Jorge H. Quispe C. / La Paz
With the adhesions of the civic committees, Conade and the Bolivian Medical Association, the indefinite general strike promoted by unions and transporters against Law 1386 since November 8 takes shape. In the Government, the MAS called yesterday to its social organizations to “fight” and “to take to the streets” to defend President Luis Arce.
“We have approved the repeal of Law 1386, afterwards and for them (the Government) to call us to draft a law, but without affecting the Bolivian population. Well, the definitive strike begins on Monday ”, confirmed Francisco Figueroa, executive of the National Confederation of Trade Unions of Bolivia. On Thursday, the civic committees of the nine departments announced that they will join the strike that will begin on Monday the 8th, when President Arce will be in power for one year.
The National Committee for the Defense of Democracy (Conade), through its subsidiaries, also ratified that it will participate in the indefinite strike. “As Conade encouraged the citizens to go out to fight on Monday through the strike, the fight is indefinite,” said Manuel Morales, his representative.
And yesterday, the president of the Bolivian Medical College, Luis Larrea, announced that this sector will join the strike. “Assume a state of emergency in the face of the dictatorial attitude and deficient policies of the State. We also communicate the decision to adhere to the decisions of the organized population ”.
In Cochabamba, the leader Marcelo Piérola, of heavy transport, announced that the strike and blockade will begin at 6:00 “until the repeal of the 1386”. Law 1386 or Law of Strategy Against the Legitimization of Illicit Profits was enacted in August.
Alliances to stop unemployment
And just as some sectors add support for the measure against 1386, the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) obtained yesterday the support of the unions of Cochabamba and Sucre who announced that they will not abide by the strike directed by the leader Figueroa.
The Vice Minister of Communication, Gabriela Alcón, confirmed that the Federation of Municipal Associations of Bolivia (FAM-Bolivia) will not abide by the general strike. The president of this organization is Enrique Leños, a militant of the MAS.
To this is added that the mayor of El Alto, Eva Copa, confirmed that that city will not join the indefinite general strike, because 80% of its inhabitants are engaged in informal commerce.
MAS summons to fight
The Unity Pact, made up of members of the MAS, met yesterday with incumbent president David Choquehuanca. At the end of the meeting, the organization declared itself in a state of emergency and ratified its support for the Government in the face of what they consider to be an “attempted new coup” by those who oppose Law 1386.
“We call on all our affiliated organizations, the people as a whole, to fight, defend and guarantee the economic, social and political stability of our country, maintain harmony and social peace,” said Odalis Huayllas at the Casa Grande del Pueblo. , leader of the Confederation of Peasant Women Bartolina Sisa.
The executive of the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), Juan Carlos Huarachi, was more forceful. “The COB declares itself in a state of emergency. If we are going to have to go out onto the streets, we are going to do it; if we are going to have to go out on the roads we are going to do it, to defend the stability of the country ”, he anticipated. Heavy carriers announced days ago that they will block roads and borders.
Choquehuanca pointed out that the Bolivian people will use “all the resources at their disposal” to defend the Government.
“We want to warn that social organizations are going to use all the resources at their disposal that our democracy allows to defend economic stability, to defend unity, to defend our sovereignty and to defend our wealth and natural resources,” he said.
Yesterday, the deputy Anyelo Céspedes, of the MAS, summoned the social sectors mobilized against Law 1386. “We are going to dialogue and do not lend themselves to the game of the civic who seek a second attempt at a ‘coup d’état’, because they (civic) are a retail sector of Santa Cruz, “he attacked.
