Bolivia: Opposition To Continue Strike Despite Repeal of Law

On Sunday, the Pro-Santa Cruz Committee (PSCC) President Romulo Calvo announced that his organization will continue an indefinite strike even though Bolivia's President Luis Arce agreed to repeal the Law Against Illicit Earnings and Terrorism Financing (Law 1386), which was used by the far-right organizations as a pretext to call a national "civic strike".

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Bolivia: Union Sectors Begin Dialogue Over Law No. 1386

In order to calm the Bolivian political situation after four days of violent actions in Santa Cruz, Arce on Saturday sent a bill for the repeal of Law 1386, which had been rejected by the political opposition arguing that it hurt small businesses and gave the Executive branch too much power.

Despite the Arce administration's decision, the PSCC now demands modifications in the procedures the Senate uses to approve laws.

“Once we have complied with the popular demand, the political and destabilizing nature of the protests is made apparent. From the beginning of the protest, far-right groups have expressed that their objective is to overthrow the government,” the Presidency Minister Maria Prada said.

"Since we will keep President Arce’s promise, there should be no other argument to continue creating chaos in the country," the Lower House President Freddy Mamani said.

“We no longer know if the opposition sectors were ever truly against the Law, or if it was just an excuse. Now, they demand something else. Who knows what else they will keep demanding?."

Over the last months, the same political and social organizations that supported the 2019 coup against President Evo Morales are trying to overthrow the new government of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS). Although they have not managed to obtain support from Indigenous and farmer organizations, their actions are severely affecting the Bolivian economy.