“Unblock, unblock!” massive march of business owners, producers, and merchants condemns government inaction | ¡Desbloqueo, desbloqueo! masiva marcha de empresarios, productores y comerciantes repudia inacción del Gobierno

By ANF, Eju.tv:

For 11 days, loyal followers of MAS leader Evo Morales have kept Cochabamba department isolated, where 16 out of the 20 blockades obstruct and paralyze all economic and productive activities.

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La Paz.- “Unblock, unblock! Evo and Arce, the people are fed up!” shouted producers and merchants during a protest march in Cochabamba against the road blockades by supporters of Evo Morales, condemning the inaction of Luis Arce’s government to ensure the free movement of the population.

For 11 days, loyal followers of MAS leader Evo Morales have kept Cochabamba department isolated, where 16 out of the 20 blockades obstruct and paralyze all economic and productive activities.

The gremiales said they are “tired of this situation, that’s why we are in this great mobilization; it’s been 11 days of disruption,” said one of their representatives interviewed by Radio Fides.

Farmers, dairy producers, florists, merchants, poultry farmers, and other productive sectors mobilized, driven by frustration, anxiety, and desperation, as the risks to their economic activities increase with each passing day.

The march reproached the government for not clearing the roads despite the disruption caused by this conflict. They protested at the entrance of the parliamentary delegation, demanding that the representatives were elected to support the department’s development, not to sink it into crisis.

“We want to work, we want to produce. We warn these parasites, lazybones, slackers in the administrative apparatus to clear the roads; otherwise, you’re forcing all sectors to oust these two factions (followers of Evo and Arce) that keep troubling the country,” said Celso Carrillo, a florist.

The florists cannot transport their products as they normally do; if they fail to sell by Sunday, many of these businesses could go bankrupt. Their situation is critical.

Carrillo also criticized the Governor of Cochabamba, who has not spoken out about the situation, saying, “What is the purpose of the departmental government, that Departmental Assembly? Drones, incompetents. The National Assembly is no different: useless, lazybones, corrupt,” he said with restrained anger.

Another producer demanded that “The government either starts clearing the roads or declares a state of siege” because the situation has become unsustainable.

Poultry farmers joined the protest. Photo: Radio Urbana

The vice president of the Cochabamba Agricultural Chamber, Rolando Morales, stated that the department is experiencing a “productive disaster” and is on the verge of “economic collapse” due to the 11 days of blockades driven by Evo Morales’ supporters.

“The agricultural sector has taken to the streets not only to protest, but out of distress. Today, they are in total abandonment; we have no one to uphold the principle of authority, no one to defend our constitutional rights,” Morales said.

“There is a situation of desperation, there are marches, markets are closed,” but no one is taking any action to guarantee the rights of the people. Ultimately, people are demanding their right to live in peace, but how can they live in peace when their work and sources of income are under threat, said the agricultural vice president.

The merchants have closed the markets because there is already a shortage of products, the same is happening in supermarkets, they noted, which in turn is causing a rise in product prices.

“The markets are running out of supplies, there are no products to offer. If there is no authority, we will restore order, and if necessary, we will go and clear the blockades,” said the representative of the gremial sector leading the march.

He criticized that a political conflict within a party like the Movement for Socialism (MAS) and the problem of one person is making the entire country suffer the consequences. “Because of the whim of a political party and one person, the entire Bolivian people have to pay the price.”

/NVG/

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