The bank

Outside the bank is a sad line of elderly campesinos waiting to cash their Social Security checks. They stand patiently in the rain with their derby hats covered by plastic bags. On their faces is the look of resignation that is so frequent among the very poor. They have walked down from their homes high in the mountains and must later return on foot. Meanwhile, I am ushered to the front of the line, along with a local restauranteur. When I asked him about this later, he said that it used to be much worse before Evo came into power. Then the discrimination was very bad, and indigenous people were not even allowed into government buildings.