PRAGOTI

 Pragoti republishes two articles on the "New Left" in Latin America. The first is an article published in The Marxist, written by Prof. Steve Ellner, Universidad de Oriente, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela that describes the experiences of the socialist parties in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador - their achievements, the challenges they face in building what they call, "21st century socialism" etc. The second is an article by Prof.

After Bolivia's new constitution was passed in a national referendum on Sunday, thousands gathered in La Paz to celebrate. Standing on the balcony of the presidential palace, President Evo Morales addressed a raucous crowd: "Here begins a new Bolivia. Here we begin to reach true equality.",writes Benjamin Dangl

The domestic and international reaction to the Left parties that are in office in a number of countries in South America – most notably in Bolivia and Venezuela – has tended to utilise violent, non-democratic and even means of sabotage to destabilise the regimes. The ongoing developments in Bolivia are the most notable examples of the tactics of the opposition.

The big question when Morales was elected was whether he could stay long in office, or whether the Bolivian right, perhaps in collusion with the armed forces, could oust him. He has now demonstrated that he can.

An EPW editorial (Courtesy Economic and Political Weekly) and an article by Immanuel Wallerstein (Courtesy Monthly Review) on the political developments in Bolivia.

The exit poll results ratified the mandate of President Morales and his Vice President García Linera and recalled three of the eight governors who were subjected to voting at the referendum. Article courtesy, Telesur and MRZine.