The route has been blocked for five days and there were no “intermediate quarters” in all that time. To deactivate this extreme measure, the protesters demanded “just a signal” from the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Israel Huaytari. They waited all day and that gesture did not come. Thus, the road closure continues.
“If the president of the Chamber of Deputies sends us the call, even through WhatsApp to session with our demand, we would only enter a vigil until approval. We are not asking for it to come to the blockade and it will return to passability,” the Intercultural leader of Yapacaní Wilder García explained yesterday to EL DEBER Radio.
Deputy Jerges Mercado, who is the head of the MAS faction, said yesterday that there was no date for that call. He indicated that he was unable to meet with Huaytari to coordinate the legislative work agenda and admitted that they require votes to be able to validate laws in the Assembly.
The mobilized citizens, as explained by the leader of the Intercultural Community, stated that “for more than 20 yearss” the paving of a road is demanded to link the producing areas of the region with the main highway that connects the departments of Santa Cruz and Cochabamba.
This infrastructure project has financing of US$35 million from CAF-development bank of Latin America and plans to link the Integrated North with Yapacaní. The credit, to be disbursed, requires the approval of the Legislative Assembly. In that power of the State, due to the effect of the judicial crisis and politics, there are loans pending approval for $us 900 million.
“We have approved, after 40 years of waiting, a first tranche which is what they call the Northern Strip and now the other section is missing, which is Yapacaní Integration. I have no doubt that as soon as we have the necessary votes, we will also approve this law,” Mercado stated, although he did not specify the date of the session.
The deputy accused his colleague Daniel Romas, a legislator loyal to former President Evo Morales, of being behind the protest. “He listens to the orders of Chapare, from where they are systematically ordering the laws of the country to be blocked. “Only two or three laws of the nearly 100 laws that we have approved in the last two years,” Mercado claimed.
Given this scenario, García anticipated that they organized to take the Sirari well that is in Campo Víbora and close the gas valves that are exploited in that area to pressure the Legislature.
The road cut is at kilometer 50, in the Cascabel area, which is on the border between the departments of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz. The blockade has caused dozens of vehicles, especially international export transport, tony of tankers for the supply of diesel, are stopped on the route.
“They told us that this was a political issue, that we were evistas, and we were looking for a coup d’état. Starting Monday they tell us that we are arcistas”, stated the leader of the Interculturals.
The pressure measure is also causing tensions among stranded transporters.
– Demand
The Interculturals want the Chamber of Deputies to try and approve a loan for $us 35 million financed by CAF.
– Crisis
The bench that supports President Luis Arce in the Legislative Assembly is a minority and in the last 180 days, they only met on 14 occasions.
– Loans
The Government demands the approval of $900 million that are blocked.
