September 4, 2024, 7:00 AM
September 4, 2024, 7:00 AM
Luis Arce is in the middle of an escalation of conflicts. The President said yesterday that there is an intention to “convulse the country for electoral ambitions” and affirmed that he will continue to lead the public administration. At the helm, Evo Morales is already his worst political enemy. The coca growers leader assured that “patience has run out” and announced the start of a march from Caracollo to La Paz on September 17. The Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS) evista met yesterday in Villa Tunari and also decided, among other points, the “definitive expulsion” of Luis Arce and David Choquehuanca from the MAS.
The former president’s supporters, for their part, did not rule out the start of roadblocks.
Given this scenario, Arce questioned the protest announcements from different sectors due to the lack of dollars, fuel and also the results of the census. He does not justify the measures and said that will continue to do management.
“In the face of those who bet on hatred, lies, violence and confrontation between Bolivians seeking to convulse the country for electoral ambitions, our response will always be more work and action in favor of the Bolivian people,” wrote the head of state yesterday.
Bolivia is going through an economic crisis and, in recent months, various sectors have taken to the streets to demand solutions, mainly due to the permanent shortage of dollars, the recurring lack of fuel and the rise in the price of the family basket. The Government He insists that the country is one of those that is growing the most economically in the region.
Evo’s march
Yesterday, Morales headed the MAS congress in Villa Tunari. This meeting was not endorsed by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE). At that meeting, the former president announced a march from the town of Caracollo to the seat of governmentThis mobilization will begin on September 17.
“We have reasons to defend the MAS-IPSP, it will be in the street, it will be on the road, it will be in the concentration, it will be in the hunger strike. Patience has run out, I want both the TSE and the national government to know, and here we speak to defend until the last consequences because we have endured enough,” he said.
Although several sectors called for roadblocks, Morales leaned towards a different measure such as the march from Caracollo, taking into account that September is the month of anniversaries of Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and Pando.
The sectors related to the Arcism, for their part, also announced mobilizations in which they will support the Government and demand that the credits be unblocked.
Government will insist on the referendum
The Government stated that it will continue with its proposal to hold the referendum on a date other than that of the judicial elections. The Vice Minister of Communication, Gabriela Alcón, reported that The reformulated questions will be sent to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) and after review by that entity they will be transferred to the Plurinational Constitutional Court (TCP).
“We will continue (with the referendum proposal) in order to deepen the democratic process, in order to deepen the concern of the president (Luis Arce) on August 6, when he said, we want to hear the position of our population,” said Alcón in a press conference.
To date, the TCP has not notified the Executive about the rejection of the questions it sent. That institution declared the three queries on fuel subsidies and re-election inadmissible.
Red ponchos threaten with blockades
The Ponchos Rojos are determined to carry out a road blockade against the Government of Luis Arce. On Saturday they will have a meeting of the 20 provinces of La Paz and there they will define the strategies of the measure. Their leader, David Mamani, said that Luis Arce used them and that the only thing he wanted was for them to be his “llunkus”.
The Departmental Federation of Peasant Workers of La Paz “Túpac Katari” yesterday reported that after the clashes on Monday with the Police 12 injured were identified in his sector. Many of them, according to Mamani, with wounds from bullets.
“He (Luis Arce) wanted us to be a political instrument of submission, to be one of his militants, one of his llunkus, one of his political pongos,” Mamani told radio Erbol.
The peasant leader confirmed that they will have a meeting on Saturday and that the date of the blockades will be determined at that meeting.
