By Daniel Ramos
LA PAZ (Reuters) – A leading civic organization in Bolivia has threatened to launch a national strike to force the government to conduct a census next year, an escalation of protests that has already virtually paralyzed the agricultural hub of Santa Cruz.
In recent weeks, protesters blocked roads in the country’s richest city, Santa Cruz, while in another regional city this week clashes broke out in the streets, with fireworks and tear gas from police.
The tension is over the timing of a population and housing census, which regional and opposition teams say would result in more seats in Congress and more state resources. They say the government is slow to do so and calls for it to take a position in 2023.
The protests were concentrated in the lowland region of Santa Cruz, a stronghold of Bolivia’s economy and its cattle and agricultural region, known for the production of soybeans, sunflower, sugar cane, corn, rice and wheat.
On Thursday, an organization of civic committees in localities across the country threatened to call a national strike starting Nov. 7 unless the government of leftist President Luis Arce promises to conduct the census in 2023 and end what it called a “siege” of Santa Cruz. .
“If there is no problem, the civic motion will launch a national strike on Monday,” said Roxana Graz, a member of the so-called Bolivian Civic Movement.
Arce’s government said the date of the census, last conducted in 2012, will be decided through a national technical committee, which will come with experts from foreign organizations. He blamed protesters for the violence and refusal to engage in dialogue.
“Today, Bolivia is once again threatened by those who, unable to contribute to democracy, bet on confrontation and violence, endangering democratic coexistence among Bolivians,” Arce said this week.
Clashes in Santa Cruz left one user dead, roads blocked, streets and markets empty and closed.
(Reporting through Daniel Ramos; Writing through Anthony Esposito; Edited by Rosalba O’Brien)
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