October 6, 2022, 4:00 AM
October 6, 2022, 4:00 AM
On its fourth day of blocking the highway to the south (Argentina), more than three kilometers of vehicles were stopped. There were trucks, fuel tankers, passenger buses, vans, cars and motorcycles. They formed kilometric rows until 8:00 p.m., when an intermediate quarter was determined until midnight. The exporters estimate the losses for the four days at US$900,000.
From the National Chamber of Exporters of Bolivia (Caneb) they indicated that this type of measure affects transport logistics because the units, when stopped, do not meet delivery times and can be sanctioned for delays.
Danilo Velasco, president of Caneb, explained that the Santa Cruz-Argentina route is a very dynamic section where food, fuel and supplies for construction are mainly transported, in time to calculate that per day stopped there is damage that exceeds $ US$300,000, so in three days it’s US$900,000.
Yesterday, a team from EL DEBER was in the area and dozens of people with their suitcases were seen crossing the blockade points, motorcycles that for Bs 20 seek to take those affected to the vans where the drivers compete to transfer the travelers. to Santa Cruz for Bs 80 or by express for Bs 400.
In this context, Roberto Quiroga, one of the spokesmen for the Perseverancia community, regretted having reached this extreme, in time to emphasize that the blockade is “the only way” they have to be heard.
Quiroga explained that the demand of the 650 people of the place is the sanitation and delivery of 56 hectares that would be of the State (prosecutors), for the construction of houses.
The leader considers that it is a fair request from the people who are originally from the place (Guarani) and that in no way can they be considered overwhelming as indicated by Adalberto Rojas, departmental director of the National Institute of Agrarian Reform (INRA).
“Because of his false accusations, Mr. Rojas no longer has our credibility. That is why we ask that other authorities with decision-making power ‘lower’. As long as that doesn’t happen, the blockade is indefinite and there will be no intermediate quarters (let the mobilities pass for a certain time),” Quiroga said.
On the subject, Rojas indicated that the people who are carrying out the blockade do not have any clearance process by INRA and that, on the contrary, the institution is initiating an eviction process against the blockades.
The director of INRA maintained that there is already sanitation work on the property where the people of the Perseverancia community want to settle, since it is private land with its respective documentation, so they will not allow any act of subjugation.
Police authorities arrived at the scene to peacefully deactivate the blockade. They held meetings with the protesters, who were firm and reiterated that they will continue to close the highway indefinitely.
In a last attempt, a meeting was scheduled between the mayor of Cabezas, Omar Rosales, the blockers and the police authorities to rescind the measure. In case the meeting fails, it was known that the unlocking by force would be at dawn today.
From the Perseverancia community they observed that the Assembly of Guarani Peoples (APG) left them alone in their demand for land in time to criticize the actions of Jorge Mamani, the main authority of the APG Takovo Mora.
Irene Potyy, responsible for Gender at the TCO Takovo Mora community, stressed that Mamani was legally elected and that the people who are blocking are not affiliated with the APG Takovo Mora, so they are acting outside the law.
Marcos Miranda, president of the Vaca Díez peasant community, had a similar opinion, who pointed out that these blockades harm the population and give a bad image of the Guarani community. “If the blockades continue, we have determined that we are going to unblock. It cannot be accepted that people outside our community provoke conflicts and want to divide us. We are united” he emphasized.
While in Santa Cruz, Cidob ignored the demand in Mora. They indicated that it is not legitimate and that they are people who have economic resources.
