El Polaco

On March 23rd, the Bolivians commemorate the defeat in the War of the Pacific (1879), which was led against Chile (which started the war after a bilateral agreement was allegedly broken by Bolivia). It´s the day of the death of the Bolivian martyr Eduardo Abaroa, who is mostly known for his last words: “Surrender to you cowards, I? Your grandmother shall surrender!” He died without inflicting any losses (except for a few wounded) to the numerically superior Chilean forces. As a result of the war Bolivia lost its sea coast to Chile. On the “Day of the Sea” the Bolivian leaders use to demand the land back from Chile. This year (2013), the Bolivian president Evo Morales announced to lodge a claim against Chile at the Permanent Court of Arbitration The Hague…