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Strength Civil Society and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are vital for good governance, democratization and development. In the last decades the Bolivian Civil Society organized in the form of Social Movements, and started gaining force and raising their voices against the injustices and the inefficiency of the governments to give solution to their problems. One of the most important Social Movements in Bolivia is the cocaleros movement, the coca leaf growers´ movement. They spent more than thirty years fighting for what they considered to be their rights; they practically started form cero and created a strong organization that represents not only their particular interests, but the collective identity of their people. This work, based on a six months research among the cocaleros communities, academicians and civil society shows how this social movement emerged, how it has evolved over time and how its leaders managed to create perhaps the strongest social movement in the history of Bolivia.

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Born in Sucre Bolivia. Holds a BA in Economics from University of San Francisco Xavier of Chuquisaca, Sucre Bolivia. And a MsC in Development Management from University of Agder, Kristiansand - Norway. She currently works at the Center of Postgraduate Studies and Scientific Research dependent from University of San Francisco Xavier.

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