When walking through the old and traditional Calle de las Brujas in La Paz one can buy all sorts of potions and herbs in little shops. However, the thing that surprised me most was not the numerous elixirs promising sexual prowess or love, but instead the fact that offerings for prosperity rituals were adorned with US currency instead of the Bolivian one.
This is highly interesting for a country that elected a government that is extremely hostile towards the United States. In fact, the strongly anti-imperial government of President Morales kicked US Ambassador Goldberg and the DEA out of the country in 2008, followed by USAID in 2013. A full ambassadorial relationship has not been reestablished to the present day. One would expect the attitude of the general population to be thoroughly soured after years of the Washington Consensus, CIA covert action, and the US-led war on drugs.
And yet, despite all this bad blood and contempt, ordinary Bolivians recognize that to wish for prosperity is equivalent to hoping for US dollars. This is highly indicative of the unequal global power structure and the very different places that the two countries occupy within it. During our visit to the U.S. embassy last Thursday we heard from Charge d’Affaires Brennan that the constant allegations of interference that the Bolivian government launches against the US are ridiculous given the simple fact that Bolivia is simply not important enough for any kind of attempt. US money will get you very far in Bolivia, upscale boutiques often mark their prices exclusively in dollars and exchange opportunities are omnipresent, but you would be hard pressed to find a US money exchange house that accepts Bolivianos.
Our taxi driver last night told me about how his biggest dream was to live in the United States. Even though it never came true he still holds on to hope that one day his children will be able to fulfill this vision. So as much as leaders like Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales try to (sometimes rightfully so) smear the image of our country, the allure of the American dream is alive and well in Bolivia.
This is a fascinating observation. What does this tell us about interstate relations when political ideology comes into conflict with "soft" cultural power? The US is highly alluring to Bolivians, and certainly American cultural dominance (movies, television, pop music, etc.) makes itself felt daily. How does this interact with political aspirations? Do the people who dream of moving to the US also like American political ideas, or simply want to escape to "greener pastures"?
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