Land Seizures Threaten Rule of Law | Avasallamientos ponen en riesgo el Estado de Derecho

By Ernesto Estremadoiro, El Deber:

CAO demands a technical, “non-political” INRA to guarantee legal certainty

 CAO exige un INRA técnico y “no político” para garantizar seguridad jurídica

The president of the CAO entering the meeting with the Government

The president of the Eastern Agricultural Chamber warned that land seizures are the result of land trafficking, not social conflicts, and called on the Government to apply the law without negotiating with illegality.

The president of the Eastern Agricultural Chamber (CAO), Klaus Frerking, demanded this Thursday that a definitive halt be put to land seizures and warned that these acts do not stem from social conflicts, but from interests linked to illegal land trafficking. The statement was made in the context of a meeting convened by Santa Cruz authorities at the Governor’s Office to analyze this problem.

Frerking said that ending land seizures is a key condition for restoring legal certainty in the country and reactivating private investment. “If there is no respect for property and for work, there is no investment, no employment, and no economy that moves,” he stated, insisting that the only way to confront this situation is strict compliance with the law, without exceptions or concessions.

The business leader also proposed the need to toughen regulations and demand that judges, prosecutors, and all state institutions fulfill their role. “Respecting property rights and the right to work is respecting the future of the country,” he said, while questioning the political handling of the INRA in recent years. In that sense, he called for the creation of a “technical and not political” INRA, one that works alongside producers and in the service of society.

Frerking warned that land seizures are not limited to Santa Cruz and are also occurring in Cochabamba, Tarija, Beni, and even in mining concessions in Potosí, which —he said— shows a structural problem that puts the rule of law at risk. “This has to end. The country needs clear rules for everyone,” he stressed.

As a first step, the president of the CAO urged the Government to enforce the arrest and eviction orders already issued. “A firm and direct message must be sent: you do not negotiate with criminals or with illegality,” he stated. In his view, only a forceful response from the State will allow confidence to be restored and conditions to be guaranteed for the country’s productive and economic development.

Leave a comment