The president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, gives his address to the nation after signing the Census Law. Photo: Twitter/@LuchoXBolivia.
On Friday, December 2, Bolivian President Luis Arce called for internal unity to defeat coup attempts in the country after recognizing the existence of conflicts within his own party, Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), the ruling party of Bolivia.
Arce said in a video message that both the right wing and “comrades from inside” are looking for ways for his government to fail.
The Bolivian president reiterated his fight for the Bolivian people and for the construction of a project that strengthens the nation’s sovereignty.
“I know that there are those who want to see us fail, from outside, and unfortunately some comrades from inside,” said President Arce. “I know that there are people who are trying to make me look like a traitor to our political movement, but I am one more member of the Movement Towards Socialism, which is the political instrument for the sovereignty of the peoples, and I will not surrender in my struggle for better conditions for the Bolivian people.”
For this reason, he stressed that “unity is the best way for the people” to defeat coup attempts.
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Unity is the best weapon
“For those from my own ranks who back the objective of shortening our mandate, I want to tell them that they are wrong, that the enemy is not among us and that unity is the best weapon that the people have to defeat interests of certain groups and individuals,” said Arce.
He also referred to those trying to brand him as a traitor, stating that trying to find ways to avoid a new coup d’état—as in 2019—or bloodshed does not make him a traitor.
Pdte. Luis Arce por primera vez habla en público de conflictos dentro de su partido, el Movimiento al Socialismo y, revela que, en coincidencia con la derecha, se intentó acortar su mandato y se elaboran "listas de traidores" @teleSURtv pic.twitter.com/7yRNu6Fqfx
— Freddy Morales (@FreddyteleSUR) December 2, 2022
“The fascist right wing in Santa Cruz makes a list of traitors, and it is regrettable that some people of our political movement also draw up a list of alleged traitors,” said Arce. “Internal democracy and unity must be strengthened to prevent a coup d’état from being consummated, to prevent the bloodshed of the people, and it is not treason.”
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Arce signs Census Implementation Law
On Friday, President Arce signed the Law for the Application of the Results of the Population and Housing Census in the Financial and Electoral Spheres.
In a message to the nation, Arce criticized the attitude of the leaders of Santa Cruz who “truncated all dialogue scenarios,” preventing a solution to the conflict that led to an unjustified strike for 36 days in the province.
Querido pueblo boliviano. https://t.co/G14YQ71TJh
— Luis Alberto Arce Catacora (Lucho Arce) (@LuchoXBolivia) December 2, 2022
The regulation, approved on November 26 by the Chamber of Deputies and on November 29 by the Senate, includes the contents of Supreme Decree 4824, which sets March 23, 2024, as the starting date for the Population and Housing Census.
It establishes that, based on the official census population data issued by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), the government will begin redistributing tax-sharing resources starting in September 2024.
Additionally, the regulation determines that the INE will send the Supreme Electoral Tribunal the official census population data “so that it may prepare the bill for the distribution of seats per the provisions of the Political Constitution of the State and the current Electoral Legislation.”
(Últimas Noticias) by Ariadna Eljuri
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/SF
