into which they put their “si” votes and then chanted –“the people united will never be defeated.” We informed them that they weren’t “the people,” we were. They left and we celebrated the fact that we did not yield one inch of the space in front of the Bolivian embassy.