Cocalero: a Bolivian documentary

Title: Cocalero
Released: 2007

Plot Summary

Cocalero is a 2007 documentary about current president of Bolivia Evo Morales and his campaign leading up to the presidency. The first president of Bolivia with indigenous roots, Evo rose to power through his involvement with Cocaleros, or unions of farmers that grow and harvest coca leaves. The documentary follows Evo and staff working on his campaign as well as the lives of coca farmers.

There were several interesting aspects of the movie, including the local perspective about the coca leaf, a sacred element of Andean societies that the US has made it a point to eradicate to avoid its processed derivative cocaine from ending up in its major cities.

Although overall worthwhile, this 94 minute documentary could have been half the time and been more effective, editing scenes like a man falling asleep while his wife figures out how to use a calculator or Evo Morales's second haircut.