Bolivia’s Census Omits ‘Mestizo’ as CategoryPosted in Articles, Caribbean/Latin America, Census/Demographics, Media Archive on 2012-11-21 19:30Z by Steven |
Bolivia’s Census Omits ‘Mestizo’ as Category
The New York Times
2012-11-21
The Associated Press
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Bolivia is under a virtual curfew as census-takers count and classify the landlocked Andean nation’s population in its first census in 11 years.
Stirring controversy was the government decision not to include “mestizo” as a category of ethnicity.
People have the option of declaring themselves members of one of 40 ethnic groups, including Afro-Bolivians. But “mestizo,” or mixed-race, is not an option. Critics of President Evo Morales say he is afraid people won’t identify themselves with a particular indigenous group, thus delegitimizing the government…
Read the entire article here.