Bolivian events for summer 2011 in the US

Bolivian Independence Day is just around the corner, there will be a parade on 6 August in the Tri-State Area in Jersey City, with La Fraternidad Negritos del Sagrado Corazon. It will be held at Hamilton Park, with the parade proceeding to City Hall at 280 Grove Street.

Other events in the US include:

Domingo, 17 de Julio, 2011- Orange, California LAS VEGAS CARNAVAL INTERNACIONAL
PRESENTAN A SURKUY
Jueves, 14 de Julio, 2011- Las Vegas, Nevada Llajtamasis y Morenada Santiago
presentan a Surkuy
Viernes, 15 de Julio, 2011- Orange, California CENTRO DE RESIDENTES BOLIVIANOS EN NEW JERSEY
MISS BOLIVIA -TRI ESTATAL 2011
Viernes, 15 de Julio, 2011- Garfield, New Jersey COMITE CIVICO CULTURAL BOLIVIANO
VERBENA PACEÑA
Sábado, 16 de Julio, 2011- Corona, New York ASOCIACION BOLIVIANA EN UTAH
SURKUY EN CONCIERTO
Sábado, 16 de Julio, 2011- Salt Lake City, Utah ANIVERSARIO CIUDAD DE LA PAZ
TORNEO DE FUTBOL
Domingo, 17 de Julio, 2011- North Miami, Florida SANTA CRUZ VIVE EN SF/BAY AREA GROUP
SURKUY EN CONCIERTO
Domingo, 17 de Julio, 2011- San Francisco, California ARUMA BOLIVIA
FESTIVAL LATINOAMERICANO DE FOLKLORE
Domingo, 17 de Julio, 2011- Jersey City, New Jersey CAPORALES SAN SIMON USA
TORNEO DE BEACH VOLLEY
Domingo, 17 de Julio, 2011- Fairfax Station, Virginia CONSULADO GENERAL DE BOLIVIA
"ESCRIBEME POSTALES A COPACABANA"
Martes, 19 de Julio, 2011- Hollywood, California MORENADA CENTRAL VA- USA
GRAN KERMESSE BAILABLE
Sabado, 23 de Julio, 2011- Alexandria, Virginia FRATERNIDAD BOLIVIANA CAPORALES FLORIDA
SILPACHONEADA
Domingo, 24 de Julio, 2011- Miami, Florida BB PRODUCCIONES
LOS KJARKAS EN CONCIERTO
Viernes, 29 de Julio, 2011- Sandy, Utah MEGA CONCIERTO DE LOS KJARKAS
GRUPOS DE DANZAS FOLKLORICAS
Sábado, 30 de Julio, 2011- City of Industry, California EVENTO MUNDIAL TINKUS
Tinkus 100% Boliviano!
Viernes, 5 de Agosto, 2011- Mission Hills, California PRODUCCIONES BOLIVIA
CELEBRANDO LA INDEPENDENCIA
Sábado, 6 de Agosto, 2011- Anaheim, CaliforniaSEGUNDO TORNEO DE FUTBOL
COPA BOLIVIA
Sábado, 6 de Agosto, 2011- Miami, Florida CENTRO DE RESIDENTES BOLIVIANOS DEL SUR DE LA FLORIDA
CENA DE GALA- ANIVERSARIO DE LA INDEPENDENCIA DE BOLIVIA
Sábado, 6 de Agosto, 2011- Miami, Florida INTEGRACION CULTURAL BOLIVIANA
CELEBRANDO EL DIA DE LA INDEPENDENCIA
Sábado, 6 de Agosto, 2011- FLORIDA CENTRO DE RESIDENTES BOLIVIANOS EN NEW JERSEY
8vo. DESFILE BOLIVIANO DE LA COSTA ESTE
Sábado, 6 de Agosto, 2011- New Jersey CENTRO CULTURAL BOLIVIANO
WAYNA PACHA
Domingo, 7 de Agosto, 2011- Santa Ana, California KALAMARKA EN GIRA U.S.A.
MES DE AGOSTO 2011
Sábado, 13 de Agosto, 2011- Miami, Florida FRATERNIDAD DIABLADA BOLIVIA
GRAN KERMESSE
Domingo, 21 de Agosto, 2011- Orange, California CLUB CULTURAL Y DEPORTIVO BOLIVIA
GRAN PICNIC FAMILIAR
Domingo, 28 de Agosto, 2011- Chatsworth, California PREMIOS ARUMA
RESULTADOS 2011
ESCUCHA LA PREMIACION

