There have been some tense moments in Santa Cruz these last few days. We have experienced a roller coaster of emotions. The City's anniversary was the 24th and Bolivia turned 198 years old. After the Civic leaders took over the government tax offices and other institutions, and the city of Pando was taken over by the military, putting the Governor in jail, accusing him of being the instigator and the one responsible for 30 dead people during the fighting between government people and city people, the government called the opposition to a meeting. Things settled down and they begun to talk. But the government gathered their forces (cocaleros, farmers who plant coca and believed to be drug traffiquers), and blocked all the roads connecting Santa Cruz with the other cities. Commerce and traveling was stopped for three weeks.The opposition complained but the government said that they did not have any control over these people. Moreover, a big force of their people begun gathering from PotosÃ, Oruro, La Paz and Cochabamba and begun marching toward Santa Cruz to Take it by force. They were armed with rocks, mechetes, dynamite and guns. The government gave deaf ear to the opposition's complaint. The government wanted to repeat what they did in Pando: Create a conflict, send people with guns to start a fight, then use that excuse to militarize the city and jail the opposition leader, declaring Martial law, and accuse the Governor of murder.In Pando, the press was not allowed in, so the government could do as they pleased. There are reports that 15 Cubans and Venezuelans were killed during the fighting in Pando. The government sent a plane to pick up the bodies that were flown to Venezuela. Of course the press could not take pictures but the people saw them and the plane was tracked byradar.This cocaleros forces had the intention of arriving in Santa Cruz by its anniversary. Meanwhile, at the negotiating table, the government told the opposition that if they signed an agreement for their constitution to be placed for a Referendum, they would stop the march and the blockades. That Constitution was drafted and approved by the governmentwithout the opposition. Now they want to make it pass with a referendum that will be controlled by the government.The march got close to Santa Cruz, but the opposition did not give in. Meanwhile, President Morales is at the UN saying that there is a plot by the opposition to take over his government. CNN interviewed him with some direct questions: "Where is the military force that is being used by the opposition? President Chavez said that he is going to takemilitary forces to Bolivia. Your General complained Internationally. Did you side with your General? Did you complain to the Venezuelan Government? You say that you are trying to solve the conflict " Morales did not know how to answer these and many more questions and he was noticeably uncomfortable. (By the way...... CNN has not got all their facts straight....... the battle is not so much about the rich and the poor, but the same thing that they have been fighting about for centuries...... differences between the highlanders and the lowlanders....... yes, wealth plays a part in this battle, as does land issues..... but everything is far more than what you are hearing on CNN..... believe me!)The governments of Chile and Brazil intervened, Chiles' President read a message where she said that Chile also wanted to send an army to Bolivia, but an army of Doctors and Nurses to help women and children who live in poverty. And that they wanted the conflict to end and the negotiations to continue. The march stopped, and the blockades werelifted (except for a couple). People here were getting ready to fight. The university students were ready to meet the march before it got to Santa Cruz. The Attorney's Office sent their people to disarm those at the march, but they were beaten and they had to flee. The police said that the were going to protect the city but they did nothing to disarm the marchers. The police went to escort them when they got close to Santa Cruz. But as soon as a tenetive agreement was signed everything stopped. Things are back to normal. However the negotiations are still going. The news tonight reported that the governmental heads can not come to an agreement. The campesinos have vowed to return if an agreement is not signed by October 15th, so we may go through all this once again. The church has been praying and fasting. In many places in the world, people are praying for Bolivia. Most people might think that the intervention of Chile and Brazil changed things. But we know that it was God who is in control of everything, and answers the prayer of Hischildren. Praise His Holy Name!!!I wanted to let you all know that we are all ok. We expect the conflicts to continue, because Chavez has invested too much money to give up. But thru it all, we have not lost one day of work during all these tense moments. Life goes on as usual and God's wings are over us like the hen with its chicks. Our trust and hope is in Him. He rules over all.
For now Bolivia is like a pot that is simmering on the stove...... add a little more heat and the whole pot will overflow. The clock is ticking for the country of Bolivia....... and all of South America is at risk as well.
Many missionaries and North American business people have fled the country. We are here until a solution is found "or" whenever South America Mission desides to call us home. Our hope is that evangelicals will stay in Bolivia and continue spreading the gospel.
Thank you for your prayers and we earnestly hope that you will continue to keep Bolivia in prayer. Thank you!
Blessings to you all.
In Christ, Dan and Neva The following photos were obtained from our local newspaper:
We may experience violence once again in mid October. If Evol's government have not gotten the governors to sign his pact and agree to his new constitution he plans to send the peasants back to Santa Cruz to March and cause trouble. Pray that no one gets hurt.... Thanks!
