Proposal on federalism divides opinions in Bolivia

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A proposal by the opposition governor of the eastern region of Santa Cruz, Luis Fernando Camacho, of a plan to promote the process of federalism in Bolivia, is dividing opinions in the country.

The governor of the region considered the economic driver of Bolivia proposed to “discuss” federalism in the country and announced that he will initiate a process of dialogue and consultations with all regions and municipalities.

“There are departments and regions that want to direct their own development, but centralism and “masismo” does not allow them to do so. The time has come to discuss a solution and that solution is called federalism,” the opposition governor said.

Camacho argued that the “masismo,” party of president Luis Arce “has hegemonized in the government” and “divides” and “conflicts” only to “maintain that power in centralism.”

“That is why we must fight for an in-depth, historic solution, where each department, each region, may manages its aspirations and develop its future,” Camacho said, who was leader of the Santa Cruz Youth Union in 2019.

In addition, he asked the population that marched against the so-called “inflammatory” laws the past weeks in the country to join this proposal, which was one of his campaign pledges for the governorship.

REACTIONS

This proposal sparked reactions from both the ruling party and the opposition, who were quick to express their opinions regarding Camacho’s initiative.

Luis Arce stated that his party, Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS), will win the elections “with federalism.”

“The people won the elections in 2006, in the Republican State, we won the elections with the Plurinational State, we won the elections with autonomies and we will win the elections with federalism,” Arce said in his speech at the beginning of the “march for the homeland” in the town of Caracollo.

Presidential spokesman Jorge Richter stated to local channel Red Uno that for the Bolivian government “federalism is not a priority” and that it was not part of President Arce’s electoral plan.

Bolivian Workers’ Union (COB) secretary Juan Carlos Huarachi pointed out that by promoting federalism they are trying to “divide Bolivia”.

Ex-President Carlos Mesa and leader of Comunidad Ciudadana (CC), the main opposition party in the country, emphasized on Twitter that Morales “wants to use federalism to accelerate the electoral process through a Constituent Assembly.”

“I don’t believe that Morales, who has been a centralist president, who advocated this line of total control and who has said here are the autonomies on paper, but I am not going to implement them, believes and wants federalism,” Mesa said.

The mayors of La Paz and El Alto, Iván Arias and Eva Copa, respectively, said that they agree with the debate on federalism, but that it is not the priority at this time, since the fiscal pact should be discussed first.

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