News on Bolivia

BIF News Briefing, May to June 2011

CONTENTS 1. Government passes legislation on upcoming judicial elections 2. Bolivia raises maritime access at OAS General Assembly 3. Congress approves law to withdraw from drugs convention 4. Police corruption and national security 5. Morales ‘buries’ Decree 20160 – an end to neoliberalism? 6. Amnesty for illegal cars in Bolivia 1. Government passes legislation on upcoming judicial elections Regulations relating to the selection of candidates for judicial elections scheduled for 16 October have been passed by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. The Electoral Law has also been amended to allow for greater coverage by the media in the run up to the elections. During the elections, citizens will vote for magistrates to serve on the Supreme Court, the Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal, the Agro-environmental Tribunal and the Council of the Judiciary. President Morales stressed the unique nature of the October elections, reminding the Bolivian people that these were not the same as going to the polls to select deputies or presidents who ‘promise heaven and earth’. Instead the people will have an enormous responsibility in voting for the authorities who will apply norms and ‘do justice’. There were heated parliamentary debates about the qualifications that candidates should hold to be eligible for election. MAS deputies stressed the need for equality of opportunity, with Vice-President García Linera arguing that ‘the vast majority of the population do not have the resources to do a masters degree or a doctorate’. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had earlier pointed out the importance of ‘clear and objective criteria for grading the merits and professional competency of the candidates’. However, the regulations now stress that experience will be given more weight than academic qualifications. In addition to the regulations on selecting candidates, both the president and the Electoral Court had called on the assembly to amend Article 82 of the Electoral Law in order to relax the rules on media coverage, with Morales arguing that: ‘Our obligation is to guarantee freedom of expression, information, of participation’. The modified article now allows candidates to be interviewed by the media, but any interviews will be monitored by the Electoral Court. Campaigning by the candidates will not be permitted. 2. Bolivia raises maritime access at OAS General Assembly Speaking at the 2011 General Assembly of the Organisation of American States, held in El Salvador, Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca demanded ‘concrete, practical and useful proposals’ from Chile on which to base bilateral negotiations over Bolivia’s access to the sea. As reported in the March-April BIF News Briefing, Chile suspended discussions on the issue after the Bolivian government said it would seek international mediation in its efforts to win back the maritime access lost after the War of the Pacific (1879-1883). After securing space on the OAS assembly’s agenda to discuss the longstanding diplomatic problem, Choquehuanca spoke of his desire to achieve real progress, and not simply ‘to talk for another 132 years’. His Chilean counterpart, David Moreno, said that Chile had already clearly stated it was not in a position to grant sovereign access to the sea, nor offer any kind of territorial compensation. He added there was no legal precedent for Bolivia’s demands, and warned that taking the dispute to the international courts would leave the decision ‘in the hands of judges’, when it was an issue that should be negotiated between the two countries. After both foreign ministers addressed the assembly, delegates from thirteen member states - including Argentina, Brazil, Peru and the United States - called on the two countries to resume discussions in order to find a solution, with representatives from a number of countries arguing that it was an issue that should be settled bilaterally. David Choquehuanca also indirectly criticised the 1904 Treaty of Peace and Friendship which fixed the current territorial boundaries between Chile and Bolivia. He told the assembly that no treaty signed under the threat of force should be considered unchangeable. In La Paz, President Evo Morales welcomed the fact that David Moreno had publicly recognised the existence of a dispute, saying that Chile had previously always rejected any notion that there was a problem needing resolution. 