Cocalero

This is a documentary recorded with a hand held camcorder and the takes are necessarily shaky, I advise the viewer to take some Dramamine 20-30 minutes before viewing. But it is a deeply authentic and intimate depiction of Mr. Evo Morales' personality, his values, ambitions, and of his constituency. Ethnic backgrounds aside, as americans, from the Patagonia to Alaska, we should all celebrate the election of an american indian to the presidency of Bolivia and embrace him. All indians in the Americas have been excluded for far too long from participating in..., well, everything. History demonstrates we have been very bigoted and very unfair to american indians since the arrival of the españoles. This a humble means to bring a big message to everyone. Outstanding brave work of Mr. Alejandro Landes.

Move over War Room, James Carville and Bill Clinton, and make way for Cocalero, a new political documentary featuring highlights of the triumphant Presidential campaign of Evo Morales, a Bolivian Indian and leader of Andean coca growers' union.

The film sets out to do two things: first, to highlight Morale's campaign and portray him in the most charming way possible, and, secondly, to show the plight and dignity of the Andean Indians whose crusade against coca eradication has made them a cause célèbre among anti-American activists throughout the world- including the U.S. It succeeds on both levels even as it avoids an enlightening, non-partisan look at the consequences and rationales behind the anti-coca campaign.

The makers of Cocalero were given terrific access to Morales and you can't help but come away liking him. You see Morales campaigning down bustling city streets, stumping for votes in dirt-poor native farming communities, gamely spinning gotcha journos on television, and waxing eloquently from the podium before throngs of supporters. All the while, you're struck by his low-keyed personality. This is not the kind of populist leader we've come to expect. Morales is certainly charming and possesses a great sense of humor, but his manner is quite often underscored, and, at times reserved. He bears almost no resemblance to his bombastic, ideological partners Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro.

In addition to Morales, the filmmakers spend quite a bit of time with Leonilda Zurita, a rural candidate for Senate living in a thatched roofed shelter with no walls and no running water. At one point, Zurita leads fellow members of the women's coca union in chants: "Viva Comrade Evo, Viva the coca leaf, death to the Yankees." Typically I would have a bit of discomfort when hearing folks shout "death to the Yanks", but one look at the frailty of the assembled crowd and the jocular manner in which they hurl their chants make them seem more farcical than a threat.

The Zurita parts are fascinating. Here's a lady campaigning for Senate, one of Morales key politicos, and at one point in the film we see her apologize, as she offers a bowl of eggs to the camerman, that she "wasn't able to catch the chicken." At another, we watch Zurita as she helps bring in the harvest of the coca leaf.

Another interesting vignette shows off the PR skills of Adriana Gil, an attractive woman with traditional European looks who during the campaign worked as the spokesperson for Morale's political party, MAS. Gil is clearly a pleasant face and a strong spinmeister who was brought in to assuage the city people of St. Cruz who were mostly supporting the other candidate amid cries by Morales that he would try to expropriate land from those in cities who "had too much," and give it to the farmers.

If you want to view firsthand a fascinating foreign political process at work amid some gorgeous and fascinating scenery, this documentary will be well worth your time. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a dispassionate conversation about American and Bolivian coca policy and the good and bad of American foreign policy, this one won't satisfy you.

Here's the trailer: [...]

In 2005 Evo Morales made history by becoming Bolivia's first ever indigenous president nearly 500 years after the Spanish Conquest. "Cocalero" chronicles Morales' campaign to become president and it is a great story of a man facing impossible odds, fierce social obstacles and a nation at the breaking point after years of upheaval. Director Alvaro Garcia Lineras takes us deep into Morales' campaign, making this a fascinating, informative film to watch during this intense election season, here we see that American politics even at the worst look tame and cordial compared to what candidates face in Latin America. Morales was not just running for President, he was defying an old order that ran the country with a system that can only be deemed apartheid, as the nation's indigenous majority suffered hundreds of years of abuse by a white minority. We see Morales giving stump speeches, attending rallies, and facing racist attacks when entering an airport. There are great scenes where see Aymara indians training themselves to vote and finding ways to get around a lack of education and illiteracy to make their voice heard. The film's title is taken from the coca farmers, who grow the leaf from where the drug cocaine is produced, but here we learn about how this leaf has been traditionally grown for multiple uses, even toothpaste and is chewed by the indians in the same way you would drink coffee to wake up for the day. Lineras magnificently captures these and other indigenous traditions, educating the viewer on a world most Americans have no idea exists. The story of Morales also gives us a glimpse of the social conditions and discrimination that have led the masses to choose the Left in the region, we see Evo at a rally with Hugo Chavez where they send free trade agreements to hell and hear frightening stories, including one where Evo recalls watching an indian being tortured and burned alive as a small boy. "Cocalero" is a great political story and human drama, it has an exciting narrative and a heartfelt message about equality that few American political specials ever capture. As we debate here which candidates are more likeable and which candidate you can see yourself having a beer with, here is Evo Morales fighting tooth and nail with his indigenous people to take the power back after centuries of neglect. "Cocalero" tells a great story with universal appeal.

