CELAC Supports Dialogue to Resolve Bolivian Political Conflict

On Monday, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) urged to resume the dialogue on the 2023 Population Census that was interrupted by Santa Cruz groups that oppose the government of President Luis Arce.

RELATED: 

Bolivians Workers Reject Right-Wing Stoppage in Santa Cruz

“Argentina recognizes and values ​​the participation of the national and international technical organizations that are accompanying the preparatory process for the Census,” said the government of Argentina, which holds the CELAC pro tempore presidency.

"The Census is a key statistical tool for decision-making and the development of public policies for the benefit of the people," it added.

Nevertheless, given the escalation of the conflict between the Arce administration and some regional governments, CELAC "encourages the willingness of the parties to guarantee a constructive dialogue and conversations in good faith in order to achieve consensus-based sustainable agreements."

For weeks, the Santa Cruz Civic Committee has been inciting conflicts against the Arce administration using as a pretext the proposal to postpone the census to 2024. Far-right groups have unleashed violent actions as a way of demanding that the census be carried out immediately.

On Saturday, during the first day of the Santa Cruz stoppage, the Arce administration and the Interinstitutional Committee promoting the Census resumed talks to lower street tensions.

"We insist on dialogue because the other way harms the people," Communication Vice Minister Gabriela Alcon said, emphasizing that the opposition has no arguments to reject a conversation process.