[Marxism] a comment on Bolivia's proposed new constitution

[Doug Ireland]

I thought you might be interested in my response to a question from one of
my readers on Bolivia. It is below.
-- Doug Ireland, Gay City News

Dear David,
Thanks for your note. Yes, I was aware of the ban on sexual orientation
discrimination in the proposed new Bolivian constitution, and yes, you are
right that it would only be the second country after South Africa to do such
a thing constitutionally if the constitution is approved.
   However, the constitution is far from being ratified. First, there's
going to be a land reform referendum on an amendment proposed by Morales to
which the big landowners in the eastern region of Santa Cruz are opposed. If
that is passed, then the whole constitution as amended goes to a referendum.
IF it passes in that second referendum, it still has to be approved by 2/3
of the national legislature.
   The conservative political opposition, and the governments of the four
rich eastern provinces -- which are in open rebellion against Morales in a
struggle for control of the rich oil and gas reserves there and are passing
autonomy statutes that stop just short of secession -- are going to campaign
for a "no" vote on the Constitution, and the big business interests and the
multinational corporations are going to dump a ton of money into the "no"
campaign.  So, when it does happen against this background of a fierce
power--and--money struggle over control of Bolivia's natural resources, the
referendum on the constitution will in essence be a referendum on Morales.
That's why passage of the constitution is by no means certain -- and just
look at what happened when the Venezuelans  just weeks ago narrowly rejected
the constitutional changes sought by Hugo Chavez. So don't open the
champagne just yet.
    It's a little too soon to celebrate the proposed new Bolivian
constitution. But the sexual orientation section of it may be used
demagogically by the opposition to inflame Catholics against it -- if that
starts to happen, I'll certainly write something about it. We'll see what
develops over the next months.
    I appreciate your interest.
    Happy New Year,
    Doug Ireland
    Gay City News
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Morris
  To: direland at nyc.rr.com
  Sent: Friday, December 21, 2007 3:54 PM
  Subject: Bolivian constitution


  Dear Doug Ireland,

  Are you aware that the proposed new constitution for Bolivia, soon to be
voted on in a referendum, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation?  If the voters approve it, if I'm not mistaken, Bolivia will be
the second country in the world, after South Africa, with such
constitutional protection, Venezuelan voters having recently voted down
constitutional ammendments that would have provided protection in that
country.

  The relevant text, from Título II, Capítulo Primero, Artículo 14:

  II. El Estado prohíbe y sanciona toda forma de discriminación fundada en
razón de sexo, color, edad, orientación sexual, identidad de género, origen,
cultura, nacionalidad, ciudadanía, idioma, credo religioso, ideología,
filiación política o filosófica, estado civil, condición económica o social,
tipo de ocupación, grado de instrucción, discapacidad, embarazo, u otras que
tengan por objetivo o resultado anular o menoscabar el reconocimiento, goce
o ejercicio, en condiciones de igualdad, de los derechosde toda persona.

  Best wishes.

  David Morris