I liked this movie until I started getting preached to.

Corporations employ millions of people throughout the world. They give them medical, dental, paid holidays, paid vacations, retirement plans and wages so they can live. Put down the Kool Aid.

Except that's not at all what happened in Bolivia. Or anywhere, for that matter.

The Bolivian economy had fallen apart a long ago, and was experiencing hyperinflation. The money a Bolivian earned one day would be worth half as much a week later. No economy can operate under such conditions, so the Bolivian government sought loans from the IMFs World Bank, which were granted.

The loans on their own were not enough to fix anything. The country required modernization and restructuring; simply throwing good money after bad would accomplish nothing. The water utilities were one area which required massive improvements; the old infrastructure had deteriorated and failed in many locations, so at the very least massive repairs were required, plus upgrades to bring the system in line with modern standards were also desirable. A consortium of companies - of which Bechtel was only one partner, and which included 4 local Bolivian companies - bid on the contract to repair, upgrade, and operate the water system. The Bolivian government granted them the contract because there really weren't any other options - nobody else wanted the job.

Once the consortium took over the infrastructure, they raised prices in order to pay for the much needed repairs and upgrades. People lost their minds that they were being asked to pay to fix their own water system, and started rioting. The two US and British companies said "screw this, not worth it" and left. The contract fell apart.


So - long story short - numerous companies, some large, some small, got together to try and fix the water system in a place that had neglected it for far too long. They raised prices in order to pay for it. And this is apparently "EEEEVIL Corporations Hurting Teh Little Guy".

This is why so many simpletons believe the "evil corporations" stories. They don't bother looking past the surface. After all, it's fun to listen to stories about good vs evil, and it's fun to have a boogyman to hate. And it takes work to actually stop and verify whether a story is true. So why bother, right?

What a waste of time is hearing the same old *beep* ethnocentrism = one of many causes for hatred around the world. The British Intelligence character(Brosnan) corrects Owen Wilsons' character, "AND OTHERS";"OUR Nations" have interests (as in multi-national corps.) Most comments here refer to American actions, corporations, etc.
I've happened into no fewer than three coups d'etat(and political revolutions) while traveling. Two in Thailand during 1970s (one involved open gunfire over my and others heads), both Thailand situations turned violent in minutes, lasting days/weeks with side note espoused hatred & anger at US's actions in SE Asia.
Comments here about corporate employees working overseas: Please speak from direct experience or shut the heck up. Arm chair supposition is dangerous.
While the film doesnt name country of incident beyond the Vietnamese border crossing, clearly references are Indochinese Peninsula.Recent 10/'16 death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej after a 70 year reign leaves a Thai Paradox.
I expect in the coming years America to repeat foreign images of "Ugly American" travel difficulties. Fortunately the majority of non American individuals are intelligent enough to separate individuals from national policy, global economics. Although having experienced these conflicts, I dread for the younger,temporary/first time abroad US peeps. Stay safe everyone and for crying out loud please tread lightly and RESPECT differences in world travel. Naivety/Ethnocentrism = Danger. Expect the unexpected, always.

Hualani