The impoverished South American country of Bolivia is at the brink of civil war. The country's first indigenous President, Evo Morales, has promised to redistribute land to the poor, and has provoked rich landowners in the state of Santa Cruz to secede from the central government. In the town of Cuevo, tempers flared during a series of violent clashes between landowners who blockaded the town and government forces intent on converting Cuevo into an indigenous reservation. One of these landowners is 29 year old American and former “Mr. Bolivia”, Duston Larsen, who has vowed to defend his land with guns, if need be. Mario Marpare, a rich peanut farmer with vast landholdings has faced criticism from the government and human rights groups for the mistreating of over one hundred indigenous families living and working on his property. Pro-government factions say that the indigenous population has been abused for years by rich landowners and they point to the low literacy rates and lack of proper health care and education as the real issue. The Underground has gone to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to cover both sides of this story. We covered the blockade's violent aftermath and filmed interviews with Mr. Larsen, Mr. Marpare and the impoverished tribesmen who live on their land in order to get to the heart of this matter. CLICK ON THE BANNER ABOVE TO VIEW THIS 7 MINUTE MOVIE. 

Finalist of the Lincoln Grammy Competition. This video of the Hotpipes' "The Future Is Where We Belong" is a co-production of Lasrever & Wendelfilm:

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