Bulletins and News Discussion from July 1st to July 7th, 2024 - Morales vs Arce - COTW: Bolivia
Image is of Bolivian President Luis Arce (center, with glasses) face-to-face with General Zuñiga (in camouflage) during the coup attempt.
On the 26th of June, while Hexbear was in an 8-hour hibernation, General Juan José Zuñiga marched 200 troops and some armored vehicles on the government palace in an attempt to overthrow the democratically elected government of Luis Arce. This is somewhat reminiscent of Jeanine Anez's coup in November 2019 where she overthrew the socialist president Evo Morales, but while that coup was due to a colour revolution likely orchestrated by the United States and had at least a tiny amount of political/public legitimacy and "followed the rules" in a certain sense (as Morales was trying to abolish presidential term limits, which is only evil if a socialist is doing it), this was a much more naked attempted seizure of power by a military general.
This coup was quickly terminated without even a momentary transfer of power. Democracy was saved.
Despite being in the same party, Morales and Arce have increasingly been in opposition. Morales champions anti-imperialism, rights for indigneous people, and poverty reduction. This last one especially has been threatened by Arce, though it's not entirely his fault, as the Bolivian economy is threatened by the same crisis affecting so many developing economies around the world right now - say it with me now - a lack of dollars and mounting debt. The US Federal Reserve is carrying out a bloody offensive against the world's poor, and this has combined nastily with a rather uninspiring "post"-coronavirus economic recovery in Bolivia, as well as diminishing natural gas production (and thus less exports with which to earn dollars).
While the coup was ongoing, Morales banded behind the government. Afterwards, however, Morales expressed his skepticism about whether the coup was, in fact, genuine, calling for an independent investigation into it, and saying that Arce “disrespected the truth, deceived us, lied, not only to the Bolivian people but to the whole world." This is because General Zuñiga made a series of very interesting statements to his family and colleagues, saying that Arce had "betrayed" him, and saying that Arce had told him “‘The situation is very screwed up, very critical. It is necessary to prepare something to raise my popularity.'" This does check out on the surface level, at least: Arce has suffered increasing unpopularity as the economy has suffered.
Interestingly, Morales' narrative has been supported by the anarchocapitalist leader of Argentina, Javier Milei, who is currently busy completely destroying his own country and stripping the copper out of the walls to give to American capitalists. Milei said that the coup attempt was "fraudulent". Meanwhile, those inside MAS opposed to Morales' accusations of a false coup have accused him of allying with the fascist right and becoming an instrument of imperialism.
The COTW (Country of the Week) label is designed to spur discussion and debate about a specific country every week in order to help the community gain greater understanding of the domestic situation of often-understudied nations. If you've wanted to talk about the country or share your experiences, but have never found a relevant place to do so, now is your chance! However, don't worry - this is still a general news megathread where you can post about ongoing events from any country.
The Country of the Week is Bolivia! Feel free to chime in with books, essays, longform articles, even stories and anecdotes or rants. More detail here.
Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section. Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war. Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don't want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it's just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists' side.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Pro-Russian Telegram Channels:
Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.
https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR's former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR's forces. Russian language. https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one. https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts. https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster's telegram channel. https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator. https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps. https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language. https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language. https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a 'propaganda tax', if you don't believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses. https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.
The cognitive dissonance in here is amazing to behold. Now that it turns out that Iran won’t, actually, be wiping Israel off the map and is in fact moving in the opposite direction, it will be exciting to watch the deluge of “patriots in control” type cope overrun Hexbear as the fantasies of destroying Israel fizzle out into nothing.
First it was Hamas that was going to destroy Israel, then when that didn’t happen all you stupid fucking braindead marks frantically turned up the gaslighting machine and assured everyone that you didn’t say what you said and moved the goalposts to redefine “victory” as “not completely exterminated”. No amount of lying and gaslighting is going to change the record of your frothing glee on October 7 as you all predicted the imminent collapse of Israel. Now you’re all stuck doing mental gymnastics trying to rationalize taking potshots at soldiers in a bombed out shithole as a “victory” and the successful occupation of half of Gaza and the further seizure of territory in the West Bank as a “crushing defeat”. It’s extremely funny watching all of you go “no we never said Israel was going to instantly collapse” knowing full well that you absolutely fucking did.
Then it was Iran that was going to destroy Israel. Whoops! Better start working on your lying gaslighting narrative about how you never predicted that and it’s actually a victory since the new president hasn’t fucked Netanyahu yet and actually the game is still on, hardliners working behind the scenes, trust the plan. Patriots in control.
And then Yemen was going to destroy the US Navy, and then that didn’t happen and you repeated your gaslighting trick to pretend you didn’t say that and smugly proclaiming “of course that wasn’t going to happen”, as you redefine victory yet again, this time to mean sinking random cargo ships.
Now it’s Hezbollah that’s going to destroy Israel. When that doesn’t happen you’ll all be back on your bullshit with your lying and gaslighting.
Now that it’s clear to all that Israel isn’t toppling anytime soon, you’re forced to cope by lying yet again, this time claiming you meant that Israel would gradually collapse from “contradictions” - a term constantly used but never defined. And when that, too, doesn’t happen, you’ll have the relatively easy task of stretching the duration of “gradual” until you’re using geological epochs.
You’re all exactly like the NAFO marks on twitter, eagerly proclaiming the latest great victory as the steamroller is actively going over your desiccated corpse.
Your ability to completely detach from reality and ramble on about your triumph in the face of an obvious and undeniable defeat would be admirable if it didn’t make you look like the dumbest people on the fucking planet. It’s truly impressive - Israel could completely occupy and annex all of Gaza and it would still be a defeat for Israel and a victory for Hamas. For uh, reasons. I guess after that happens I’ll have to wait a few days before checking back in so you have time to prepare your batshit insane mental gymnastics explanation for why that is the case.