3. Congress approves law to withdraw from drugs convention The Plurinational Legislative Assembly has approved a law which will withdraw Bolivia from the 1961 Vienna Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The law stipulates that Bolivia will re-join the convention in January 2012 with a reservation concerning sections which prohibit traditional uses of the coca leaf. Foreign minister David Choquehuanca attended the plenary session of the chamber of deputies on 22 June to explain the government initiative. He had previously been on an international tour to lobby for an amendment to remove articles in the convention that prohibit the cultural practice of coca chewing (see BIF Briefing January 2011), but this was blocked by objections from a group of 18 countries including the UK and USA. Choquehaunca stressed that the legislative measure was to protect cultural practices and traditional uses of coca, bringing Bolivia’s international obligations into line with the 2009 constitution, which recognises the coca leaf as part of Bolivia’s cultural heritage. He also emphasised the fact that withdrawal from the convention would not affect Bolivia’s continuing efforts to fight against illegal drug production and trafficking. The rules around international treaties mean that it is necessary to withdraw from the convention first in order to register a reservation such as that proposed by Bolivia. Bolivia lodged a similar reservation, abstaining from sections prohibiting licit consumption of coca, when it joined another international drug convention: the 1988 United Nations Convention against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. 4. Police corruption and national security In Santa Cruz, President Morales inaugurated the first summit on neighbourhood security to gather information and proposals as the government drafts a bill to tackle insecurity and organized crime. Earlier in the month, the Chamber of Deputies’ Commission on Government, Defence and the Armed Forces held a seminar in La Paz to develop public policies on security in preparation for the summit, which comes at a time of increasing concern over the ability of Bolivia’s police force to prevent crime and root out corruption within its ranks. In a sign of a renewed intolerance of corruption in the institution, President Morales fired police chief Ciro Farfán for being the owner of a van containing several ‘cloned’ vehicle number plates. Farfán denied the allegations. The president also called on the General Police Command to apply ‘tough sanctions’ on any officers found guilty of wrongdoing. Ironically, Farfán had been recently appointed by Morales and given 90 days in which to investigate and expose corruption within the police. 5. Morales ‘buries’ Decree 20160 – an end to neoliberalism? President Morales chose the symbolic date of 1 May to announce the repeal of a number of laws which underpin Decree 20160, the controversial measure passed in 1985 that ushered in neoliberal economic reforms in Bolivia. Speaking at the mining community of Huanuni (Oruro) on International Workers’ Day, Morales said a new decree would bring about the ‘complete elimination’ of 20160. Earlier during the build-up to the May Day celebrations, Morales said that by modifying laws on mining, forestry, labour, banks, investment and electricity, amongst others, he would ‘bury’ the market-based economic framework introduced over 25 years ago by President Víctor Paz Estenssoro. Under the terms of the new decree (0861), a commission will be created to investigate where revisions could be made to such legislation. This will include representatives of the government, unions and other interested organisations. The repeal of Decree 21060 had been one of the key demands of labour union Central Obrera Boliviana during the recent strikes held throughout the country. However, a number of analysts in Bolivia have questioned the extent to which the government will be able to transform the economy. José Luis Evia, a researcher at the Fundación Milenio, suggested that the market-based nature of today’s ‘globalised society’ meant that the abolition of Decree 20160 would be no more than a gesture. 6. Amnesty for illegal cars in Bolivia In an attempt to tackle the escalating problem of ‘chutos’ (undocumented vehicles) in Bolivia, the government has passed legislation offering an amnesty period in which to register them officially. However, critics of the scheme say it effectively sanctions smuggling, as many of vehicles are imported from the free port of Iquique in Chile. Effectively recognising that customs officials were losing the battle against unlicensed vehicles, the new law would give owners of ‘chutos’ an amnesty period of 15 days in which to register their vehicles. The government had estimated that the number of undocumented vehicles in the country was between 3,000 and 10,000, but the actual number is significantly greater. In Cochabamba, a queue of around three kilometres was reported as people took advantage of the amnesty, while the National Customs website struggled to cope with the high volume of people wanting to register vehicles. The law also has a social function, according to its supporters. President Morales said that the new law would help ‘poor people’ improve their status by owning a legal vehicle, arguing that ‘we all have the right to have a car’. However, the legislation has not been universally welcomed. The transport owners’ federation called a one-day strike to express their anger at the new law, which it said legalised contraband. Bolivia Information Forum, Unit F5 89-93 Fonthill Road, London N4 3JH www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk

