MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolivian Senate stalling World Bank loan could make it go away

Over 100,000 people from rural Bolivia would benefit from works stemming from these loans, Molina explained

Bolivian authorities need to have the Senate approve a US$ 125 million loan from the World Bank at the earliest or else the credit agency might backtrack on granting it, Hydrocarbons Ministry Spokeswoman Rocío Molina warned Monday. Other five credits might follow suit given the Upper House's tardiness, Molina explained.

The WB allowance is to be allocated to the “Project for the Improvement of Sustainable Access to Electricity in Bolivia-IDTR II,” Molina also pointed out. “Here I have a note from the World Bank that definitely worries us because, with these attitudes of political negligence, we are putting the credit at risk; 30 more days the World Bank tells us, please give me an answer,” she stressed.

Molina warned that the same could happen with another loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) worth US$ 200 million for the third phase of a rural electrification plan.

”Hopefully it will not happen (that the credit is reversed), all the necessary steps will be taken first but even the faith of the country is being put at risk. For a year they have been sleeping in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly,“ Molina argued.

These loans benefit over 100,000 families in rural areas, she insisted. Unlike other initiatives, these credits do not require a municipal or departmental counterpart, which also facilitates the introduction of basic services in the communities, she went on.

”More than half a million people are being punished by the Senate for not scheduling and approving the credits. We call on those who claim to be fathers of the country but who at this moment are making their personal and partisan interests prevail over the benefits of the population,“ the spokeswoman insisted.

The two credits have already been approved by the Lower House and sent for review on March 4 to the Senate, where Speaker Andrónico Rodríguez put their treatment on hold.

”These resources, which are made available to the country, are not eternal. Decisions have to be made, answers have to be given as a national State to a project that, obviously, we reiterate, has no counterpart, they are historical and will benefit more than half a million people,” Molina elaborated.