Pachakutic

i travelled up to manchester this weekend on the nasty express. nothing really express about it but it did give me a chance to read the sunday paper from cover to cover and listen to a variety of podcasts i had downloaded.

one of the podcasts i subcribe to is 'from our own correspondent' that's on radio 4. one of the pieces cuaght my attention as it summed up something i had been following with interest for a while now.

"Pachakutic" means a change in the sun, a movement of the earth which will bring a new era in Quechua, the language of the indigenous people of south america's andean mountains.

the last "pachakutic" was about 500 years ago when the conquistadores invaded and apparently the cycle is due to begin again about now.

the possible earth changing event might be the politics of south america. in all the recent elections, south america voters have voted in a different kind of politician than they have been used to. the 'men in grey suits' as they refer to them on the programme. It started with Lula (Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to give him his full name)- the ex steel worker who swept to power in brazil under a banner of social reform. he's seen as a moderate by the US. they are more scared of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela because Venezuala is the 3rd largest exporter of oil and especially important for th US's energy needs and beacause their arch enemy Fidel Castro keeps popping up at each of their inaugurations.

Another left leaning president is trying to build a more equal society in Chile and whats more she a woma- Michelle Bachelet- quite unusual for south america.

One of the most recent campions of this shift to the left is Bolivia new president Evo Morales- a former coca farmer who is always seen wearing his distintive striped jumper as he is "of the people and voted for by the people and will wear what the people wear, not a suit". apparently the jumper has become a bit of a fashion item back home. i think its really amazing that its the first indigenous person that the have elected president. it seems such an exciting time there. there are more election s this year in Peru, colombia and ecuador where interesting things couldd happen.

of course it all rests on how they do over the next few years.America is very worried already and probably preparing extra space on its Axis list. Bush is also worried as his currant policy to deal with there growing cocaine problem in the US is to wipe out the coca plantations completly in Bolivia for one. Morales satnd on this is sure they will crack down on the illegal trade but the Bolivians use the coca leaves to chew as they always have done. why should they lose out beacasue of a western drug problem. Interesting times.but i think i shift to the left in south america is definately for the best for the people there.

right well i'm just off to my local ingenoius farmers markets to get my stripey jumper and maybe a few coca leaves while i'm there.