Fruit of the desert is now flavour of the month

The New York Times on Wednesday, 11 May, ran a feature article on pitayas, or 'dragon fruits' as they are commonly called. These are native to Bolivia, with a natural range from Bolivia to Mexico. It has taken root in the southwestern US, southeast Asia and Israel.
'It' is a bit of a vague term though, and the article does not go into such detail, so let me expound a bit further and note that in general, pitaya or dragon fruit refers to vine-like epiphytic Hylocereus cacti; these bloom only at night, giving rise to a large white fragrant flower known as 'moonflower' or 'Queen of the Night'. They are also grown ornamentally.
There are sweet and sour pitayas, the latter usually belonging to the genus Stenocereus, which grows in the arid regions of the Americas. Sweet pitayas have a creamy pulp and a delicate aroma. Fruits of some other columnar cacti (mainly Cereeae) are also called "pitayas" – for example those of the Peruvian Apple Cactus (Cereus repandus), which are very rare. Sweet pitayas come in three types, all with leathery, slightly leafy skin, and include:
Hylocereus undatus (red pitaya) has red-skinned fruit with white flesh. This is the most commonly-seen 'dragon fruit'.
H. costaricensis (Costa Rica pitaya, often called H. polyrhizus) has red-skinned fruit with red flesh.
H. megalanthus (yellow pitaya, formerly in Selenicereus) has yellow-skinned fruit with white flesh.
After thorough cleaning of the seeds from the pulp of the fruit, the seeds may be stored when dried. Ideally, the fruit must be unblemished and overripe. Seeds grow well in a compost or potting soil mix - even as a potted indoor plant. Pitaya cacti usually germinate between 11 and 14 days after shallow planting. As they are cacti, overwatering is a concern for home growers. As their growth continues, these climbing plants will find something to climb on, which can involve putting aerial roots down from the branches in addition to the basal roots. Once the plant reaches a mature 10 lbs weight, one may see the plant flower.Polinisation is by nocturnal creatures such as bats or moths; they do not self-fertilise. The plants handles up to 40 °C (104oF) and very short periods of frost, but does not survive long exposure to freezing temperatures. The cacti thrive most in USDA zones 10-11, but may survive outdoors in zone 9a or 9b. Hylocereus has adapted to live in dry tropical climates with a moderate amount of rain. The dragon fruit sets on the cactus-like trees 30–50 days after flowering and can sometimes have 5-6 cycles of harvests per year. There are some farms in Vietnam that produce 30 tons of fruit per hectare every year.
The typical nutritional values per 100 g of raw pitaya (of which 55 g are edible) are as follows:
Water 80-90 g
Carbohydrates 9-14 g
Protein 0.15-0.5 g Fat 0.1-0.6 g
Fiber 0.3-0.9 g
Ash 0.4-0.7 g
Calories: 35-50
Calcium 6–10 mg
Iron 0.3-0.7 mg
Phosphorus 16 – 36 mg
Carotene (Vitamin A) traces
Thiamine (Vitamin B1) traces Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) traces
Niacin (Vitamin B3) 0.2-0.45 mg
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 4–25 mg

