Santa Cruz Shows its Warm and Fuzzy Side Once Again

Santa Cruz civic leaders, in their opposition efforts against the Morales Administration, have always wrapped themselves in the mantle of Bolivia's true protectors of democracy. They stand in contrast, they tell us, to the anti-democratic threat of Bolivia's left in general and MAS and Morales in particular.

Over the past few weeks, however, leaders and groups in Santa Cruz have shown us some unusual illustrations of what they mean by democracy and enlightened governance.

Last week, for example, we learned that the Santa Cruz airport was a place where airline pilots were expected to pay special landing fees in cash. American Express and Visa, not accepted. Those "under the wing" fees fueled a special slush fund for airport officials and others, the details of which we are still learning about.

Also last week, the region's governor offered anther glimpse at how things are done Santa Cruz style. In his call for tens of thousands of Cruceños to march on the airport and retake it by force, following the military's dawn takeover, Governor Ruben Costas pronounced himself the "only true commander in the region." That declaration led to a reminder from the head of Bolivia's military this week, to the governors, that none of them have any command authority under the nation's constitution.

Then yesterday some of Santa Cruz's youth showed us their own spirit of Cruceño commitment to peaceful democracy as well.

Over the weekend Morales sparked a new national debate over how to spend oil and gas revenues, when he proposed tapping those funds for a new pension plan for Bolivia's elderly, replacing the Bonosol program. Legitimately, this led to a round of concern by other recipients of those funds – from city governments to universities. It is altogether reasonable to insist on taking a close and sober look at how best to allocate public funds.

On Wednesday university students in Santa Cruz entered that debate with the eloquence that seems to be the standard now from the region – racist epithets and violence. Launching a confrontation with local police, at least five students and officers were wounded. We don't know if the students chatted with their grandparents about the plan for higher elderly benefits before they ripped off their shirts and started a street battle.

One of the things that you hear in Santa Cruz, about their neighbors in other parts is that, "We work, and they just protest all the time. That's their version of democracy, protest and violence." Santa Cruz argues that it needs autonomy as a way to shield itself from the evils of shoddy government, loudmouthed leaders, and violent protest.

But actually, right now, it looks like Santa Cruz is doing a pretty stellar job of having all those things right at home.

Photo from Opinion