Dialogue between government and opposition failed to define census in Bolivia

Representatives from the Bolivian government and opposition district Santa Cruz failed to agree on a date for a controversial census, and supporters and opponents of the Executive clashed in the streets once again this Wednesday (9).

The prosperous Santa Cruz region, the country’s economic engine and stronghold of the opposition, demands a census that updates its legislative representation and resources it receives from the State based on the population it deems to be higher than the number registered in the census. latest official statistics.

Vicente Cuéllar, in charge of the Santa Cruz (east) department to discuss the census date with the government, said that the Executive Branch retained its executive position in 2024, not 2023 as the opposition had requested.

“We made every effort to persuade a wall that doesn’t understand why,” Cuellar said after leaving the negotiating table that began last week.

Santa Cruz wraps up the 19-day protests this Wednesday by blocking streets, boulevards and interstate highways.

Planning Minister Sergio Cusicanqui said on behalf of the government that envoys from Santa Cruz “abandoned dialogue” on Tuesday night and did not “technically justify” a census in 2023.

Therefore, he stated that the Executive has confirmed that the census will be conducted “between March and April of 2024”.

A decree confirming the date of the study by left-wing president Luis Arce will be published in the next few hours.

Santa Cruz governor Luis Fernando Camacho (right) has announced that his region will “increase measures of repression” in the face of the failure of dialogue.

The streets of Santa Cruz have once again been the scene of clashes between government officials who have blocked roads and oppositionists demanding freedom of movement.

The clashes took place in the “Plano 3,000” district, where supporters of the Arce government were heavily populated, and four people were injured and several arrested.

According to images posted on social media, riot police arrived at the scene and used tear gas.