Book launch for Evo Morales bio

LAUNCH: “Evo Morales and theMovimiento al Socialismo in Bolivia: the first term in context, 2006-2010” Edited by Adrian J. Pearce Wednesday 27th April 18.00-20.00 The Senate Room, Senate House (First Floor) Malet Street London WC1E 7HU Presentations by: Prof. James Dunkerley (Queen Mary, University of London) Dr. John Crabtree (Oxford University Latin American Centre) Commentator: Dr. Pilar Domingo (Overseas Development Institute) Chair: Dr. Adrian Pearce (King's College London) The event is free of charge and open to all. There is no need for prior registration. Organised by: Institute for the Study of the Americas www.americas.sas.ac.uk Bolivia Information Forum www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk The event will be followed by a wine reception, courtesy of the Bolivian Embassy in London.

Bolivia Information Forum (BIF), Unit F5 89-93 Fonthill Road, London N4 3JH www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk

Bolivian Manna

Yesterday's New York Times had an article on the front page about quinoa, and how it is being used for Passover; with a few questions, of course, about how kosher it is, which I guess will be determined by seeing if it chews it cud or has a cloven hoof.

Luis Alberto Arce Catacora, Minister of Economics and Public Finance, when he spoke at Columbia University last year, mentioned this crop as one of the resources of Bolivia. It has indeed been a boom, so much so that the Western demand has driven the price of it up in Bolivia for the locals. Which was also a feature of a recent NYT article by Simon Romero.

Quechua Night at NYU, 22 March 2011

Quechua Conversation Night: Quechua and Community Media

CLACS

Date: Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Location: Room 324 of King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center (KJCC), 53 Washington Square South, New York University, New York NY 10012 (map)

Quechua Conversation Night is a monthly gathering focused on the exploration and celebration of Quechua, an indigenous language from the Andean region in South America.

This gathering will provide those learning or interested in the language with a comfortable and supportive space for listening and producing Quechua through casual conversation. Interested faculty, students, and members of the public are welcome to attend, and can expect to enjoy an evening full of the Quechua language. Native Quechua / Kichwa speakers are encouraged to attend and share in the experience of developing a community of Quechua speakers and appreciators in the New York City area.

If you are interested in receiving announcements about Quechua events at NYU, please sign up to our email list on the CLACS homepage.

Noche de Quechua es una reunión mensual enfocado en la exploración y celebración de Quechua / Kichwa, los idiomas indígenas de los Andes en Sudamérica.

Todos que están aprendiéndolo y a todos que les interesa tendrán un espacio comodo y con apoyo para escuchar y hablar Quechua / Kichwa en conversación. Les invitamos a todos que hablan Quechua / Kichwa, para que vengan a compartir en la experiencia y el desarollo de una comunidad Quechua / Kichwa en la ciudad de Nueva York.

Si tiene interes en recibir anuncios sobre eventos de Quechua / Kichwa a New York University, apuntarse a nuestra página web.

SEMINAR AND BOOK LAUNCH: “Evo Morales and theMovimiento al Socialismo in Bolivia: the first term in context, 2006-2010” Edited by Adrian J. Pearce Wednesday 27th April 18.00-20.00 The Senate Room, Senate House (First Floor) Malet Street London WC1E 7HU Presentations by: Prof. James Dunkerley (Queen Mary, University of London) Dr. John Crabtree (Oxford University Latin American Centre) Commentator: Dr. Pilar Domingo (Overseas Development Institute) Chair: Dr. Adrian Pearce (King's College London) The event is free of charge and open to all. There is no need for prior registration. Organised by: Institute for the Study of the Americas www.americas.sas.ac.uk Bolivia Information Forum www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk The event will be followed by a wine reception, courtesy of the Bolivian Embassy in London.

Bolivia Information Forum (BIF), Unit F5 89-93 Fonthill Road, London N4 3JH www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk