Back to blighty!

I have finally taken the plunge and bought an extortionately expensive plane ticket back to Britain. I will be arriving on the 22nd June and stay in Britain until 5 August before returning to Bolivia via a brief sojourn in the States.

During my return trip, I will be helping to accompany a speaker tour by Oscar Olivera, one of the leaders of the "water war" in Cochabamba in 2000 that threw out US multinational Bechtel after they forced up water rates and confiscated communal water supplies. It was a defining event in Bolivia’s recent history that marked a huge increase in popular mobilisation against economic policies that were excluding the poor – and in many ways Evo Morales’ victory in recent elections can be traced back to Cochabamba.

Olivera is a critic of the Government and continues to fight for accountable water utilities. He is a very good speaker with interesting perspectives on the role of social movements in bringing about structural change. More details on the tour at the Radical Activist Network website. Do try and come along if you get a chance!