The conflict which would become known as the Water Wars, began as a series of public meetings held by local professionals and peasant irrigation farmers in Cochabamba. Initially, these meetings garnered little media attention and were ultimately ignored by the Bolivian government and Aguas del Tunari. However, as the public became more aware of the impending price hikes, the resistance picked up support from water cooperatives, neighborhood associations and most significantly labor unions. In early November of 1999, irrigation farmers brought the passage of Law 2029 to the attention of Fabriles (Cochabamba Federation of Factory Workers), an amalgamation of factory workers’ unions, which had been very active in organizing opposition to privatization