See you all in 10 years when America is still the global hegemon, Israel still exists, and the global socialist revolution hasn’t started. I would bet every last penny that you’ll all still be predicting the imminent collapse of the USA.
You fucking lost. But you will never, ever, ever acknowledge it. If any one of you got into a fight that ended with you getting shot in the head, you’d be posting “I’ve won, actually, and here’s why” as you’re floating up up and away from your mangled corpse.
Any time anything happens, you start from the conclusion that you’ve won and shoehorn anything and everything to fit that conclusion. I guess it makes you feel better about your pathetic self, but if you ever want to actually win, that’s not going to work. But go on, have fun crossing out “defeat” and hastily scribbling over it with “victory” and celebrating as you retreat further and further into the abyss of historical irrelevancy. The world will ultimately move on from the question of Israel.
It’s good entertainment watching a group of people who continually, unceasingly eat shit day in and day out make nonstop pronouncements about the inevitability of their global revenge. Sure thing honey! Whatever makes you sleep at night.
And then Yemen was going to destroy the US Navy, and then that didn’t happen and you repeated your gaslighting trick to pretend you didn’t say that and smugly proclaiming “of course that wasn’t going to happen”, as you redefine victory yet again, this time to mean sinking random cargo ships.
You know a maritime superpower is successful and thriving when it has completely failed in its stated mission to keep an important international waterway open for all global trade because it's been foiled by a small and poor nation
Look, Yemen's military operation is succeeding completely in its goal of blockading the red sea, in spite of extensive US efforts, but since they didn't blow up every USN ship, they're actually losers you dumb commie
Sun Tzu, literally 2500 years ago; if you can win without having to engage in a pitched battle you should definitely do that and it's the second best way to win after convincing your enemies to join you.
This is the first time I've seen a natonazi dare enter the news megathread
Eat shit, imperialist. You can't even produce hypersonic missiles. You have started hundreds of wars and lost them all. You completely depend on china. Your ammo is running out. Your titanium is fake. Your politicians are corrupt geriatric losers.
Imagine spending countless hours on Hexbear reading posts, creating an account called 'Great Hexbear Delusion', then writing out whatever the hell copium this is and thinking you're a winner. Hexbear is absolutely rent free in your head and the won't stop.
You spent how many days watching this thread lying in wait for the exact moment something went even slightly off course to intricately craft the most sublime dunk that will finally own the eebil tankies once and for all only to shit out this flood of squid ink behind an alt?
It’s good entertainment watching a group of people who continually, unceasingly eat shit day in and day out make nonstop pronouncements about the inevitability of their global revenge. Sure thing honey! Whatever makes you sleep at night.
then there is no conflit ? we Sleep , you are entertainted .. just join , Grillpill and watch the West Collapse. its great fun and cures Insomnia
You fucking lost. But you will never, ever, ever acknowledge it. If any one of you got into a fight that ended with you getting shot in the head, you’d be posting “I’ve won, actually, and here’s why” as you’re floating up up and away from your mangled corpse.
seriously... i went for a long walk tonight and about 1/2 thru I got some pretty serious chest pains and tightness goin on and pretty much instantly thought I might be having a heart attack. After that initial "oh shit" moment, I was like "ok sweet, lets get this over with!" and then it started to subside... sigh
folks, we can't stop winning. I told everybody in this megathread that they'd be tired of being right all the time, and look where we are now.
now we have lemmitors trying to convince us that we're wrong. the same people who said "well well well, I guess Yemen is gonna find out why we don't have healthcare! we're gonna bomb them back into the stone age and break their blockade!" and we replied "no, the US is incapable of doing this" are now like "oh, well, TECHNICALLY Yemen didn't destroy the US Navy, so you have been owned and are wrong" while the blockade remains firmly in place.
"haha! looks like our aircraft carrier HASN'T sunk after all!" as it fled in fear back to the US and away from one of the poorest nations on the planet, the US navy the most embarrassed its been since the end of the Cold War.
"Israel is gonna crush Hamas before Christmas, the IDF is one of the best militaries on the planet!" has its goalposts shifted to "oh yeah, Hexbears? Hamas still hasn't defeated the IDF despite us being 9 months into the conflict" as if anti-colonial wars of attrition throughout history haven't lasted for years (Vietnam, Korea, etc)
"you told us dedollarization was going to happen, and the dollar has barely shifted." while it took decades and two world wars with tens of millions dead for the pound sterling to be overthrown and the dollar put in its place. we aren't talking about the yuan making up 60% of world trade by 2025, we're talking about a basket of currencies making up a majority of world trade by maybe 2040, in the optimistic scenario.
I recommend you read theory and study history, and perhaps then you'd be as correct as us and stop having to constantly shift your goalposts. the only major event that many of us have been wrong about is the initial invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and that event has recalibrated many of our expectations and lead us to seek new interpretations and predictions of events so as to prevent further mistakes. in fact, the only times since then that we've been meaningfully wrong has been when we went with the mainstream liberal analysis out of a lack of any better ideas (such as when people were predicting that Russia would quickly occupy Ukraine in only a few months at the beginning of the war). once it became clear that Russia was settling in for a slower, attritional conflict, we were in broad agreement that the war would last a while, many months or a few years, merely disagreeing on the exact timeframe of Ukrainian collapse.
Not particularly, it's basically a long ramble of "See, everything you know is wrong!" and making up claims about the positions and attitudes of the newsthread. Like, it's obvious that it was a lurker, but one that doesn't actually understand why we speculate the way we do.