Speakers : Oscar Olivera (Fundacion Abril – Coordinadora por la Defensa del Agua y la Vida), Leonidas Oikonomakis (COSMOS – EUI). Discussant : Daniela Chironi (COSMOS – EUI)

When Evo Morales’ MAS made it to the government seat in 2005, the national and international left cheered with joy. It was the first time an indigenous person was elected President in this country whose indigenous population was not allowed even to walk outside the Palacio Quemado some decades ago. But that was not the only reason. The formation of the first government cabinet of 2006, with its strong participation of syndicate and indigenous leaders, was making evident that the MAS was bringing to the political frontline the movements that helped it grasp state po wer.

To such an extent that Vice President Garcia Linera famously argued that “the MAS represents a new form of government, one which is run by and for Bolivia’s social movements “which “are now in control of the state apparatus”. But what has happened to this “government of movements” almost a decade later? How has their relationship developed? Are we still talking about a “new form of government”, or about a government like all the others?

The speakers will focus on how the MAS was conceived as a political tool of the Six Federations of Coca Producers of the Chapare in the 90s, what social and political alliances helped it make it to the government seat in 2005, and how these alliances have developed during the course of time.

The talk will take place at the EUI Seminar room (ground floor), Villa Pagliaiuola , Via delle Palazzine 17-19  on the 12th of June from 11 AM to 12:30 PM