Daniela Romero L. / La Paz
A little less than a year ago his life is already different. Away from the Mayor’s Office of El Alto, Soledad Chapetón was in charge of planning objectives at the regional and national levels of National Unity together with her work team. She did not distance herself from politics, but her priority and the one that makes her immensely happy is her daughter, to whom she dedicates herself without any schedule.
The little girl is about to turn one year old, almost the same time that La Sole ceased to be the first authority of El Alto. “God’s timing is perfect,” he assures her with a smile she can’t hide.
Today her city turns 37 years old and Chapetón affirms that she feels very proud of the Alteños and Alteñas, she considers that the city is a very important shoulder for the country, but she also asks for attention to one of the regions that has been faithful, fighter and thriving since ever.
How do you receive the 37 years of El Alto already away from the Mayor’s Office?
Always proud to be from El Alto, happy, grateful to God, celebrating these 37 years of life for the people. The population of El Alto is very hard-working people, with a lot of drive, it is reaching 80% of citizens who work on their own and that shows that we are a very important economic operating arm for the State and for the country.
In particular, I celebrate these 37 years of life with different characteristics, this year I am already out of the Mayor’s Office, but always with the same affection for my city.
Besides that in this time her life has changed, she has been a mother and already has other tasks.
Yes. It is a perfect complement. I believe that God’s times are perfect, it is another stage of my life, I am enjoying it, I am learning, of course, and always appreciating, marveling at God’s creation, because being a mother is really something very particular, very different, with many challenges, with a lot of love that we radiate every day.
In a previous interview with Page Seven you said that you would not leave politics, what have you done during this time?
I still have a responsibility in the national leadership of my party (National Unity), we have held a national congress, I have been re-elected as a member of this committee, I am in charge of organizing the secretariat, looking at the field of action for now.
We have several objectives outlined, we are not in an electoral process, but we have objectives of forming a vision with all the differences that we Bolivians have, from different regions, there is a clear planning. I am framed in it, apart from working in the internal part of the party at the El Alto regional level, there are several citizens, compañeros, compañeras who are with their batteries set to be able to make a better city.
How do you evaluate this first part of Eva Copa’s management?
I think that as expected, beyond her position as a senator, as a representative of El Alto, I think that the mayor’s office has another characteristic of other levels, another type of function that has cost her and I think it is costing her to engage in what she is the responsibility of the municipal administration.
Also, looking at that other scenario, it’s always been easy to point the finger. Now they are living first-hand the reality that we have in our city, the need that multiplies every time and, of course, the need that exists versus the economic limitations that exist.
I think they are a little distracted there, I have heard -for the birthday of our city- that they are just presenting projects, they are making projects of district importance visible, and that is good, the really important thing is going to be that they achieve it. Of course we want it to be like this because, first, that the works are not carried out with the money of any mayor on duty and we do not take the works either, they remain for the population and that is why I hope that everything that they are just proposing is fulfilled. .
One of the great works released is the terminal. Was there a delivery delay?
I think it is important to clarify that it is the start-up of the terminal, that is the correct name. It is not the inauguration, I think it is the marketing that the current management is marking and well, I am proud that the current mayor, the successor management, recognizes this great work, it is a jach’a work that we have carried out with great affection . Although the land has been obtained with José Luis Paredes, several years ago, the former mayors Patana and Nava could be attributed that they have tendered the work, but they delivered it to us with zero execution to our management and in little more than five years we have built this great work.
I am proud of some visits that the mayor had and she is surprised, she says “wow, this is great” and it really is great. It is a jach’a work, it is our work that is admired by the successor mayor, it is her obligation to start it, it has taken a bit, a year, despite the fact that we have left a document of more than 100 pages of administration of the terminal, sent to the ATT and approved. They said changes have been made, maybe the current management’s paint has changed, but it doesn’t matter.
Photo: File / Page Seven
Today I feel happy because this jach’a work will finally be of use to Alteños and non-Alteños.
Now, the works with the stamp of the current management are indeed delaying, something that the current administrators have said and we know is that one of the limitations that our city has is the economic part. For example, in the terminal there is not a single Bolivian who is a counterpart of the Government. This work has been carried out 100% with the resources of the people of El Alto and I think that is the difference.
We have achieved a credit that has been important, that did not cost us three months, it has been a long time of presentation of documents and work. Works such as Santa Veracruz Avenue, in District 5, have been carried out with a loan. In that part there is a delay because if they want to carry out works, they have to do management at the same time, because otherwise it will be a dream, an offer and unfortunately it will not be achieved.
