Bolivia’s polarization is revived by day of strikes against controversial law

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Polarization in Bolivia flared up again on Monday (11) during a day in which civic movements against the Government called for a national strike in protest against the law entitled Against the Legitimization of Illicit Gains, Financing of Terrorism Financing of the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

The day passed between blockades in several of the country’s main cities and the Bolivian police’s attempts, which even used tear gas to guarantee “free circulation”, supported in some cases by civilians who said they were against the protest.

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The main demonstrations took place in Santa Cruz, the most populous city and the main focus of the opposition, together with La Paz and Cochabamba, which form the “central axis” of the country, and other sporadic concentrations in cities such as Oruro, Potosí, Tarija and Sucre, the capital of Bolivia.

SANTA CRUZ, THE HEART OF THE STRIKE

Santa Cruz was the city where the strike was felt most strongly since early in the morning, the absence of unionized public transport was noticed, and many businesses closed their doors to support the Civic Committee’s call.

At several intersections of streets and avenues, people protested against the law, which they consider will give special powers to State agencies to carry out political persecution,  which they believe violate confidentiality or professional secrecy clauses.

The demonstrators placed ropes, tires, and other objects on the corners to impede circulation and at some points were face to face with groups opposed to the civic strike.

The Santa Cruz Civic Committee president, Rómulo Calvo, highlighted the reception of the strike in that region against a measure that neighbors such as Wilma Balcazar consider that “violates” the “interests and rights” of all Bolivians.

Also, in that city, the Minister of Public Works, Édgar Montaño, personally removed objects such as tires that were blocking roads and urged the population to open the streets.

TENSION IN OTHER CITIES

In La Paz, seat of the Parliament and the government, the strike was relatively less, with some blockades in the center and nearby areas and the south of the city. In some places, the Police had to use tear gas to disperse people who even made a barrier by linking their arms and sat on the streets to prevent passage.

The president of the Municipal Council of La Paz, Jorge Dulón, warned about the presence of alleged “paramilitary groups” of the ruling Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) which, together with the Police, prevented the protests after a call of that party to guarantee “free circulation”.

However, a massive march of unions and informal traders went through the city center against the controversial law, which, they believe, could lead to unfounded legal proceedings in this informal sector of the country’s economy.

“We are in this civic citizen strike telling MAS that through laws, it will not impose a dictatorship,” activist Lizeth Beramendi told Efe from a blockade point in Cochabamba.

In that city in the center of the country, the tension reached the point that demonstrators and police pulled off a Bolivian flag in an attempt by the agents to dissuade the demonstration.

The Bolivian government, from the beginning, minimized the announcement of the civic strike and branded it as an attempt by the opposition to destabilize the administration of President Luis Arce. He has not commented on the demonstrations of the day.

On the other hand, former president Evo Morales said in his Twitter account that the strike “failed” and that the Bolivian people “do not want to be an accomplice of the coup, defend democracy” and “do not want to harm the economy.”

Precisely an eventual damage to the economy has been the argument of the government to reject the civic strike. At the same time, the conveners of this day indicated that some unions did not join for fear of reprisals or confrontations with MAS supporters.

The government has indicated that the bill seeks to comply with international standards against illicit enrichment and that the secrecy of sources will not be affected in the case of the media.