While the people of the US corporate state often claim to live in the world's leading democracy, - despite the common knowledge that we have the best democracy money can buy - "Cocaleros" shows that other people in the world know a few things about democracy themselves. With little money, but through ingenious organizing, the indigenous majority of Bolivia was able to elect a person who represented their interests, and would work to protect their coca growing traditions and distribute the wealth of the country more fairly. All these are radical ideas in the US, as we wage a global war against coca growing Plan Colombia: Cashing in on the Drug War Failure and concentrate wealth towards the upper classes The Global Class War: How America's Bipartisan Elite Lost Our Future - and What It Will Take to Win It Back. Nevertheless, Bolivians retain many of their communities and a sense of solidarity that has made democracy more of a reality than a catch-phrase. "Cocaleros" simply follows Evo Morales and his supporters as they do the mundane things of preparing for an election - media appearances, handing out flyers, learning about the ballots and so forth. While the popular movement for Evo grew, there were US political advisors who were working to get the establishment candidate elected. That issue is covered in the film Our Brand Is Crisis which features James Carville as he devises media strategies to frighten people into voting against Morales.

"Cocaleros" has some shots of Bolivia that are just beautiful, and the soundtrack of original music is sensational; and I thoroughly enjoyed the ways it represents indigenous people who were largely exterminated here in the US, and face vicious discrimination in South America. There are moments in the film where Morales is called a "f-ing Indian."
So, it was wonderful to see Morales win, and this film does a great job of honoring that historic achievement.

Many films are being produced that will help US citizens overcome their insularity and sense of superiority. It's a shame this sort of enlightening and humane movie isn't aired on stations like NBC, but Link TV and Sundance do air perception-expanding films like "Cocaleros."
I would also recommend the film The Corporation which features a segment on Bolivia's struggle to control their water resources, and also outlines the problems the entire world faces from massive corporate power.
Wikipedia also has an interesting write-up on Morales, who said, "The worst enemy of humanity is U.S. capitalism. That is what provokes uprisings like our own, a rebellion against a system, against a neoliberal model, which is the representation of a savage capitalism. If the entire world doesn't acknowledge this reality, that the national states are not providing even minimally for health, education and nourishment, then each day the most fundamental human rights are being violated."

Today, many Americans are excited about the campaigns of Rodham Clinton, Obama, and Richardson given their historic "firsts." In South Africa, a majority Black nation, many were excited about Mandela's becoming president. Here, interviewees say Bolivia is a majority indigenous country and the work shows the campaign of its first indigenous president Evo Morales.

Some parts of this work are odd. They interview Morales' car driver often. That would never happen with an American political candidate or president. At one point, Morales takes a swim and he leaves his shirt on, yet it seems like he's wearing underwear, rather than trunks.

This work may disturb many. Morales and his supporters often chant "Death to Yankees!" Everyone is a "comrade" here and that may scare those who oppose communism. Further, this work stated that individuals who voted "incorrectly" would be tortured by insects! Very scary! Amnesty, be on the lookout!

It was interesting to see so many indigenous people, not a mix of groups, but purely native to the area. The women often wore hats that only men wear in the United States. I loved the beautiful rainbow flags displayed here. Morales seemed to have a European phenotyped running mate, so I'm surprised they didn't describe their team as biracial, rather than indigenous. One rural man said something like, "How can the US punish us for growing coca when that's what they put in Coca-Cola!?" Hello! Coca-Cola has not had THAT ingredient in it for decades!

A lot of charismatic figures on the left have turned out to be shameful, Stalin is the standout example. So I don't want to praise Morales until I am sure that human rights aren't being violated down there. Personally, I don't want the US to receive a bunch of drug ingredients, but it's reasonable that South American farmers should be allowed to make a living somehow.

In short, it's hard to be neutral about the Morales campaign and presidency. Since Bolivia, its people, and its leaders don't get mentioned much in the news, this is worth a peep, especially for those interested in international relations.