The Bolivian Workers' Center (Spanish: Central Obrera Boliviana, COB) is the chief trade union federation in Bolivia. It was founded in 1952 following the national revolution that brought the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement to power. The most important affiliate of the COB was the Union Federation of Bolivian Mine Workers (FSTMB). From 1952 to 1987, the COB was led by Juan Lechín, who was also head of the FSTMB. The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was established in the wake of the Second World War to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations. ... La Paz, Bolivia Central La Paz Panoramic sight of the city of La Paz La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. ... A national trade union center is a federation of trade unions in a single country. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... MNR logo The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (Spanish: Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario) is a political party in Bolivia. ... Juan Lechín Oquendo (May 18, 1914 – August 27, 2001) was a labor-union leader and head of the Federation of Bolivian Mine Workers (FSTMB) from 1944 to 1987 and the Bolivian Workers Union (COB) from 1952 to 1987. ...

The COB played a significant role in the series of demonstrations that brought down President Carlos Mesa. The COB has supported nationalization of the natural gas reserves and opposed water privatization during the 2000 Cochabamba protests. Carlos Diego Mesa Gisbert (born August 12, 1953) was the President of Bolivia from October 17, 2003 until his resignation on June 6, 2005. ... Nationalization or Nationalisation is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or, especially in India, disinvestment) is the process of transferring property from public ownership to private ownership and/or transferring the management of a service or activity from the government to the private sector. ... The Cochabamba protests of 2000 were a series of protests that took place in Cochabamba, Bolivia, between January and April 2000, because of the privatization of the municipal water supply, which was sold to a private company, International Waters Limited (IWL) of London (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bechtel Corporation...

COB demonstration, October 2005

The current Executive Secretary of the COB is Jaime Solares.

External link

• Interview with Jaime Solares (in English)