While everyone talks about the crying of Japanese politician, there is other type of political strategy on the other side of the earth, Bolivia.

About three months to the presidential elections in Bolivia, the current president Evo Morales did something interesting to prepare (?) the victory of his third term in power: giving a book about his infancy to school kids on the Day of Children – April 12 (According to the Chilean Newspaper “El Mercurio”)

Actually, Evo Morales has always caught my attention for the various reasons:
he is of indigenous origin and from a normal family in the rural area (no relation whatsoever with elites);
as a president he refused the Aid of the U.S. (see my previous entry “Plan B” );
and also, after the World Cup, he will play soccer (his favorite sport) as a professional with national minimum salary (1.480 bolivianos (210 dólares)). Oh, did I mention that he is 55 years old?

(Source of the photo)

Well, the president recently gave to school children a book called “The Adventures of Evito (Las Aventuras de Evito)” (written by Alejandra Claros, ex Chief of Presidential Staff).
This book is one of the 5 series-stories which show the personal history of Evo Morales from his infancy to become a president (“Evito” refers to “small Evo” in Spanish).

“The children nowadays must have social convictions and consciousness that the president had since his infancy, because our children were born without shortage, and that’s why it is necessary to know the other realities” says the author (El Mercurio). An example of this book’s text is as follows:

“Evito, with his brothers, had to walk for hours to get to the school. His mother had to wake up early in the morning to prepare their food.”

(Source of the photo)

Although some people are not in favor of this action, criticizing it as a political tactic (and I think so too), I support this action because every politician use whatever they can to get people’s attention (even crying bitterly as Japanese politician), and at least it is educational by showing both the rural life and the trajectory to become a president.

Besides, I think knowing the personal history of your national leader (like Japanese prime minister in my case) through Children’s book might be really interesting.

I will keep my eyes on the activities of Evito.

Thank you for reading.