National Coordinator for Change

The National Coordinator 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

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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

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

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

Mobilizations

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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

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  1. ^ a b "Futuro de Conalcam se define mañana :: Noticias de Bolivia de último momento". fmbolivia.com.bo. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  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). CONALCAM: Declaración de Principios; Reglamento (in Spanish). La Paz: Ministerio de la Presidencia, Vice Ministro de Coordinación con Movimientos Sociales y Sociedad Civil. p. 19.