Huarachi denounces ‘union coup’ against the COB, but threatens to close the Assembly

Just hours before pro-government groups held a march in support of President Luis Arce, a group of Evista members violently broke into the historic offices of the Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB), looking for the leader Juan Carlos Huarachi to “kick him out.” Minutes after the incident, the COB leader and President Luis Arce separately denounced an attempted “union coup.”

The Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB), led by Juan Carlos Huarachi, called for a march of its members for this Tuesday in the city of La Paz, after the attempted takeover by the Evista sector of the unity pact. The Cobist leader warned of the physical takeover of Parliament and the closure of this State body.

Huarachi, visibly upset, denounced that he is the victim of threats against his life and that of his family, however, he ratified the realization of the “great march” of the Arcist party and with coarse adjectives against the parliamentarians, threatened to take over the Legislative Assembly building and close this state body.

“We are not going to stop, comrades, today more than ever, tomorrow the march will end with the physical takeover of the Legislative Assembly, and if they do not want to legislate, damn it, their substitutes should take over! That’s just how it is, and if the substitutes do not want to, damn it! We are going to propose closing Parliament“Damn it! Long live the Workers’ Central!” shouted Juan Carlos Huarachi, who, to reinforce each phrase, raised his right hand with his index finger high, in the style of former President Morales.

Juan Carlos Huarachi called for the physical takeover of the ALP until the legislators approve the international loans | Photo: APG

The head of state also rejected the action of the radicals of his party, the MAS, condemned the takeover of the COB and said: “Not like this! Violence is the refuge of those who despise democracy.”

For Arce, the action of the evistas “constitutes a attempted union coup which violates union rights,” and demanded that “a rigorous investigation” be carried out and that those responsible be punished, since this act “cannot go unpunished.”

Following the president’s order, a criminal complaint was filed and the police have already launched an investigation.

Huarachi’s threats did not go unnoticed in the Legislative Assembly. The head of the Comunidad Ciudadana bench, Enrique Urquidi, told EL DEBER that they do not care about his threats because He no longer represents the country’s workers and became “a servile leader who destroyed the COB, turning it into an appendage of political power, first of Evo Morales and now of Luis Arce.

“The threats of this little bully, Mr. Huarachi, do not concern us. We are not going to fall for it.” his trap of generating confrontation and we are not going to argue with a leader who is disqualified by the entire population and who does not represent the workers (…) It must be established that Huarachi is an apologist for crime and we hope that the Prosecutor’s Office will take action on the matter and investigate this man,” said Urquidi.

At approximately four o’clock in the afternoon yesterday, Monday, a group of people close to former President Evo Morales, including leaders and activists, arrived unexpectedly at the offices of the COB located on Pisagua Street in the old town of the city of La Paz.

The group, with signs in hand that read “Huarachi traitor, COB sold out, Huarachi corrupt” and detonating explosives, climbed the steps to the doors of the old building and He entered amid shouts and slogans against the leader Huarachi

“Get out of the COB, get out of the COB! Where is Huarachi! Coup plotters, traitors! Where is Huarachi, let him show his face, that scoundrel, thief, corrupt bastard! We have to kick him out!” were some of the phrases shouted by men and women in the hallways and offices of the COB, while the few people who were caught there were pulled and pushed because they refused to give way to an upper floor. Outside another group of people shouted slogans against Huarachi and detonated explosives.

Humberto Claros, head of the COB takeover, warned Huarachi about a possible permanent takeover of the building. After the conference, he left the place. | Photo: APG

Meanwhile, inside, the excited visitors, amidst shouts, insults and using coarse adjectives, attacked the people who tried to protect the belongings, but their efforts were in vain because The group of evistas was numerous and Taking advantage of their advantage, they attacked them, kicked them and destroyed furniture, computers and other belongings.

Minutes later, the Evo leaders gave an improvised press conference from the same table that Huarachi occupies when he speaks to the media, and in an impassioned tone they launched a Warning to Huarachi and they said that next time they will come to the place to kick him out.

“To Mr. Huarachi, to Mr. Arce Catacora, the next time we come we will not come just to protest, we will come to kick you out! To all those scoundrel leaders who now have self-extended in the Bolivian Workers’ Central“This is our anger that we want to make known to Bolivia,” said leader Humberto Claros.

For the representative, the mobilization that will take place this Tuesday is another pantomime by the Government after the “failed military coup attempt” last June and he protested the position of the current leadership of the COB, since instead of defending the workers, organizes mobilizations to defend the authorities who hold the power.

“What he (Huarachi) has to do is come out to defend the people and not the corrupt government. We have come to warn that at any moment the (Bolivian) Workers’ Central will be taken over and much more so by the intercultural peasant brothers,” warned Claros.

After issuing that warning, The magazine group left the offices leaving a trail of destroyed furniture and belongings scattered across the floor.

Minutes later, a group of anti-riot police arrived at the COB to secure the place, while inside, Huarachi and his management assessed the damage.

At night, the departmental commander of Police, Colonel Edgar Cortez, confirmed that the leadership of the COB presented a criminal complaint against the people who led the action.

“It was a complaint for trespassing, injuries and damage to property. There was a lot of damage and the complaint has already been filed with the Special Forces Against Crime,” Cortez said.