Bolivian president says Evo’s blockades seek death, mourning, and pain
Evo Morales never thought about the Bolivian people, Arce argued
Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora condemned the blockades staged by supporters of former President Evo Morales, accusing them of seeking death, mourning, and pain.
Speaking in Cochabamba, Arce rejected Morales’ demand for his resignation, stating it would not resolve the ongoing crisis. He also recalled the 2019 political crisis, which followed disputed elections and led to 35 deaths, 861 injuries, and 1,531 arrests, blaming Morales’ pursuit of reelection for the violence.
It is clear what is being sought in these mobilizations, it is death, mourning, and pain for the Bolivian people, and we have understood this message that you want to convey, Arce told reporters. It is important to mention that nobody’s resignation today solves the problems, absolutely not at all, if it solved the problems, we would have already left, but it does not solve the problems, he added.
In 2019, there were deaths due to the whim of a reelection, and we will not repeat those mistakes, he insisted.
Arce also accused the indigenous leader of orchestrating current blockades to pressure for an unconstitutional presidential candidacy, disrupting access to basic goods and endangering lives.
The mobilizations and blockades not only seek an unconstitutional candidacy, they also prevent the country from accessing basic products of the family basket, said Arce. Because of these objectives, today the country and many lives are at risk, he added.
We preside over a government that does not want deaths, but rather to resolve conflicts through dialogue as the best of mechanisms, he assured. He dubbed these acts criminal and dismissed Morales’ economic concerns as insincere, emphasizing his focus on regaining power. He never thought about the Bolivian people, nor their pain, nor their pocket. The only thing he is concerned about is his candidacy, which has no constitutional basis. That is all, he underlined. The president vowed to restore order through dialogue and instructed the Armed Forces and Police to clear blockades while avoiding further deaths.