El Alto is establishing itself as a leading city, it has distanced itself from La Paz and now generates its own resources, among other indicators that put it in first place. What do you think about it?
80% of Alteños are self-employed, it is commerce, there is an essence and a hidden gaze within the city. Although the face is the Ceja, which is true that it must be improved, maintained, El Alto has 14 districts, it has great potential that I think we should all look at. We identify avenues as our veins that still need to be built in many districts and that is where we must focus our eyes. We are a city that gives a very important shoulder to the country.
Imagine if we were like other countries, citizens without work and that we had to extend our hand so that the State covers our needs, they would be skinnier.
The truth is that people from El Alto show affection, desire and put a lot of effort into their economy and I will say that into the country’s economy. We have the right to be seen differently so that they can invest in the city, so that the Government can give guarantees and policies, this will help so that there can be new projects.
So the younger generations have that expectation of staying in the city, showing other types of projects, it is a great challenge that the State itself has to face.
The census is very important for El Alto, not only to receive more resources, but to be able to identify the potentialities and needs that must be addressed by the Government, given that we are a city that has its characteristics of accelerated growth.
But on the other hand, inequalities are still noticeable, there are very poor people and this situation triggers, in many cases, delinquency. What can be done against this?
In just over 10 years they told us that extreme poverty had been eradicated, not only in the city, but in the country, and that was a lie. In a few weeks, the pandemic has shown the need for multiple families, couples of older adults, and I think the rug has been uncovered and the dirt underneath has been seen, the true reality has opened up.
Crime puts the very coexistence of Alteños on edge and this great weakness has to be addressed jointly, the issue of citizen security, the responsibilities of job offers have to do with national responsibility.
I believe that public policies come from state policies and citizen security, although they are shared issues, it has to do with changes in participation, action, participation of the Ministry of Government. La Ceja, neighborhoods where there are shelters, where there are joint raids to be able to identify people who do not necessarily live in El Alto, they enter through the borders to commit crimes and these places are the red lights that have to be controlled. And that is required to have changes and improvements.
Over the years, the social struggle in El Alto has left many dead. The examples are in the Gas War, in the burning of the Mayor’s Office and the deaths in Senkata in 2019. It gives the impression that this city only delivers dead and receives nothing. What importance will El Alto have in the ruling party’s project?
As long as El Alto has needs, there will still be a group of people who want to monopolize the voice of the population. We have districts that are very weak in this type of position, the rural districts, which, due to their needs, follow and allow themselves to be carried away by the guidelines of the spokespersons of the leaders on duty.
We have lived it, we know it, they say that we must not fight with the government, that we must campaign for this political party because they are going to give us, and in the end they never give.
El Alto has always given everything, it has always been faithful, it has supported and they don’t even look at us, when they reach the place of decision they don’t take us into account. Perhaps those leaders have made mistakes, but it’s hard to believe because the airport is in El Alto, when you fly you see what the city needs.
Every election is an opportunity to rethink an attitude, a position. God willing that we not give more deaths, God willing that this agenda, that justice reaches the leaders, those who planned the burning of the Mayor’s Office, because there was an attack, that they find those who have planned, that is still loose.
What has happened in 2019, when they have wanted to confront us, they have brought people from other places to confront us, those dirty ideas only demotivate the population, it is not fair that they see it as a city of conflict, of problems.
What do you dream for the people of El Alto from now on?
I will always dream that there are new objectives fulfilled, the works that are done are not with the money of the current president, nor of the governor or the current mayor, these projects are resources of the Bolivians, of the Alteños, nor do we we carry out the works, that remains for the population. My wish is that the three levels of government have their objectives fulfilled, they manage to do their homework.
I ask the Government and the Governor’s Office to look at El Alto not only with speech, affection or concepts of courage, but also to invest in the city of El Alto. That’s what El Alto needs, we don’t need them to thank us, simply that they fulfill their function.
My dream will be to see a better city, a clean city, with large avenues with jach’a works, such as the Municipal House, the fire station, the terminal that we have managed to build, with large avenues, such as Santa Veracruz, because if it improves our city, we are going to improve ourselves, our children. A great affection for the alteños and alteñas who every day put their love and their effort, their work and make our city strong.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Loneliness Escutcheon
- Data Bolivian politician born on October 25, 1980.
- Studies She is a pedagogue, but she is dedicated to politics.
- Charges She was the first mayor of the city of El Alto and now has a position of responsibility in the UN.
