November 21, 2019, Vol. 61, No. 47
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Bolivia: Una gran resistencia 12 Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 61 No. 47 Nov. 21, 2019 $1 Racist coup in Bolivia sparks resistance By Sam Ordóñez joined right-wing protests, and the Armed Fernando Camacho, ultra-right- growers’ union he had led before becom- Forces announced on television that they ist leader of the opposition movement, ing president. After sheltering 20 MAS Nov. 15—Evo Morales, president of the were calling for Morales’ resignation, thus entered the Palacio Quemado to take a members in its embassy, the Mexican gov- Plurinational State of Bolivia, resigned on also joining the coup d’état. photo kneeling before the flag and the ernment offered asylum to the president, Nov. 10, along with the vice president and It didn’t matter that the government Bible. At his side, a pastor declared, and at the time of this writing Morales is the majority of his cabinet. This happened had already accepted what the protesters “Bolivia belongs to Christ.” in Mexico City. after the national police abandoned their were supposedly asking for: new elections In the following days the situation Meanwhile, in the streets of Bolivia a defense of the elected government and with a new Supreme Electoral Tribunal. developed that should not surprise those great resistance to the coup is develop- who know the history of Latin America: ing— to defend democracy and also to The police forcefully repressed protests reject and resist the racism unleashed by in working-class neighborhoods and the coup victory. killed at least six people, persecuted civil In the city of El Alto, near the admin- servants and elected officials of the rul- istrative capital of La Paz and famous for ing party Movement Toward Socialism its history of overthrowing dictators, the (MAS), and arrested union, peasant and inhabitants, mostly Indigenous peoples, Indigenous leaders. forced the withdrawal of the national The coup became a reality when the police, who had to ask for reinforcements army and various sectors of the police from the army. joined it, but it was also the result of a In the rest of the country, unions, campaign of terror against the Indigenous Indigenous organizations, peasants, fem- majority of the country and all those inists and other social movements began who supported the “process of change” to mobilize as well. From various points of MAS. Those who carried out this ter- in the country they are now arriving in La ror are, apart from the business sector, Paz, where marches and roadblocks are groups of the extreme right. They have a increasing. neocolonialist ideology and include the worst characteristics of evangelism. Members of the coup After he resigned, Evo Morales first “The sign of the cross on the handles of retreated to the Cochabamba region. swords.” That is the title of the first part WW PHOTO: STEVAN KIRSCHBAUM Boston march, Nov. 16, against coup in Bolivia. More U.S. protests on pages 6-7. There he was protected by the coca Continued on page 7 Winning stay of execution WORKERS ON THE MOVE Next step: Free Rodney Reed! Seattle: Disabled, elderly By Gloria Rubac Reed, an African-American man, people defeat Veolia 4 was wrongfully convicted in 1998 of Nov. 17— It was a peoples’ vic- raping and murdering a young white Portland rally: tory! It was a legal victory! On Nov. woman named Stacey Stites. He was 15, Texas’ highest criminal court sentenced to death after the prosecu- ‘Defend DACA!‘ 4 indefinitely stayed Rodney Reed’s tion withheld exculpatory evidence Nov. 20 execution date. His case from Reed’s defense team and after ‘McStrike’ for living wage, was remanded back to trial court just the state’s witnesses testified to false no sexual abuse 5 five days before he was to be legally evidence. lynched by the state of Texas. Continued on page 8 Rodney Reed WW PHOTO: GLORIA RUBAC Iowa union wins first contract 5 Boycott Wendy’s 8 Police out of Oakland schools! 3 Bolivia, lithium and China 9 Subscribe to Workers World ☐ 4 weeks trial $4 ☐ 1 year subscription $30 Violence, racism & football ☐ Sign me up for the WWP Supporter Program: workers.org/donate Editorial 10 Name _______________________________________________________________ Email _______________________________ Phone _________________________ Street _______________________________________________________________ City / State / Zip _______________________________________________________ Korea 10 Cuba 10-11 Gaza 11 Workers World Weekly Newspaper workers.org 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011 212.627.2994 Yellow Vest protests 11 Page 2 Nov. 21, 2019 workers.org Harvard Act on a Dream this week protests newspaper’s call to ICE ◆ In the U.S. By Genevieve Lechat Rodney Reed wins indefinite stay of execution ..... 1 Cambridge, Mass. Harvard Act on a Dream protests newspaper, ICE . 2 Black Organizing Project wants cop-free schools ...3 Nov. 15— Harvard College Act on a Dream Mike Africa Jr.: ‘Born on the MOVE’ .............3 (AOD) launched the #CrimsonListen campaign today with a petition, boycott, teach-in and Elderly, disabled people’s victory vs. Veolia........4 surprise action at a ceremony intended to wel- Portland: ‘Defend DACA!’ ......................4 come new leadership at the Harvard Crimson, On the picket line ..............................4 Harvard’s student newspaper. McDonald’s workers take on sexual harassment ...5 Undocumented and at-risk im/migrant stu- dents and workers had endured a disturbing ’McStrike’ in eight countries .....................5 September incident where the Crimson actually First union contract at Iowa General Mills plant ...5 called Immigration and Customs Enforcement to U.S. protests say ‘NO to fascist coup in Bolivia!’ ....6 solicit its comment following a militant “Abolish Activists return to Ft. Benning to Close the SOA! ...6 ICE” rally organized by AOD. AOD is fighting for DACA recipients to be Connecting anti-racism to anti-imperialism ....... 7 granted permanent citizenship. AOD considered ‘Boycott Wendy’s’ ..............................8 the invited “comment” as collaboration with ICE, NYC protest: Let Gaza live! ......................11 in that those who speak out despite their status could be targeted. Student reporters broke proto- PHOTO: GENEVIEVE LECHAT ◆ Around the world Middle of door sign reads “Stop endangering undocumented students.” col by not disclosing their intention to contact ICE Racist coup in Bolivia sparks resistance ........... 1 when they interviewed AOD rally participants. Crimson leadership doubled down when criticized for this joined the action. This group is connected to the univer- Bolivian leaders denounce U.S. role in coup . .9 disclosure lapse, pointing to “journalistic standards.” sity’s dining hall workers, who are represented by UNITE Bolivia, lithium and China’s BRI .................9 In the wake of this incident, many have pointed out that HERE Local 26. The dining hall workers have mounted Koreans say no to Trump ......................10 the Crimson’s record for seeking comment from agencies militant struggles for justice for workers with Temporary Report from anti-imperialist gathering in Cuba . 10 protested on campus has been totally inconsistent. Protected Status; they are also in solidarity with immi- The launch of #CrimsonListen today starkly highlighted grant and undocumented students and oppose any col- Yellow Vest protests show anger in France ........11 the willfully ignorant position of the storied student news- laboration with ICE. Palestinians resist Israeli renewed attack on Gaza ..11 paper leadership amidst the attacks on im/migrants in the A sign of the boycott’s success is that students say many Cuban medical personnel return from Bolivia .....11 U.S. As Black and Brown student editors walked out and stories have been scrapped or published without typical joined groups of protesters stationed at each entrance sourcing. The Crimson has also been expressing more ◆ Editorial leading to the planned ceremony, a smaller group locked than usual interest in campus workers’ issues and calling Violence, racism and football . .10 themselves in to engage in champagne horseplay, spray- union stewards from Local 26. But union stewards have ing and sipping at the repurposed “celebration,” while the been refusing these “opportunities” because they will not ◆ Noticias en Español crowd chanted and affixed placards to the doors. be scabs for the Crimson to use against their comrades in Solidaridad con la resistencia en Bolivia ......... 12 Four workers representing the Harvard TPS Coalition Act On a Dream. ☐ Workers World 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. New York, NY 10011 Join us in the fight Phone: 212.627.2994 E-mail: [email protected] for socialism! Web: www.workers.org Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist people are gunned down by cops and bigots on a regular Vol. 61, No. 47 • Nov. 21, 2019 party inside the belly of the imperialist beast. We are a basis. Closing date: Nov. 20, 2019 multinational, multigenerational and multigendered orga- The ruthless ruling class today seeks to wipe out Editor: Deirdre Griswold nization that not only aims to abolish capitalism, but to decades of gains and benefits won by hard-fought strug- Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, Martha Grevatt, build a socialist society because it’s the only way forward! gles by people’s movements. The super-rich and their Monica Moorehead, Minnie Bruce Pratt Capitalism and imperialism threaten the peoples of the political representatives have intensified their attacks on world and the planet itself in the neverending quest for the multinational, multigender and multigenerational Web Editors: Ben Carroll, John Steffin ever-greater profits. working class. It is time to point the blame at—and chal- Production & Design Editors: Gery Armsby, Sasha Capitalism means war and austerity, racism and repres- lenge—the capitalist system. Mazumder, Scott Williams sion, attacks on im/migrants, misogyny, LGBTQ oppres- WWP fights for socialism because the working class Copyediting and Proofreading: Paddy Colligan, sion and mistreatment of people with disabilities. It means produces all wealth in society, and this wealth should Sue Davis, S.