Protest for a census in opposition region of Bolivia leaves one person dead

A deceased in street clashes between opposition civilians and government officials marked the beginning of a strike in the region of Santa Cruzeconomic locomotive of boliviafor a population census, while a dialogue channel was opened between a civic committee and the government.

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President louis arce noted on Twitter that “We condemn the violence exercised during a civic strike which caused the irreparable loss of a human life in Puerto Quijarro” and urged to investigate the facts and “punish those responsible”.

We condemn the violence exercised during a civic strike that caused the irreparable loss of a human life in Puerto Quijarro. Our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones. This tragic event must be investigated and those responsible punished.

– Luis Alberto Arce Catacora (Lucho Arce) (@LuchoXBolivia) October 22, 2022

Puerto Quijarrocity of the department of Santa Cruz border with Brazil of some 20,000 inhabitants, registered since dawn strong street clashes between opposition and official civilians with stones, sticks and firecrackersAccording to images spread on social networks.

Groups of opponents of the leftist Arce government came to Puerto Quijarro to cut off vehicle traffic on a bridge, but local residents who reject the protest managed to unblock the road.

in incidents, Paul Taborgawho would have been attacked with sticks, was admitted to a local hospital, where he later died.

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The wife of Taborgawho was against the blockade, told the state television channel that people who promote the strike “they arrived with homemade bombswith sticks and at a certain moment my husband was beaten with shovels by several people”.

The right-wing governor of Santa CruzLuis Fernando Camacho, pointed out in a first evaluation that “It is unfortunate, unfortunately we had said itthe carry [traslado] of people, obviously it generates violence.”

camacho alleged that the ruling party transferred people from other country regions to counteract the force of the locks.

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paralyzed city

Santa Cruz resolved the protests more than two weeks ago to demand the advancement of the census.

The departmental civic committee, a civil and business conglomerateurges the government to decree a census next yearused as a base in bolivia for the allocation of seats in the Congress and of public economic resources according to the distribution of the population.

Santa Cruzthe most populous department of boliviaaccess economic resources and are assigned deputies in the Congress based on a census from more than 10 years ago, but alleges that the data is outdated and that correspond more.

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The city of Santa Cruzwith almost 2 million inhabitants and capital of the region of the same name, exhibited its empty streets and avenues, with crosses blocked with stones, sticks and promontories of earth, confirmed the AFP.

Public passenger transport is almost non-existent and only a few private vehicles are encouraged to circulate with caution.

Although the center seemed calm, in some neighborhoods street crashes reported between neighbors who support the protests and others who demanded the free movement of transport and people.

In neighborhoods with migration of Aymara neighborswho sympathize with the government of the leftist Maplethere was little influx of retail merchants.

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Dialogue to lower tensions

Along with the start of the strike, which includes blocking interdepartmental roads, a dialogue table was opened between leaders of the civic committee and the government of Arce.

There was a first meeting this Saturday, reported the Vice Minister of Communication, Gabriela Alconseeking to overcome differences.

While Santa Cruz It demands the census for 2023 and the government affirms that there are no technical conditions to meet that requirement and that it can only be carried out in 2024.

“We need to lower the tension, we need to give certainty to the population”, Alcon pointed out.

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“I think that what we are living is the result of the intransigence of the government”, said Camacho, a key player in the resignation of the indigenous president Evo Morales in 2019 after 14 years of government.

Bolivia registers a new political conflict of magnitude two years after the arrival of the leftist louis arce to the power.

The last acts of political violence were recorded at the end of 2019, when Bolivia was on the brink of a civil war. Right-wing opponents denounced a fraud in the elections of that year and accused Morales, who aspired to govern until 2025, and who resigned in the midst of the crisis, of being responsible.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.