Editorial, El Diario:

Bolivia urgently needs a new Political Constitution, since the one that came into force in 2009, during the government of coca grower Evo Morales Ayma, is full of inconsistencies, runs counter to history, and hinders the country’s development. This issue should be at the top of the nation’s agenda for solutions.

It is urgent to replace or reform the Constitution imposed by the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), which was designed solely to serve its interests related to so-called 21st-century socialism. This Magna Carta, drafted to suit the MAS movement, lacks direction and is even discriminatory and racist. Evidence of this can be seen in the attitudes of the authorities of that time, such as turning back the hands of the clock in Murillo Square, which was absurd.

Furthermore, some members of the public are calling for reform of the current Constitution to implement measures that will steer the country toward progress and advancement, something that the populist governments of the past twenty years failed to achieve. Without such measures, the country will remain at a standstill and continue moving backward, regardless of the determination shown by its current leaders.

In this regard, the current Political Constitution should already have been replaced or reformed following the popular uprising of 2019, which forced Evo Morales to flee after nearly 14 years in power. The transitional government of Jeanine Áñez failed to do so because of the inexperience of those called upon to lead that rebellion. The failure of that transitional government made it possible for the MAS movement to return to power following the electoral victory of Luis Arce Catacora, who was unwilling to make changes to the Constitution.

Now, eleven months into the new government headed by Rodrigo Paz Pereira, there are no signs that the Political Constitution, with its populist foundations, will be changed. Yet this Magna Carta prevents the adoption of measures needed to remove various obstacles left behind by the MAS governments. Moreover, the constitutional text is full of sophistry and demagogic phrases. To cite one example, it speaks of supporting rural communities, but in reality denies them property rights over their plots of land, which is economically counterproductive. In general, it stands in the way of Bolivia’s economic, social, and spiritual development. It would not be surprising if many of its provisions were disguised copies of the constitutions of socialist countries such as Cuba or Venezuela.

When the idea of replacing the Constitution entirely is raised, some analysts argue that it would entail a very long and difficult process. Nevertheless, a debate is needed on the possibility of convening a new Constituent Assembly or a constituent Congress to address this historical necessity. History clearly does not wait, and therefore the country’s pressing needs must be given priority, including removing the obstacles that prevent the adoption of measures to address, in a timely manner, the many problems currently afflicting the majority of Bolivia’s population.