MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Evistas hold Bolivia hostage of road blockades

What they seek is impunity for Morales, Alcón argued

Followers of former Bolivian President Evo Morales keep blocking strategic roads in the South American country causing numerous troubles to ordinary citizens. Although they invoke a series of plausible reasons, the main ground for such a deployment is believed to be the protection of their leader who is being prosecuted for human trafficking and child abuse.

 Deputy Communications Minister Gabriela Alcón said Tuesday the “Evismo” movement was seeking impunity for Morales, who is under investigation by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Tarija. The protesters were also demanding that Evo be allowed to run in the upcoming elections despite a Constitutional ban on endless political careers. Alcón insisted that ultimately such a decision was up to the “Political Constitution of the State and not to the Executive.”

She also underlined that the national Government of President Luis Arce Catacora - a former ally of Evo now turned into his arch enemy - called for dialogue but neither Morales nor the leaders of his movement showed up and now “because of political and personal issues, the population, the transporters and other economic sectors are being harmed.” She also urged road blockaders to drop their attitude to avoid further damage to the general population.

Alcón insisted that the Arce administration was open to discussing issues within the Executive's competence but others fell within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) and the criminal case or cases against Morales were up to the Judiciary.

Evista peasant leader Enrique Mamani said the movement would sit at a dialogue table provided these conditions are met:

• Abrogate the supreme decree that prohibits the sale of gasoline and diesel in drums

• Abrogate the supreme decree that provides for the import of wheat with 0 tariff

• Abrogate the supreme decree that establishes the so-called “environmental pause” because it generates a food crisis that families will suffer

• Abrogate Supreme Decree 4732, which threatens private property over real estate

• Guarantee the supply of fuel and the effective control of the prices of the family basket

• Enact Bill 079 that finances the construction of the Caracollo-Colomi-Confital dual carriageway

• The cessation of judicial persecution and abuse of power.

• The immediate release of the “unjustly detained comrades”.

In this scenario, the state-run oil company Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) reported that 300 tank lorries carrying about 40,000 liters of fuel each were stranded at the various blockade points.

”We have around 300 tankers that are at different blockade points (...), each tanker has approximately 40,000 liters,“ YPFB CEO Armin Dorgathen said in a press conference Tuesday.

”Supply is guaranteed, the product is there; however, if the tankers cannot go through the blockade points, surely, we will have some delays in the deliveries,“ he added. ”It does not mean that we do not have the product, there is no need to line up at pumps because that only increases the shortage,” he further explained.