Essay About Bolivia

Bolivia: A Country Divided

In 1967 deep in the Bolivian Jungle a group of Bolivian Special Forces, trained by the American Green Berets were hunting down Che Guevara, a Marxist revolutionary, who had been attempting to overthrow the government. Guevara had gone to Bolivia in the hopes of instigating a revolution among the poor Bolivian peasants but to his surprise his ideals were met with either indifference or contempt and it was one of these people that betrayed his location to the Bolivia government, and so the Special Forces were sent out to kill Guevara. They tracked him down in the middle of the jungle where he was killed, his hands cut off for identification and his body buried in an unmarked location so as not to become a martyr’s grave (1967: Che Guevara). This story, although centered around one very famous man, is just one of the few that mark Bolivia’s tumultuous history of instability and military action.

Located in South America, Bolivia is not only a very diverse nation but also a very divided one. Throughout much of its history Bolivia has been home to violence, poverty, and political instability with the constant rise and fall of leaders. Many of the rising governments in its more recent history have contained aspects of totalitarianism, including its current one. The current Morales Government has implemented many policies of totalitarianism into Bolivia, few of which have actually helped the country but rather have led to the rise or increase in many significant issues. Bolivia’s early history was fairly stable but after the Chaco War, which lasted from 1932 to 1935, the governmental stability within the country rapidly deteriorated (Facts on File, Britannica). Bolivia gained independence in 1825, fairly early...

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...America to foster pro-American sentiment there. Along those lines student or cultural exchanges should be encouraged in hopes of promoting pro-Americanism. But probably the most important thing America can and should do in its dealings with Bolivia and the current presidency is focus on unobtrusive diplomatic relations that avoid direct political involvement.

Bolivia’s long history of political instability greatly impedes the country’s growth, and although still technically being a democracy it is quickly becoming a socialist dictatorship. Conversely, Bolivia’s large supply of natural gas could lead to it becoming a wealthier and more stable democracy. Regardless, if the Untied States wishes to maintain diplomatic connections with Bolivia in its current political state, America will need to act as an unobtrusive presence to keep already strained relations intact.