Solidarity with Bolivia! Rise up against the US-backed Paz Government!

KATRIBU, the national alliance of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines, stands with the people of Bolivia in their massive protests and nationwide mobilizations calling for the resignation of Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz. Among those at the forefront of the protests are Indigenous Peoples and communities, including members of the Ponchos Rojos movement, together with peasant organizations, miners, and workers who have marched to La Paz to denounce the worsening economic crisis and anti-people policies of the US-backed Paz administration.

The protests erupted amid severe fuel shortages, soaring prices of basic commodities, low wages, and austerity measures that have further burdened workers, peasants, and Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous and peasant groups have also opposed agrarian reforms and laws that they say would allow greater corporate control and privatization of agricultural and communal lands, opening Indigenous territories to mining expansion, agribusiness, and other extractive projects. Mining workers and cooperatives have likewise protested regulations and policies favoring large private interests while worsening the conditions of local communities dependent on land and natural resources.

Reports from Bolivia also point to growing repression against protesters and Indigenous communities. Police and military forces have violently dispersed demonstrations through the use of tear gas, mass arrests, and crackdowns on road blockades. Several protesters have reportedly been injured or killed amid the unrest, while Indigenous and peasant movements continue to face vilification and criminalization from state authorities.

KATRIBU recognizes the struggle of the Bolivian people as part of the broader fight of oppressed peoples worldwide against imperialist plunder, neoliberal policies, and state repression. The situation in Bolivia mirrors the experiences of many Indigenous communities in the Philippines. We suffer the rising prices of basic products, including oil and gas, while bearing the brunt of low wages. The Philippines also suffers under the US-backed puppet Marcos Jr. who aggressively pushes for programs, policies, and laws that worsen land-grabbing of ancestral lands.

We express our solidarity with the Bolivian people and all Indigenous communities courageously defending their land, rights, and sovereignty. As we in the Philippines cry out “Marcos, singlin!” we also join our brothers and sisters in Bolivia as they call for the removal of Paz towards economic relief and sovereignty. Their struggle is a powerful reminder that oppressed peoples across the world will continue to resist exploitation, repression, and US imperialist control. 

Reference: Funa-ay Claver, Secretary General