President Paz Facing a Sea of Problems | El presidente Paz ante un mar de problemas

Editorial, El Diario:

Bolivia’s current reality is highly complex, worsened by twenty years of populist governments that led the country into a critical situation and to the brink of incredible circumstances. It is within that environment that Bolivia’s current president struggles. Amid this negative scenario, the country’s leader seeks a compass to guide him in pulling Bolivians out of the swamp created by disastrous MAS governments. For that reason, the population expects him to address important issues in his speeches and, therefore, not leave the path open to demagogues who deceive the masses and ultimately plunge them into disgrace and misery.

But that is another matter. What is required in the face of a critical economic situation and the state of social unrest caused mainly by leaders of the Bolivian Workers’ Central and allied organizations is for President Rodrigo Paz to announce measures that will permanently solve problems. Only through determination and sound judgment will it be possible to prevent the populists who were removed from power in last year’s elections from trying to impose their whims by resorting to their usual methods of extreme violence.

In this regard, it should be remembered that at the beginning of his administration, Paz made announcements that were fulfilled and cannot be considered negative, such as the elimination of fuel subsidies. But since then, the population has expected more, particularly from ministers who were chosen to solve problems and avoid social conflicts.

So far, the new government has announced proposals such as reforming the Political Constitution of the State, enacting a new agrarian reform law, and others. However, changes in that direction will not be immediate, because intense debates and consensus-building would first be required. Meanwhile, the current economic crisis left behind by MAS governments continues to burden the majority of Bolivians.

One urgent matter is to investigate the administrations of Evo Morales and Luis Arce in order to determine what happened to the enormous amount of money received during the economic boom generated by gas exports. Nor should the issue be ignored that MAS loyalists remain within the public administration and are sabotaging the Paz government.

In short, the difficulties continue to grow: marches, blockades, assaults, and attacks on public buildings and citizens carried out by groups aligned with MAS, who are even demanding President Paz’s resignation. Through their violent conduct, the demonstrators show that they are not interested in living in a democracy, but rather in imposing their political or personal interests. Ultimately, it becomes clear that without reforming the Constitution, little can be done. Consequently, without political will, the country will continue stumbling from one crisis to another. In summary, the populist theory of dragging history backward into the distant past before moving forward again appears to be in full practice. That is why Rodrigo Paz finds himself facing a sea of problems from which he is trying to emerge, but he needs to make a decisive change of course.

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