Bolivia ruling party filled streets of its main cities criticizing the opposition

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Massive rallies were held in the country’s main cities in defense of the Wiphala and in rejection of the civic strike organized on Monday by the opposition, which president Luis Arce specifically targeted by warning “the murderous right-wing coup plotters” that should they be unwilling to respect the message of the ballot box, “then the people will make themselves respected in the streets.”

“Our people will enforce respect for their vote in the streets. If they are unwilling to respect the ballot boxes, we will make ourselves respected in the streets,” Arce stated, lamenting that the opposition “has called protests to the streets on Monday to once again mistreat the people.”

For the president, “fascism and intimidation are once again at work, because what they could not win at the polls they want to do through mafia and criminal groups,” but the people “are once again telling them that they will not allow it.”

Arce was the speaker in three of the massive rallies called by pro-government organizations, in La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, organized as a reaction to the strike planned for Monday by civic committees of opposition-ruled departments.

In La Paz, the rally took place in downtown San Francisco square, after thousands of militants and followers gathered in El Alto, on the outskirts of the capital city, while in Cochabamba the concentration filled San Sebastian square.

Organized by the Bolivian Workers’ Union (COB), the Single Confederation of Peasant Workers (CSUTCB), the Confederation of Indigenous Peasant Women (the “Bartolinas”) and the National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu (CONAMAQ), among others, Tuesday’s marches were called “Wiphalazo.”

The defense of the indigenous multicolored flag – national symbol by constitutional mandate – was again in the spotlight after it was lowered in a rally 10 days ago in Santa Cruz and again on Monday in the same city, capital of the department administered by Luis Fernando Camacho, accused of promoting the institutional coup against Evo Morales in November 2019.

The ruling party held rallies in the 9 departments, with Arce present in Cochabamba -along with Morales himself-, in La Paz and in the afternoon in Santa Cruz, speaking along very similar lines.

“After the coup d’état that troubles them, that makes them uncomfortable because they took part in a cruel and bloody coup, we show them that, just as they resort to coups, we resort to winning at the ballot box. We have democracy,” said Arce, who won in October 2020 with 55.11% of the vote.

Regarding Monday’s modest strike, the head of the Palacio Quemado emphasized that “the Bolivian people, wise as they are, clearly chose to work instead of striking, because they worked in all 9 departments.”

According to Arce, this is due to the fact that “little by little the Bolivian people are beginning to feel the results of having a government of the people for the people, and the economy is beginning to improve, health is improving and education is also advancing.”

Chamber of Deputies president Freddy Mamani also highlighted the power of demonstrations, considering that it was a “historic day.”

“This number of brothers and sisters gathered had not been foreseen; it is really exciting on the day of the Wiphalazo, not only in the department of La Paz, but in all 9 departments. This will be written in the history of our country. We feel happy and proud of our people, who seek the unity of the Bolivian people,” he said.

Vice President David Choquehuanca led the events in Oruro, where he joined the crowd in their march through the city’s downtown streets, saying that the people should “feel proud” of their fight to build unity.

“We are together with the people of Oruro, together with the authorities and organizations to reaffirm our identity. We are Aymara, Quechua, Guarani, Mojeño and Chiquitano. All Bolivians carry that blood and today we want to show our pride in our culture,” Choquehuanca said.

The scenario was repeated in other cities, among them Yacuiba, Trinidad, Riberalta and Sucre, according to a Bolivia TV report.

“This is first of all for reparation to the Wiphala, which identifies us all indigenous peasant peoples, not only in Bolivia but worldwide,” said CSUTCB’s Beymar Acuña.

“They have burned our flag, they tried to destroy our organizations, the indigenous peoples in many countries. We have been organizing ourselves for a week to mobilize,” he added, and claimed “the right to self-identity as indigenous peoples.”

He also repudiated “the attitudes of the fascist group that wants to destroy our identity and our culture.”

In Santa Cruz, the COD led by Rolando Borda added as an additional slogan the claim to the 529 years of “anti-colonial resistance,” on the anniversary of the conquest of America by Christopher Columbus.

The day was also marked by a complaint from the opposition: Comunidad Ciudadana (CC) deputy Luisa Nayar denounced that Arce’s trips to attend the three rallies yesterday will cost the State some US$7,200, because of flight costs of the presidential airplane.

“Flights on the presidential plane cost at least US$2,400 an hour. Today Arce’s three flights for the MAS rallies will cost Bolivians at least US$7,200, excluding security and protocol expenses,” Nayar said on social networks.

The National Committee for the Defense of Democracy (CONADE), which accompanied Monday’s strike, announced that on Wednesday it will hold an assembly to assess the measures and plan another 48 hour strike.