Cainco warns that the country is on the verge of collapse “behind smoke screens” and calls for dialogue | Cainco advierte que el país está al borde del colapso “detrás de cortinas de humo” y llama al diálogo

By Raúl Domínguez, El Deber:

Jean Pierre Antelo, presidente de Cainco/Foto: Captura de video
Jean Pierre Antelo, president of Cainco/Photo: Video screenshot

The president of the organization called for action from “those responsible for providing certainty, but who today only show mediocrity disguised as good intentions.”

In an institutional video released Thursday afternoon, Jean Pierre Antelo, president of the Chamber of Industry, Services, and Tourism of Santa Cruz (Cainco), warned that the country is on the verge of collapse “happening behind smoke screens that intentionally seek to downplay the country’s complex economic situation.”

The executive noted that inflation, unemployment, economic slowdown, and fuel shortages “are part of our daily lives,” which have become a critical factor for the productive sectors and food security of the country.

“Less than 70 days remain until the end of the year, and the resilience of Bolivians is turning into fatigue. Yesterday, I was in Cochabamba, and the feeling is national. We can’t continue like this; no one should have to get used to the bad. At this time of year, companies should be planning and projecting. Families should be setting goals for 2025,” said Antelo.

He lamented the accumulation of unresolved problems, which are choking the future of Bolivians. “Living one day at a time has become a survival motto, but it’s drowning our vision for the future.”

According to the business leader, Cainco warned in May that the crisis was spiraling out of control, and now the results of incomplete government measures that haven’t addressed the core issues are evident.

“A year ago, dollars were scarce. Today, they are still missing. Company inventories have shrunk, just like families’ purchasing power (…). Some companies have stopped operating due to a lack of dollars and fuel. What does a company do that can’t work? And what does a person do without a source of employment? We warned about it, and now it’s evident. Politics has swallowed management, and solutions are captive to power struggles,” he said, referring to the pre-election disputes between Evo Morales and the current president, Luis Arce.

He noted that not only are roads and loans in the Legislative Assembly blocked, “but the future of our country is also blocked. It’s time to establish limits with common sense and clear rules. Political disputes cannot continue to hold the population hostage. It’s time to act for Bolivia. In 2025, every Bolivian will go to the polls and freely decide their preference. What must be ensured are the minimum, necessary, and imperative conditions to reach 2025 resilient, not drowning,” he emphasized.

Three messages

Antelo concluded by delivering three messages. The first: “the future is still possible,” and that “we must emphatically refuse to get used to the bad.”

The second: “an open call to those who today base their decisions on individual interests and believe it’s legitimate for 11 million Bolivians to have their dreams curtailed because of these personal battles. And I call for action from those responsible for providing certainty, but who today only show mediocrity disguised as good intentions,” he stated.

Finally, he reaffirmed Cainco’s commitment to keeping “the doors open for dialogue, for discussing ideas and proposals, for overcoming the crisis, and above all, for thinking about the future. Our voice will always stand firm to defend the Bolivian entrepreneurial spirit, from the market vendor to the large industry, to each and every Bolivian who believes a future is possible.”

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