Bolivians campaign for Nobel Prize for Evo Morales

About 10 stalls with banners, photos, information and signature books filled Cochabamba's Plaza 14 de Septiembre on October 2 as Bolivians continued their campaign for Evo Morales, the country's first indigenous president, to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

At the north end of the plaza there were rappers, speeches, songs and a band, with hundreds of people gathered to listen. "Evo is a conscientious person and simple man who fights for all to have a better life. He is an Aymara [an indigenous ethnic group] person who thinks of his people", said Edgar Quinonoz, collecting signatures for a petition, in response to Green Left Weekly's enquiry about why Morales should win the Nobel Peace Prize.

"It's important because he is a person who has suffered and is a poor person, so he is a strong candidate to win the Nobel Prize", said Seguido Rios, another signature collector. "He's a humble man who works for poor people", said Marerino Pilofura, an electrician, after signing the book of signatures. The chair of the proceedings argued, "Evo has known poverty, sadness and struggle, and he can reflect us".

Leonida Zurita Vargas, a senator from Morales's Movement Towards Socialism and a cocalero leader (cocaleros are growers of coca), surrounded by people wanting to say hello and kiss her, was also collecting signatures. "We want Evo to win the Nobel Prize because he is a defender of rights and he respects and represents the indigenous people", she told GLW.

To support Morales's nomination visit http://www.evonobel2007.org or email solidaridad@evonobel2007.org.

From GLW issue 727