Arce celebrates two years as president in a country in crisis

Two hours and 34 minutes was the duration of the report that the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, delivered before the Legislative Assembly for his two years in government and in which, in all kinds of detail, he explained what he described as “the achievements of its management”.

However, he did not delve into the multiple conflicts that the country has been facing for more than two weeks, specifically in the eastern region of Santa Cruz, from where they demand the holding of the Population and Housing Census for the year 2023.

In this regard, opposition representatives, including the senator from Cremos, Centa Rek, criticized his speech and lamented his lack of interest in the country’s problems.

“He has made a bubble of his speech, in which he wants the whole country to believe that we are in Switzerland, more or less. All the social problems that we have at the moment were not reflected at all,” Rek said.

The Arce government is not only facing pressure over the census, but must also deal with backlash within its own party over this issue and other internal divisions.

Meanwhile, the former president and leader of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Evo Morales, urged the president to announce the final date because, he assured, not deciding is “playing the game of the right.”

On the other hand, the pro-government deputy Héctor Arce was more direct in his remarks to Arce’s management, whom he accused of the fracture caused in the MAS.

“The Movement for Socialism bench has been divided and fractured, clearly we have to say it, our brother Lucho Arce and David Choquehuanca have been the promoters and authors of this division.”

At the end of his speech, President Luis Arce only made a brief reference to his government’s position regarding the social crisis.

“Some groups want to destabilize us again, but I am sure that the organization, mobilization and awareness of a people will overcome all this type of adversity,” he declared.

After 19 days of strike in Santa Cruz, the responsible civic representatives assured that they will stand firm and even went further and warned against radicalizing the protest.

Other regions of the country have also joined the protests and announced measures in support of the Census request in 2023.

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