Bolivia reports millionaire losses due to Santa Cruz conflict

The Bolivian government reported losses of US$12.6 million only in public entities due to the stoppage of activities in the department of Santa Cruz (east), which has been protesting for 12 days over the implementation of the 2023 census.

“In 12 days of strike illegally promoted by the Civic Committee, economic losses in Santa Cruz amount to more than BOB 87 million (US$12.6 million) in five decentralized institutions,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Public Works.

At the regional level, losses amount to approximately US$40 million per day, which has repercussions at the national level, according to calculations made by the Vice Minister of Treasury and Public Credit, Juana Jiménez, on October 28.

Santa Cruz, an agro-industrial region of the country and bastion of the political opposition to Luis Arce’s government, has been on strike since October 22 to demand the population census, which will define a new economic redistribution and political representation before the Bolivian Congress.

Currently, there is no dialogue, and the Bolivian government has decided to start a technical meeting with international organizations on November 4 to establish the definitive date for the census.

The Population and Housing Census, established in the Bolivian Constitution to be carried out every ten years, was initially scheduled for November 16, 2022, but was postponed for technical reasons to 2024, in a meeting between President Arce and regional authorities.

With information Sputnik