Condemn the Union Leaders’ Betrayal!

The movement is entering a very dangerous phase. Labor leaders are betraying the fight to oust Rodrigo Paz in exchange for promises of concessions for their sectors. Yesterday, the leadership of the CGTFB [Confederación General de Trabajadores de Bolivia] factory workers—manufacturing—agreed not to support the blockades in exchange for the promise of jobs. The transport workers’ leaders struck a deal for loans. For their part, the leaderships of the COD [Central Obrera Departamental] in Cochabamba, Tarija, Potosí, Chuquisaca, and Santa Cruz—the last of which had already rejected the blockades—are demanding that the COB [Central Obrera Boliviana] begin negotiations with the government to halt the fight in exchange for a wage increase and other demands. The COB’s own national leaders, such as Mario Argollo and Claudio Choque, had already declared their willingness to reach out to the government. The great danger is that soon these leaders will also sell out the cause and completely break the worker-peasant alliance. We must not allow this! The most urgent task is to fight tooth and nail against this betrayal! We must elect new leadership committed to the struggle and oust the capitulators!

A new leadership is needed to rebuild bonds with the peasantry—wounded by betrayals—and to offer a course of action for victory beyond the blockades, organizing and coordinating the fight. This would unify and revitalize the movement, an urgent task in the face of the severe division caused by the capitulating leaders. It would be a major catastrophe if the COB leaders were to stab the peasants in the back, leaving them alone in the fight against the government. This would demoralize the popular masses, open the door to bloody repression against the most militant sectors, and discredit the workers in the eyes of the peasants. This policy of conciliation is already having the devastating consequence by fracturing the labor movement, particularly the miners’ federation. This could lead to the implosion of the COB. We must oppose this “divide and conquer” strategy at all costs! No one must abandon their post in the fight. No agreement! Out with Paz!

If “El Pollo” manages to break the backbone of the peasant movement and turn it against the workers, he will have a free hand to launch a large-scale offensive against the living conditions of the working masses and sell off the country’s resources to his U.S. bosses. This is very clear to the neighbors, peasants, and workers with whom we have spoken at the roadblocks. Workers, do not let your leaders sell you out; now is the time to defeat the exploiters and parasites, hand in hand with our peasant brothers and sisters. We must turn the tide! Down with traitorous leaders! Bolivia is not for sale! Long live the fight of the Bolivian people!