Jorge H. Quispe C. / La Paz
On Monday, November 8, when President Luis Arce completes a year in office, at least 10 social sectors, including unions, transporters, doctors, farmers and others will begin an indefinite general strike, roadblocks and the closure of borders in Against Law 1386. Conade confirmed last night that it will join the measure with regions, civic groups and opposition parties.
In a multisectoral meeting in Santa Cruz, where not only the unions were present, but also the heavy and federated transport, peasants, the doctors’ union and the Medical College, the XI Indigenous March, neighborhood councils, self-employed, self-managed, vehicle salesmen and autonomous traders, it was decided to go to an indefinite general strike from November 8.
“The proposal was made by the unions of Cochabamba and the heavy transporters who raised the indefinite general strike. That was considered and it was approved by a majority to go to the indefinite general strike until the Government repeals Law 1386 ”, explained the union leader Édgar Alvarez. The social sectors consider that Law 1386 is the “mother law” of bill 218, which was withdrawn by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly on October 15.
For his part, Francisco Figueroa, executive of the Confederación de Gremiales de Bolivia, added that the decision was taken in consensus with all sectors. “National institutions, including heavy motor transport, local, unionized, the union sector and doctors have resolved to go to an indefinite strike since Monday, November 8,” he corroborated.
Alliance with carriers
For his part, the president of the Bolivian Chamber of International Heavy Transport, Alfredo Borja, confirmed the alliance between sectors: “We are joining forces with the union sector, the health sector and the other sectors, as of Monday 8 we are going to make a forceful paralysis of the country, that indicates that we are also going to paralyze the borders ”.
On the 21st and 22nd, the unions already held a 48-hour strike and now they have also decided that there will be roadblocks and border closures. “Yes, heavy transport has committed to closing the borders and the highways,” Álvarez emphasized.
Activate Unit Block
From the National Committee for the Defense of Democracy (Conade), which met virtually last night, its representative Manuel Morales reported that they will join the indefinite general strike on November 8.
“We unanimously decided today (last night) to join the strike and call on other social sectors to fold. In days we will have a meeting of the Unity Block with civic, opposition parties, platforms and other organizations to comply with the strike until the repeal of Law 1386, “said the activist Morales.
The measure will begin on the day that Arce will turn one year at the helm of the Government. “That will be our response, on Monday, November 8, when Arce will turn one year old, a president who intends to install a package of authoritarian economic norms,” Morales said.
The leader Figueroa added that they will not cease with the measures until the repeal of the norm, which the Executive promulgated in August. “We are asking for the support of the civic committees for the strike,” he said.
The sectors hope that the Government can summon them to discuss the repeal of the rule, something that the Executive ruled out this week.
They propose adjustments
Prior to the decision of the social sectors, Deputy Héctor Arce, of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), said yesterday in Cochabamba that if the mobilized sectors “show that there are articles that go against the Constitution,” they could repeal them, but confirmed that they would not. They will repeal Law 1386.
“Some article can be repealed, but if they show that it is really unconstitutional. There it can be reviewed, “said the assemblyman before the media, who later called on the unions to reconsider” and not lend themselves to this game of the right (opposition). ”
They reject proposal
Asked about the proposal of Deputy Arce, the union leader Álvarez asserted. “If they want to repeal articles, that they repeal the seven that Law 1386 has, so we can talk. The mandate of the sectors is clear: total repeal of 1386 ”.
The union invited the Government to jointly draft a new law. “That they draw up a specific law for corruption, for drug trafficking, a specific rule for these crimes.”
On Wednesday, the Unity Pact, akin to MAS, made up of the Single Trade Union Confederation of Peasant Workers (Csutcb), the Bartolina Sisa National Confederation of Women, the Intercultural Communities Confederation, the National Council of Ayllus and Markas del Qullasuyu (Conamaq ) and the Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia (Cidob), declared a state of emergency.
They said that “they will unquestionably defend” the Arce government, considering that the president is the victim of a “systematic attack by the fascist right” and “threats of coups and separatism supported by US imperialism.”
The activist Morales believes that the Bloque de Unidad, which the Conade formed, “has already replaced the COB (Central Obrera Boliviana) that does not defend the population. Now the different social sectors are mobilizing to defend their rights ”, he insisted. The COB is questioned by the opposition for its affinity with the ruling party.
10 sectors
they met yesterday between unions
carriers, doctors, indigenous
and others to go to unemployment.
“We are joining forces with the union, health and other sectors. As of Monday the 8th, we are going to bring the country to a complete standstill ”.
Alfredo Borja, carrier
