Weekly Report - 24 April 2014 (WR-14-16)

President Evo Morales might well trumpet two recent deals ahead of his re-election bid this October: one with the mining cooperatives, cooperativistas, following recent deadly clashes over a proposed mining bill [WR-14-14]; and another with the main umbrella union, Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), over minimum wage increases. These have both provided sources of unrest for his Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) government in recent years. However, while Morales remains clear favourite ahead of the vote, an unprecedented strike called by lesser ranking members of the military (FFAA), is proving an unexpected concern for his government.