Overview of Land and History 23The Andean countries, as well as Mexico and Guatemala,
are among the few regions in the world where one can
change climate at will. Only the sea is lacking in Bolivia.
But from the International Airport in El Alto, an inexpensive
plane ride with any South American airlines will take you
to a charming desert-seacoast town in Peru or Chile in less
than half an hour.
Exotic Gas
The coup d’etat used to be Bolivia’s most effective attention-
getting device in the world arena. Within today’s democratic
setting, it loses its greatest claim to fame.
Life without gun-toting dictators could have become
boring had it not been for the fact that many Bolivians
stubbornly believe that democracy is much more than
simply staging an election every four years. Any government
policy that becomes a contested issue will bring throngs of
demonstrators to the streets.
When political protests by indigenous organisations, union
activists, students and civic groups occur in La Paz, the city’s
geography becomes a main character in the drama.
La Paz is cradled by rugged foothills, with only one main
thoroughfare. This avenue draws a reasonably straight line
through the city, north to south. Any other path leads to an
asymmetrical maze of ups and downs, curves and abrupt
turns, considerably adding to the distance and time of a walk
or drive. The main avenue thus acts as a receptacle for most
business movement, motor vehicle or pedestrian.
Demonstrators can and do effectively paralyse vehicle
circulation through the city at places such as the aptly named
Villazón ‘Knot.’ Equivalent knots throughout the country
allow for the blocking of traffi c over lone roads through dense
mountains, effectively paralysing the whole country. Ever
since the Aymara anti-colonialist Tupac Katari laid siege on La
Paz in 1781, the strategic position of El Alto, the only viable
commercial entrance to and exit from La Paz, has allowed for
indigenous sieges to blockade the city, as happened in May
and June of 2005, in defense of Bolivia’s natural resources
against opportunistic exploitation by multinationals.