The photo, don’t miss it. It seems absurd, but it is a routine that does not fail. While in fifteen municipalities of Santa Cruz, firefighters and community members suffer in an unequal battle against fire, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra emergencies are handled differently. Here, calm prevails to arrange the equipment in the correct way so that the corresponding logo appears in the image. Without a photo, no help comes out. That seems to be the maxim that prevails in the humanitarian management carried out by the Interior and the Government.
It’s curious, but not all images are worth it. Satellite maps show the enormous tongue of fire that runs through the heart of the South American continent. In Bolivia, the ‘red dots’ that mark fires and heat sources multiply throughout the Amazon region (Chiquitania, Beni, Pando, North of La Paz) in a shocking image of the country. It is hard to believe that national authorities seek unusual arguments to deny the evidence of these maps and show “acceptable” figures of an unprecedented environmental tragedy in the country.
The voice of the firefighters moves. It hurts the soul to talk to them and feel like your voice breaks in an attempt to hide your tears. Many have been in the affected areas for 20, 30 or more days. They have seen the raging fire firsthand. There is no way to deceive them. At his side, with a courage that only desperation grants, the community members do the unspeakable to save their houses, their crops, their lands. Far from the cameras and without time for videos, they are the true story of a Bolivia that burns.
