National Coordination for Change

The National Coordination for Change (Spanish: Coordinadora Nacional por el Cambio; CONALCAM) is a Bolivian political coordination of social movements aligned with the governing Movement for Socialism-Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples (MAS-IPSP).^[1] It was founded on 22 January 2007, during the Constituent Assembly of 2006-2007.^[2][3] CONALCAM mobilizes its member organizations in support of the "process of change" which includes the drafting and implementing of a new Constitution as well as a variety of social reforms.

Structure

According to the organization's statute in September 2010, CONALCAM is made up of the following parts: the President and Vice President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, social movement organizations, the national leadership of MAS-IPSP, and the parliamentary brigade of MAS-IPSP members in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.^[4]

CONALCAM is governed by a National Leadership (Spanish: Dirección Nacional), elected once every two years with the following seven offices: President; General Secretary; Secretaries of Political Affairs, Organic (i.e., Internal) Affairs, International Affairs, and of Resolutions; and a Spokesperson.^[4]

In 2010, the organization moved to increase its local and regional activities and incorporated into its statute Departmental and Regional organizations: CODECAMs and CORECAMs.^[4]

Member organizations

As of September 2010, there are twenty national social movement organizations affiliated with CONALCAM, including the Constituent Assembly.^[4] Among these organizations are:

• Unique Confederation of Rural Laborers of Bolivia (CSUTCB)
• National Confederation of Peasant Indigenous Originary Women of Bolivia - Bartolina Sisa
• Syndicalist Confederation of Intercultural Communities of Bolivia (CSCIB)
• Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia (CIDOB)
• National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu (CONAMAQ)
• General Confederation of Factory Workers of Bolivia

Conalcam also includes mining cooperatives, leftwing parties, vendors' guilds, neighbourhood associations, associations of small business enterprises, youth organizations and popular civic committees.^[1]

Mobilizations

CONALCAM was the key mobilizing organization for supporters of the MAS and the draft constitution during the 2008 unrest in Bolivia. In October 2008, it organized a march from Caracollo to La Paz to pressure the National Congress to authorize a referendum on the new constitution, which the Congress did on October 21, as tens of thousands of protesters flooded central La Paz.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} http://www.fmbolivia.com.bo/noticia35293-futuro-de-conalcam-se-define-manana.html
2. ^ "Nace la Coordinadora por el Cambio," Constituyente Soberana (website), January 23, 2007
3. ^ ^{a b} Moira Zuazo, "¿Los movimientos sociales en el poder? El gobierno del MAS en Bolivia," Nueva Sociedad 227, May-June 2010.
4. ^ ^{a b c d} CONALCAM (September 2010) (in Spanish). CONALCAM: Declaración de Pricipios; Reglamento. La Paz: Ministerio de la Presidencia, Vice Ministro de Coordinación con Movimientos Sociales y Sociedad Civil. pp. 19.