Unfortunately, the Bolivian Congress, called under this government “Legislative Assembly,” has approved (last Friday) a Brazilian credit for the construction of a road that will cut the national reserve “TIPNIS”. A $332MM dollar credit to build a road from the coca growing area in the Chapare (Cochabamba) to San Ignacio de Moxos in the Beni department, en route to Brazil; about 306 kilometers. This road was labelled as “the cocaine road” during the electoral race in Brazil, not so long ago.

I remember travelling from Villa Tunari to the Chipiriri agricultural research and extension center in the late 80s. At that time, people living in the TIPNIS were free from cocalero intrusion. As USAID/Bolivia improved the road between Villa Tunari and Chipiriri, in order to make it more suitable and appropriate to carry agricultural produce. Unluckily, as alternative development was forced to an end, it became more evident the interest of the narcotrafficking to expand the coca crop in the pristine TIPNIS.

Last week, newspaper reported that indigenous people from that park, had to burn around forty sheds, as they were illegal settlement by cocaleros from highlands origin. The pressure not only to plant coca but to get massive quantities of rich wood and wildlife from that natural reserve, now prove a serious blow to the environment. A sad but real threat, I just wish this government could come to its senses, the same way the Ecuadorian president reconsidered hydrocarbon incursion in similar parks.

Violence, crime will rise; environment is in peril and indigenous freedom is at risk with this road.