Improvisation and misinformation before the 100-day mark | Improvisación y desinformación antes de los 100 días

By Erbol:

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSONSHIP QUESTIONED

Analysts see improvisation and misinformation shaping the government’s line ahead of the 100-day mark

Hagamos Democracia panel this Sunday

Improvisation in decision-making and the absence of a clear communications policy have marked the first one hundred days of President Rodrigo Paz’s government, according to a political scientist and an analyst, who also warned of internal discoordination and weak public defense of official policies.

Analysts Marcelo Arequipa and José Orlando Peralta took part in the Hagamos Democracia panel on the Erbol network, where they assessed the political climate one week before the president crosses, on February 8, the symbolic barrier of 100 days, considered a turning point to measure governmental consolidation or wear.

Both pointed out that the lack of a solid communications strategy became evident with the issuance of Supreme Decree 5503 and during the conflict with social organizations. They also mentioned information gaps in the application of the digital signature decree, in announcements on international credits, and in the implementation of campaign promises such as the so-called “capitalism for all.”

Arequipa maintained that President Paz has focused on political management, while Minister José Luis Lupo plays a more technical role. However, he argued that the government lacks effective political operators and questioned the preparation of some ministers. “There are authorities who arrived with outdated software, as if they were working with a Windows 4,” he ironized.

The political scientist also observed an initial contradiction in the relationship with social organizations. He recalled that the government announced it would not take them into account, but ended up confronting a strengthened “informal institutional framework” — social organizations, civic committees, and neighborhood councils — with a vocation for power, which led to the repeal of D.S. 5503.

For his part, Peralta agreed that President Paz exercises political leadership, accompanied by Lupo’s technical profile and the role of Economy Minister Gabriel Espinoza, who, he said, continues along the line of an economic commentator.

He also criticized the lack of clear information on the digital signature, which — in his view — did not respond to technological planning, but rather to a political decision linked to internal tensions with Vice President Edmand Lara and the presidential trip to Panama, which left a political vacuum.

“At this moment, those who speak with political clarity are the president and Minister Lupo, but someone is missing who communicates so people understand. The Presidential Spokesperson, I don’t know what name they’ve given it, neither ‘here nor there,’ let’s say. It has no impact at all, and considering the media and social networks available, the way to communicate right now is wide open. And I think they are not doing the famous government communication in an adequate way,” he stated.

Peralta compared the current situation with the first governments of Evo Morales, where — he said — there was more solid government communication. “What is being done and what still cannot be done is not being communicated in a responsible and professional manner,” he added.

Arequipa also warned about the political and legal consequences of the digital signature, pointing out that its implementation would have sought to prevent the vice president from assuming command during the president’s temporary absences. “It is not a legal problem, it is a political problem, and when problems become political, resolutions tend to be unpredictable,” he said.

Both analysts agreed that the communication deficiency was also reflected in the suitcase case, where the lack of clear official information gave way to speculation. They warned that, without clear and firm government communication, this type of episode will continue to affect the credibility of the administration.

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