The Bolivia we want…

If you were asked what kind of country you would like your children to inherit… what would you say? A country in which, above all, it is possible to live in peace -in harmony among diverse groups- and where the norms and institutions work to achieve it? A country where the possibility of progress is within everyone’s reach, for which education, health and opportunity policies to undertake or access decent employment contribute to it? A country where stability and certainty are the guarantee that leads to continuous growth, based on which private property and free initiative are guaranteed? A country where civil society and the government work in such a way that all this is possible?

The Chamber of Industry, Commerce, Services and Tourism of Santa Cruz (Cainco) carried out its most important Economic Forum of the year entitled “The Bolivia that we want” addressing the main concerns of citizens, the current challenges facing the country and the possible solutions to avoid a major crisis.

Pablo Mendieta Ossio, director of the Bolivian Center for the Economy (Cebec), opened the Forum with the following x-ray of the situation: Bolivia is the second country in South America with the least degree of recovery since the pandemic; labor income has fallen 10% since then; Net International Reserves continue to decline; there is a shortage of dollars; the production and export of hydrocarbons declines; informality grows; smuggling has increased; the country-risk has increased; the public deficit does not subside, among other concerns, finishing off that institutionality, stability, productivity and transparency are important to overcome a delicate, but still manageable situation. These appreciations and recommendations can be seen by downloading the document “From the Bolivia we have to the Bolivia we want: A proposal to overcome the crisis” (www.cainco.org.bo).

The special touch of the Forum had to do with the presence of two international experts who shared their experiences on the subject -in their respective countries- such as the economist and writer Miguel Kiguel, who referred to the causes and effects of the various economic crises in Argentina showing the errors and successes in its approach. For his part, Carlos Fernández, former president of the Central Bank of Paraguay, captivated the audience with his preference for “evolution” instead of “revolution”, a definition that has led this country to progress in an adverse environment, the secret being of its great resilience, having achieved a solid government-civil society commitment, in favor of stability.

Based on the three keynote presentations, prominent panelists and national businessmen contributed with reflections regarding the great productive potential of the country, identifying the obstacles to overcome to activate it and be able to generate greater development.

The first Panel on what to do and what not to do to mitigate the crisis and grow sustainably, was led by Cristóbal Roda, Carlos Kempff and María Reneé Centellas, who pointed out, from a business perspective, which policies to avoid and which to promote to avoid a major crisis and drive growth.

The second Panel addressed the issue of the bases for sustained growth, with the participation of Juan Fernando Subirana, Héctor Córdova and Carlos Delius, who analyzed the situation of hydrocarbons, mining and, especially, lithium, recommending improving the framework law, combining national sovereignty with the attraction of foreign direct investment.

The third Panel, made up of Liliana Castilleja, Jorge Kuljis and Luis Fernando Strauss, aimed to achieve “early victories” to overcome the crisis, focusing attention on the agricultural/agro-industrial, forestry/timber, digital industry and tourism sectors, due to their great potential and rapid ability to capture dollars via export, so they should deserve the greatest attention from the State.

As it could not be otherwise, the strong voice of the Forum was that of the president of Cainco, Jean Pierre Antelo, emphasizing the need to act quickly to avoid further instability and the devastation of jobs and companies; He also warned, as an urgent need to solve, the shortage and the increase in the price of the dollar, due to its impact on companies in the importation of machinery, equipment and inputs and, also, on families, since the rise in prices of products imported has begun to be felt.

Unanimous and reiterative in the Forum, it was the recommendation of a public-private work to advance to pragmatic solutions, with the urgency that the case deserves.
Likewise, the genuine aspirations of legal certainty, a fair tax system and adequate governance to take advantage of our natural resources in a sustainable way were put on the table, in order to promote greater development and build a prosperous future without exclusions, in order to forge the Bolivia that we want…