Constituante Assembly In Sucre

So this weekend marks a historic event for Bolivia and its constitutional capital of Sucre. For the first time a Constituent Assembly which is majority indigenous will convene and begin the task of drafting a new constitution for Bolivia. To celebrate this event Presidents of several South American nations, Evo Morales the newly elected indigenous president of Bolivia, the delegates of the Assembly and reportedly up to 20,000 campesinos or economically challenged indigenous from the the countryside. Big news for a sleepy little city that seems to have changed little since Simon Bolivar called Bolivia's first Constituent Assembly here after winning independence from Spain. And the events have already begun with marching bands, Andean music in the streets, and a traveling museum with dolls dressed in traditional garb.

Accordingly the municipal government has gone on a quick spending spree in an attempt to spruce up the city for this weekends events. The crosswalks were freshly painted, only to be covered in footprints hours later, buildings are being washed and painted, sidewalks repaired and traffic, beggars and other undesirables including the ubiquitous orange juice sellers, are being kept three blocks away of the central plaza by the beefed up security. Assemblistas don´t get thirsty apparently.

Evo Morales will be attending the event in somewhat rough shape after having his nose bashed in a ¨friendly¨ soccer match near Cochabamba the other day. Can you imagine our president partaking in something so plebeian as a soccer game? We also hear that Chavez will be in town. His security team has apperently arrived, fresh from a visit to Tehran where El Presidente received an award for his anti-imperialistic efforts. i.e. his support of Iran in the U.N. against the U.S. led efforts for sanctions over Iran's nuclear policy.

Another effect of the big event is that it has been more difficult than usual for us to secure a hotel. We were warned before we left Cochabamba that this might be the case so we had made a reservation in just about the only place in the Lonely Planet guide that seemed to have space. But only through Weds. night. Luckily upon arrival and after walking around the city a bit we found a swanky hotel to spend my birthday and Friday night in. Hopefully a comfy base from which to view the madness that is apparently descending upon this city.