Bolivia

Media blooper of the year: Bolivian channel uses images from TV drama "Lost" in coverage of Air France crash

Team Observers — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:14:52 +0200

A mighty blow for Bolivian television network PAT. Last Thursday, they aired "exclusive" photos supposedly taken by a passenger of Air France flight 447 at the moment the plane crashed. In fact, the mid-air plane dismemberment photos were taken from the television series "Lost."

The Bolivian news presenter even specified that the images were found in a Casio Z750 digital camera, retrieved after the disaster.

As with many other media outlets we received these images via email last week. One can see a passenger spiralling off into the atmosphere in the second shot; in the first shot, the face is obviously that of actress Evangeline Lilly, who plays the character Kate on “Lost.” She is seen seated with an oxygen mask on her face. Another embarrassing tipoff: on the photos, it is clearly daytime, whereas the Airbus A330 crash occurred in the middle of the night.

The Bolivian network was not the only one duped. A Dutch radio station and a Polish television network also fell for it.

Prison safari

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:26:38 +0100

Image: "emmablackburn" on Flickr.

A notorious prison in Bolivia has been condemned by the government for allowing tourists to visit the premises, take photos and videos, and talk to the inmates. If you never made it inside the cárcel de San Pedro, it's too late now - the prison governor was sacked last week because of the illegal tours. See the images from those who got there before the doors were slammed shut...

Indigenous communities march for Morales

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:20:24 +0200

Tens of thousands of largely indigenous demonstrators who trekked for nine days in support of President Evo Morales' constitutional reform - which would give more power to the country's indigenous majority - Monday celebrated the draft's approval by Congress. Our Observer from La Paz took part in the "long march".

The demonstrators marched into the capital and up to the Bolivian parliament on Monday, where MPs were examining Morales' planned reforms of the constitution. They hoped to put pressure on ministers to agree that the constitution be put to the people in a referendum. And after hours of debates, the go-ahead was given last night. The changes introduced by Morales include a chapter on the rights of the country's native people, and increased state control of the economy. Initially opposed to the project because it was thought to give too much power to the president, the opposition has since reached a compromise with the head of state. The referendum, which is expected to be passed, is planned for 25 January.

Abraham Bojorquez, no bling-bling rapper

Julien — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:00:00 +0200

Far from the gold chains and bimbos of American video clips, Abraham Bojorquez raps to his American Indian fans at 4000 metres above sea level.

Material compiled with the help of our regional editor for South America, Johana Kunin.

With a new constitution, the country’s at breaking point

Julien — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:23:13 +0100

M. Chuquimia

When Bolivia's constitutional assembly approved the draft of the new charter, the effects were immediate. Four provinces declared themselves autonomous on Saturday, and huge crowds took to the streets to protest against the constitutional reform. At the same time, tens of thousands of Morales fans, most of them followers of the MAS (Movement Toward Socialism) party, marched in the streets of the country's administrative capital, La Paz, in support of the change (see photos). Torn by the division between a large American Indian population and a wealthy minority, South America's poorest country is in crisis. Our observers follow the events.

Bolivia's new constitution is born into a chaotic climate

Julien — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:39:17 +0100

Material from our regional editor for South America, Cristiano de Sa Fagundes.

The Bolivian assembly approved a new constitution, which grants more power to President Evo Morales on Sunday. The approval was controversial, to say the least. There was an opposition boycott in the assembly, with only 164 out of 255 deputies present for the vote. What's more, the underlying tensions between supporters of Morales and mestizo Bolivians - who consider themselves descendants of Europeans - still run deep. In the run-up to Sunday's vote, there were violent protests in the central Bolivian city of Sucre, in which at least three people were killed. The extent of the violence can be seen in this video, filmed in Sucre on Nov. 23, where the constituent assembly had been meeting. We see opposition supporters tackling the police, and later, a policeman finds himself surrounded by rioters after his motorbike breaks down.

Post your questions to Cristiano de Sa Fagundes.

The video was filmed by Paul van Hooff, a Dutch freelance journalist, and posted on 23 November 2007.