Which laws are prompting protests in Bolivia?

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The pacification of the country is now conditioned upon the Legislative Assembly’s immediate repeal of the controversial law against illegal profits, enacted last August.

But new demands have been added, such as the repeal of at least 6 other statutes rejected by social and citizen organizations and the reinstatement of the requirement for a 2/3 vote in Congress to pass important reforms or key laws, in order to grant the opposition a counterbalance, which seems even more difficult for the MAS to accept.

Unanimity between the ruling and opposition deputies to quickly and urgently pass a short law to repeal law 1386 was expected on Monday night. Chamber of Deputies president Freddy Mamani announced Monday that the session would not last more than an hour, so that it could be immediately forwarded to the Senate, which should also quickly pass it in order to put an end to the protests.

However, the repeal of this law could be insufficient to restore calm to Bolivia, considering that on Sunday night the Pro Santa Cruz Committee and leaders of the mobilized sectors announced that the indefinite strike would continue until the repeal of Law 1386 and of what the opposition calls the package of “damned laws”, as well as the reinstatement of the 2/3 of votes in the Legislative.

On the 8th day of strike, a number of regions decided to demobilize, granting a 48-hour deadline for the law to be repealed. This is the case of the Tarija region.

Positions remain particularly firm in Santa Cruz, the epicenter of the mobilization, which has continued the strike with its highways blocked, and Potosí, whose Civic Committee agrees with the Santa Cruz Committee that the repeal of Law 1386 is insufficient.

In the city of Sucre, which last week held only a large protest march, Monday dawned with blockades. After a calm week, La Paz on Monday summoned the Assembly of the Paceñidad, which would define actions to be taken to guarantee the repeal of the controversial law.

The government has been combining threatening speeches since Sunday, with more optimistic tones on Monday. It was president Luis Arce himself and Vice President David Choquehuanca who warned that there will be uprisings by pro-government social movements and the people to ensure stability and democracy, in view of what they consider to be an attempt to overthrow it. The latter, of indigenous origin, warned in a meeting with his supporters: “beware of the wrath of the Inca.”

These threats triggered reactions from social organizations protesting against the government, which also raised the tone, reflecting high social tensions.

However, Minister of Justice Iván Lima on Monday chose to moderate the belligerent discourse and said that he was optimistic about the course of events in the coming hours, expecting an early demobilization of the sectors on the streets.

REJECTED LAWS

There are at least 7 laws rejected by social organizations and by the opposition. A little over a month ago, president Luis Arce backtracked on another controversial complementary rule to the Law against the Legitimization of Illegal Profits, to be repealed soon.

The new demand arising from the mobilizations calls for the repeal of the following laws enacted in recent weeks and months:

1 – Health emergency law (rejected by doctors);

2 – Law for the career of generals and promotions of the Bolivian Police (rejected by police wives);

3 – Law of Official Statistics of the State;

4 – Commerce Registry Law;

5 – Law to Strengthen the Fight against Corruption;

6 – Law 242 which approves the Economic and Social Development Plan (rejected by public universities, mayors and governors’ offices).

There has also been a tenancy bill which has been rejected and which is not expected to be addressed.

In a press conference held Monday morning, opposition alliance Comunidad Ciudadana leader Carlos Mesa said that it will support the demand for the repeal of the so-called “package of laws” in Congress.

“We have reached this situation in Bolivia because when all doors to dialogue and debate are closed, people take to the streets, because the government does not offer any path, in the logic of unique and hateful speeches. If they go on like this, the scenario will not change. The people have just had a second victory with the announcement of the abrogation of Law 1386 and Comunidad Ciudadana will support its implementation in Congress. However, there is still a package of so-called cursed laws on the table. The government must open a space for debate and it must be in Parliament,” Mesa said.

The government has assumed that it has failed in the socialization of the laws and pledges to start a new debate.

THE 2/3 REQUIREMENT, ANOTHER BATTLEGROUND

In addition to demanding the repeal of almost a dozen laws, social organizations opposed to the government and the opposition have proposed a new battle that seems to be more complex, such as the reinstatement of a 2/3 majority for votes in Congress.

This would be the obstacle that prevents having a counterbalance of power in the debate on laws, closed by the MAS before Luis Arce took office. In the last presidential elections, the ruling party lost the 2/3 that allowed Evo Morales to legislate comfortably, when he was president.

A last minute maneuver of the MAS in the former Parliament closed the door to the new legislative administration to prevent the new ruling party from needing 2/3 approval to pass laws, with a necessary consensus or agreements with the opposition. For instance, the accountability proceedings against former presidents, the promotion of Police and Armed Forces generals, or the election of certain high ranking officials require a 2/3 majority, according to rules and regulations that have not been considered in this past year of administration.

“For Comunidad Ciudadana, the reinstatement of the 2/3 is a matter of State. That is why we will now present a reinstatement bill to the two houses to modify the articles that violated the 2/3. This is solved if the MAS votes in favor,” Carlos Mesa said.

This is the context in which protests are taking place in Bolivia and their continuity or end will depend on the progress of new demands, particularly those arising in the departments of Santa Cruz and Potosí. Other mobilized sectors have stated that the conflict will only end once Law 1386 is repealed.