This is one of the funnier idiosyncrasies of Bolivian politics. They just will not let it go that they are land-locked due to a 19th century war with Chile. So every March 23rd, school children across the country make boats out of construction paper and are told it is their national duty to get Bolivia’s sea access back. It does make some sense from an economy and global-shipping standpoint, but you can tell they really take it personally also. Here’s a good story about it. I stayed home sick from the Kinder today but I know our kids were coloring boats and learning about it also.
Tom and Laura Sin Fronteras
Adventures in Boliva
An interesting commentary on the broad legal issues that often seem so at a distance to us but often permeate our lives in ways we cannot see. How different would Bolivia be with the water port that they have negotiated with Peru? Chile has thousands of miles of coastline yet won’t concede even a few files to Chile. The borders and barriers from Chile to Africa-often arbitrarily placed after conflicts-have lasting and deep impacts on the lives of people for hundreds of years. And borders are very difficult, legally speaking, to change without complexity rivaling a nano mite; so we have days of the sea to try and remember, and long negotiations for ports in other countries to try and keep hope.