Indigenous groups in Bolivia have begun a march from Trinidad to La Paz, a journey of over 300 miles, to protest a highway now under construction that will bisect a biodiverse rain forest region, reports the BBC. The protestors reside in the Isiboro-Secure Indigenous Territory and National Park (TIPNIS) in the west-central region of Bolivia, and believe the highway will result in deforestation and development. Bolivian President Evo Morales has accused the United States of supporting the protestors. Revisit these National Geographic magazine articles offering background on the issues:
Alma Guillermoprieto reports on changes in Bolivia in recent years, most strikingly the rise of Evo Morales, the first Indian president, in Bolivia`s New Order (July 2008). She recounts the rocky history of the country, including rule by the Spanish conquistadores, deadly labor camps, a corrupt military elite, and battles over coca production. Photos of the Altiplano by George Steinmetz, ...