The opposition strike and the MAS “wiphalazo” reignite tensions in Bolivia

The citizens’ strike called by the opposition against a controversial law that is being discussed in Parliament and the official acts of “reparation” for the indigenous Wiphala flag have once again made clear the polarization that has been a constant in at least the last two years in Bolivia.

Authorities and politicians reacted on Wednesday to both events amid assertions that demand respect for some national symbols on the one hand and on the other call for a harmonious coexistence among Bolivians.

The president of the country, Luis Arce, wrote on Twitter that “Whole Bolivia vindicated the Wiphala!” and that the massive demonstrations of the day before in the main cities will remain in the “history” of the country.

Former president Evo Morales, who is president of the governor Movement to Socialism (MAS), He described these acts of reparation as a “triumph of the people” over opposition entities such as the Civic Committee of Santa Cruz, one of the organizers of the citizen strike on Monday in protest of the law against the Legitimation of Illegal Profits.

The aforementioned law is observed by the opposition, but also by merchants, transporters, cooperatives, evangelical churches and businessmen, among other sectors that consider that it confers extraordinary powers on institutions and people for the purposes of political persecution.

The Government of Arce rejected the citizens’ strike claiming that it affected the economy hit by the pandemic of the COVID-19, before which the sectors related to the MAS joined the work of the Police to clear the streets and avoid blockades, which ended up generating brawls between both sides.

Despite threats of new strikes and blockades, the ruling party has ruled out withdrawing the regulation and, on the contrary, hopes to approve it by November after a process of “socialization” of its scope.

By the wiphala

A day later, the “wiphalazo” took place, an official mobilization in response to alleged grievances against the indigenous Wiphala flag in September in the eastern region of Santa Cruz, the country’s economic engine and opposition stronghold.

Then, during the acts of commemoration for the 211 years of freedom of Santa Cruz, a wiphala that was hoisted by the vice president of the country, David Choquehuanca, was withdrawn by the Santa Cruz Government.

Given this, the MAS militants had massive concentrations in different cities on Tuesday with the presence of President Arce, his ministers and public officials criticized for carrying out this activity during working hours.

“The use of national symbols to confront each other among Bolivians is not only irresponsible, but it threatens unity and prevents the peace that we must continue to seek to recover full democracy and justice, over and above our differences,” wrote on Twitter the Former President Carlos Mesa, leader of Comunidad Ciudadana, the main opposition force in Parliament.

The senator of the opposition Creemos Centa Rek affirmed that the Government’s demonstration on the eve has been “a created act” and a response to an alleged offense against the wiphala that seeks to “enthrone a new symbol” and create a “masista country with symbols exclusively from MAS ”.

On the eve, criticism rained against the president of the Santa Cruz Civic Committee, Rómulo Calvo, who used the word “rag” to refer interchangeably to the controversy surrounding the national flags and symbols that was understood as a reference to the wiphala .

Morales considered that this statement responds to the “failure of the strike and the triumph of the people with the wiphalazo”, although the civic entity explained this Wednesday in a statement that these statements have been “taken out of context.”

Other authorities such as the mayor of El Alto, Eva Copa, stated that they did not join the strike or redress the wiphala, arguing that both demonstrations would harm a population that lives from its daily work.

Bolivia remains in a political polarization expressed in heated speeches by national authorities who insist that in 2019 there was a “coup d’état” and the opposition that affirms that the crisis was the result of a fraud in favor of Morales in the failed elections of that year and that now there is a “political persecution”.