Environmental pause proposed by Arce is another “patch measure” | Pausa ambiental planteada por Arce es otra “medida parche”

By El Diario:

They point out that the damage is irreversible

  • They indicate that the only way to contribute to preserving the environment is to facilitate the approval of the Bills submitted to nullify the so-called “package of incendiary laws.”
  • They see what has happened in the country in recent months as unprecedented environmental damage in history, which, due to its characteristics, has caused irreversible harm.
  • The President’s announcements about a 10-year environmental pause in areas affected by forest fires must not remain empty intentions but translate into real and sustained actions.
Deputy Lissa Claros (CC).

Questioning the announcements by President Luis Arce Catacora regarding a supposed 10-year environmental pause in areas affected by forest fires, opposition deputy Lissa Claros from Comunidad Ciudadana (CC) stated that the government is resorting to another “patch measure,” considering that the environmental damage caused by uncontrolled burns is irreversible.

According to the national assembly member from Potosí, the only way to contribute to environmental preservation is to facilitate the approval of the bills submitted to repeal the so-called “package of incendiary laws,” which the ruling party refuses to pass, opting instead for announcements that fail to address the core problem.

“What the government does not want to do is repeal the incendiary laws. The first step is that. The supposed environmental pause and other patch measures, for us, only aim to mitigate a disaster that is already irreversible,” said Claros.

She explained that the environmental damage caused by forest fires in recent months is unprecedented in the country’s history and, due to its nature, has resulted in harm that is difficult to repair.

“What has happened in Bolivia is environmental damage, a massacre of native species, and the loss of over ten million hectares—this is entirely irreversible for Bolivia,” Claros emphasized.

Furthermore, reiterating that the Movement for Socialism (MAS) government will neither reverse the damage nor restore anything, Claros asserted that the promises and announcements by the President about a supposed 10-year environmental pause in the areas affected by uncontrolled fires lack public confidence.

The opposition assembly member believes the only way to end this recurring problem is through a root solution: repealing the set of laws passed during Evo Morales’ administration that promoted slash-and-burn practices and deforestation for the benefit of government-aligned sectors.

“Only by repealing the incendiary laws can we ensure respect for the environment. Patch measures that are mere smoke screens achieve nothing,” she pointed out.

On why repealing the controversial laws has not progressed in the Chamber of Deputies, Claros cited vested interests of those in power to continue benefiting groups known as “interculturales,” comprised of MAS militants who, over more than 14 years, have parceled out green areas by burning them under the pretext of lacking land.

“They have become accustomed to destroying nature to later negotiate those lands. They do not care about the country or its environment but only about pursuing political interests,” she concluded.

At the G-20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, President Luis Arce announced the implementation of a comprehensive reforestation program in areas affected by forest fires, including a 10-year environmental pause.

“Bolivia suffered fires in much of our Amazon, as occurred in Brazil and other places. We are launching a very aggressive reforestation program, where we will implement a 10-year pause in those burned areas to allow reforestation,” stated the President.

Arce also emphasized that this plan aims to regenerate the areas affected by fire and ensure the sustainability of indigenous communities in the region, which depend on forests.

On this matter, deputy María René Álvarez stated that the recent forest fires in Bolivia have devastated over 10 million hectares, causing an environmental catastrophe that not only destroys biodiversity but also directly impacts the rights of communities that rely on these ecosystems.

She argued that President Arce’s announcements of a 10-year environmental pause in fire-affected areas, along with a call for international support at the G-20 Summit, must not remain empty promises but require real and sustained action.

“We cannot ignore that the causes of this crisis lie in years of permissive policies and systematic negligence. The MAS government has promoted laws like Law 741, which facilitate deforestation disguised as economic activities, turning forests into pastures and condemning regions like the Chiquitania to cyclical disasters,” Álvarez noted.

Álvarez argued that the announced “environmental pause” is insufficient unless accompanied by the repeal of harmful laws and the implementation of a coherent and firm legislative framework in favor of the environment.

“It is concerning that the President laments the lack of international financial support when his own government does not prioritize proper resource allocation or strengthen institutions responsible for environmental protection. Restoring and conserving our forests cannot depend solely on the international community—it must be a responsibility of the Bolivian state,” she added.

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