Amid tear gas, shoves and insults within the council facilities as well as in the vicinity of the La Paz Mayor’s Office, the Assembly of La Paceñidad was carried out in which it was determined to carry out tomorrow, Wednesday, November 17, from 4:00 p.m. by the center of the seat of Government to demand the formal repeal of Law 1386 and other six remaining norms, as well as the restitution of two thirds in the Legislative Assembly.
The meeting, which was chaired by the mayor of La Paz, Iván Arias, was tense due to the presence of groups in favor of President Luis Arce and those who support the protest measures. The two blocks collided violently and struggled to make their position prevail. The police intervened and used tear gas in an effort to stop the confrontations.
Despite this, the Assembly of La Paceñidad determined that if their demands are not listened to, they do not rule out abiding by strikes, blockades and even a council to achieve compliance with their demands.
The La Paz request
Resolution 001/2021 is the result of the Assembly and it is determined in it: in its first article, carry out a march of all sectors of La Paz on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 starting at 4:00 p.m., demanding the following:
To demand from President Luis Arce the immediate repeal of Law 1386 of August 16, 2021, on the National Strategy to Fight Against the Legitimation of Illicit Profits and the Financing of Terrorism.
Demand the restitution of two thirds (2/3) in the Legislative Assembly. At this point, the manifesto of the paceñidad focuses on the fact that the restitution of the two thirds must be approved by the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) “as a democratic guarantee that allows the country laws of consensus and not arbitrary impositions of a dictatorial government.”
Abolish the unconsulted laws promulgated by the Government, which are the following: Law 1398 on the Registry of Commerce; Law 1390 on Strengthening the Fight against Corruption; Law 1387 Law of General Career and Promotion of the Bolivian Police; Law 1359 on Sanitary Emergency, Law 342 that approves the Economic and Social Development Plan 2021-2025 and Law 1405 on Official Statistics of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.
The representatives of some 100 organizations that participated in the meeting consider these norms as a door for “political persecution” and seek “to attack the private property of La Paz.”
Santa Cruz
The leader of the Committee for Santa Cruz, Rómulo Calvo, reported last night that Santa Cruz is entering its ninth day of multisectoral strike.
“We could have lifted the strike, but the Bolivian people have woken up and are calling for the total repeal of the package of laws. We have to resist, we are playing our last card of freedom and democracy, ”said Calvo on a tour of Villa Primero de Mayo.
However, the Federation of Transporters November 16 plans to return to work on this day, according to the resolution assumed yesterday afternoon.
Bismark Daza confirmed that once the law of repeal of the controversial rule 1386 is promulgated, there are no reasons to continue with the stoppage of activities.
Regarding the markets, in some citadels (Plan 3,000, Villa 1ro de Mayo, Los Lotes) some stalls were open, especially yesterday morning, as in other supply stalls, such as La Guardia in the kilometers 13, 9 and 6.
Executives and leaders, related to MAS, of the Union of Departmental Federations and Independent Associations of Santa Cruz Trade Unions announced that tomorrow they will hold a meeting at the Obelisk of Plan Tres Mil, in rejection of the multisectoral strike against the package of laws launched by the Government.
Meanwhile, in the middle of the morning, the blocking points were reinstated in the different areas of the Santa Cruz city and at night the civic president announced the continuity of the measure for this day.
In Cochabamba
Tboth the unionists and the urban, interdepartmental and freight public service transport are still in emergency, as they noted in the march that took place yesterday morning and that arrived at the Plaza 14 de Septiembre.
Carlos Calcina, union leader of Cochabamba, remarked that the mobilizations conclude with the repeal of Law 1386, while César Gonzales, secretary general of the unionists, according to Los Tiempos, went further and pointed out that there is no demand additional in time to emphasize that the protests from the beginning were for two laws. The repeal of Law 1386 and the filing of Law 318.
Tarija
Adrián Ávila, president of the Civic Committee of Tarija, explained that the pressure measures were suspended for 48 hours, a period given to the Government and legislators to render 1386 ineffective by means of a new law.
If not, Ávila stressed that citizens will return to the streets. He also noted that they will not accept any type of political persecution or accusations of sedition as they are already doing from the Government.
Potosi
During the day yesterday, the Imperial Villa continued with the streets blocked and with the markets closed and without public transport service.
After the announcement of the abrogation of the Law of Legitimization of Illegal Profits, the civic movement aims to the restitution of two thirds in the regulations of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. The mobilizations are carried out after the determinations of the Consultative Council of the Potosinian Civic Committee (Comcipo), whose leaders reported that there are thirty blockade points in the capital of Potosí.
In turn, according to El Potosí, the Police reported that the highways that link the department with the rest of the country are clear.
Heavy transport
Alfredo Borja, president of the Bolivian Chamber of Transport (CBT), said that, although it is a good sign that the deputy has discussed the repeal of Law 1386, the sector is in emergency and mobilized. Borja indicated that there is a relaxation in the roadblocks, but remarked that they will be attentive to what happens during the day today (for yesterday) to what happens in La Paz.