Jean Pierre Antelo: “They talk about industrialization, but the real national industry does not have the foreign currency to import raw materials”

At the inauguration of the Cainco 2024 Economic Forum, the president of this business institution, Jean Pierre Antelo, made a diagnosis of the national economy, where he exposed the different problems that the private sector is going through. the shortage of dollars and the controls that businessmen have on the part of the State.

Antelo strongly expressed his concern about the current economic situation in the country and the lack of effective measures by the Government. In addition, He raised several clear questions and demands, emphasizing the need for immediate and coherent actions.

At the beginning of his speech, he questioned the government about the situation of patients who cannot find medicines, a critical problem that reflects the lack of proper management and planning in the health sector.

Continuing with his speech, the president of Cainco criticized the Government rhetoric on industrialization in clear allusion to the state policy that proposes creating public companies to replace imports.

He assured that The real national industry faces difficulties in importing raw materials due to the lack of foreign currency. Antelo called for allowing the private sector to fulfill its role, stressing that this is not a demand, but rather a matter of common sense.

“They talk about industrialization. But the real national industry does not have foreign currency to import raw materials. Let the private sector fulfill its assigned role and this is not a demand, it is simply common sense,” he said.

In times of crisis, he argued that private dialogue should not be based on ideological coincidences, but on a sense of urgency such as the current one.

According to Antelo, the solution will not come from a 10-point agreement, but from deep changes and real dialogue. He also revealed that Cainco has not signed any recent agreement, demanding concrete actions and not just good intentions.

In February of this year, the Government and part of the private sector signed a series of agreements to curb the shortage of dollars. Among the points agreed upon is the liberalization of exports with flexibility in the issuance of certificates of supply at a fair price, a process that exporting companies must comply with, especially in the oil sector.

However, these procedures remain slow. “Freeing up exports, have they done it? (The Government) Hhas issued 17 supreme decrees that are nothing more than obstacles to export“, said the businessman.

Antelo made it clear that a receptive, pragmatic and determined government is needed to resolve the economic situation. Only in this way will it be possible to generate the necessary conditions for the sustainable well-being that the private sector and Bolivian society demand and deserve.

“Our country needs certainty, servitude, leadership and decision“We can no longer continue to live on promises and indicators that have long since ceased to reflect the reality of the country. Enough of speeches, enough of propaganda, enough of superimposing politics and pre-election campaigns over management,” he said.