External forces and oligarchy threaten democracy in Bolivia, says former inmates

“Bolivia, as a rich country, is also in geopolitical dispute worldwide. We are very rich in minerals, in gas, in gold, in rare lands, ”said Horácio Villegas Pardo, former Bolivia-Ball in Brazil, in an exclusive interview with The communicative (Check below), warning that “external interests are acting to assault the presidency next August.” From 2006, he recalled Villegas, there was an “exponential growth of the economy that is mainly explained by the nationalization of hydrocarbons, the distribution of wealth and the growth of the domestic market”.

The former editor stressed that Evo Morales (2006-2019) and Luis Arce (2020-2025), both from the movement to socialism (but), were the presidents responsible for the great transformation towards industrialization, contributed to break with the strings of neoliberalism and imperialism. But unfortunately, divisions in the national and popular field at this time are sharpening problems and bringing “not only political but mainly economic” consequences. The political dimension, he evaluates, “surely will appear in its real magnitude in August this year, in presidential elections”, and can “facilitate the return of the right to power.”

How do you analyze the process of industrialization and nationalization within the current political and economic model implemented by the Bolivian government?

The current process of Bolivian industrialization cannot be understood without a long -term look: the arrival of the movement to socialism (but) to power in 2006, which was a historical landmark. It is at this moment that the resumption of state, national, hydrocarbons, mainly gas, is taken up. This is the economic model, the basis of Bolivia’s state model in the last 20 years. If in 2005 our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was four billion dollars, after applying the model, with the different measures, the country had growth rates around 5% annually, reaching a GDP of $ 42 billion.

The exponential growth of the economy is mainly explained by the nationalization of hydrocarbons, the distribution of wealth and the growth of the domestic market

The exponential growth of the economy is mainly explained by the nationalization of hydrocarbons, the distribution of wealth and the growth of the domestic market, which constitute the basis of the model. Within this, the basis of the industrialization process of our hydrocarbons and our raw materials. This is constituted as a culminating phase of our economic model. With industrialization, we will no longer sell gas only as raw material. Lithium is another example: If we have the world’s largest reserves and still sell raw materials, we are working to add value soon.

In all ways, the recent inauguration of Mutum’s steel industry on the border with Brazil was a dream of Bolivians for over 50 years. Inaugurated a few weeks ago, Siderúrgica is the result of a work started in 2010. Therefore, industrialization cannot be understood without the structure that leads to it, the modification in our economy, all the profound changes to understand everything that happened.

And how did this reverberate in the daily life of Bolivians?

People’s quality of life has improved remarkably, because if there is such a remarkable advance in the economy, this translates into which the living conditions of the population – and workers as such – progressed. In the neoliberal model of life to which Bolivia was submitted until 2005, any worker, whether workers or services, had instability in employment and survived with a pauperim salary. His work conditions were completely marked by insecurity.

With the arrival of but at power this changes dramatically and the inflation rate is reduced to minimal expression. We have a real salary and a growing nominal salary, workers who have greater purchasing power and can purchase more products for their subsistence. The Bolivian population benefits from structural changes compared to other countries, where workers’ salaries cannot meet basic needs. Living conditions improve notably and there is more stability.

More wages and more jobs.

Exactly. There is a virtuous circle of growth. Where the economy is well, companies and jobs are well, and the population lives better. It is a model that lamentably right and the oligarchies have never been able to build, with poverty levels of 70 to 75% and a poor economy. That was the neoliberal heritage. With the model introduced by President Evo Morales (January 22, 2006 – November 10, 2019) this changes dramatically. It is a situation that logical did not fall from the sky, it was the result of political decisions.

I followed Jeanine Añez’s coup in 2019, the burning of peasant entities in Santa Cruz on the right, arrests and murders of opponents in Cochabamba and La Paz. Currently, there is a division in the field of national and MAS forces. What is your assessment?

This division of the movement that ruled Bolivia virtually over the past 18 years, like any political party in the world, contains discrepant differences and voices. However, unfortunately, but failed to solve their internal problems. There were a very deceived attitudes that led to this division between the lines of President Arce and former President Evo. It must be understood that in 2019 there was a coup d’état, a break from the democratically elected government and that it was performed by abroad forces and Bolivia’s internal forces.

From the 2020 elections, who chooses the name of Luis Arce to be a candidate, along with social organizations, is President Evo Morales. So you can’t admit how this division occurs at a time when Bolivia needs to resume a project that was underway. These internal disputes to keep or follow in power lead to consequences not only political but mainly economic. The political dimension will surely appear in its real magnitude in August this year, in the presidential elections.

Regrettably, the pets of power make them not even respect the history of the party or the native leaders of Latin American democracies. This can cause neoliberal governments that have so much damage to Bolivia to return to power under the mainly economic argument. Thus, under current conjunctural conditions, it is denied everything that has been built over the last 20 years, where this division is palpable in the Bolivian population, which does not share them, of which it is tired. Putting to all of the party [na mesma crítica]you can’t see what but it did the country.

This division may have a fatal consequence in the sense that an antipopular government, an antinational government is again established. Because what has characterized right -wing governments to all neoliberal governments is precisely not to want Bolivia to progress and develop. We had a 180 -year story of strings, where most of our populations and indigenous peoples did not develop, it was not included in the state as political actors. What was there was a caste Blancoidea caste linked to imperial interests that have always controlled and dominated power.

Obviously those who to maintain power needed to perpetuate the conditions of underdevelopment are those who came to feed the dispute for the MAS. With the division, this right has a great chance of returning to power. I repeat: This dispute was unnecessary, it is small that makes the history of the social and popular movement, nor its leaders.

In your assessment, what should Evo and Arce do?

Personally, I consider that Evo Morales still has great support from the Bolivian population, which recalls the historical structure of his government. People say they never lived as well as during those years. I believe there is this memory and this is reflected in the polls: Evo has between 20 and 25% support, while Arce is without support, with about 2 and 3%. It is necessary to respect reality, because it imposes itself. So, to continue with the national and popular project, President Evo’s leadership is critical. Regrettably, it was not able to achieve in these five years channels to continue development and there is a very drastic cut in what was being done. I believe it is necessary to respect reality and the task was not done at the right time.

Now President Arce is not allowing the electoral agency to enable Evo’s candidacy and there is a 20-25% of the Bolivian population without having to vote with. In this electoral disorder appear candidates with electoral speeches that are gaining strength, such as what happened in Argentina or other latitudes, mixing politics and gospel…

Regrettably, I see a very complex situation when the candidacy of former President Evo Morales is not allowed. This opens a very large door for radicalism to take strength and be able to constitute themselves as a government. The consequence of this is a setback. Bolivia would shoot again in these underdevelopment rates, in which our economy would advance little or nothing, having a large amount of natural resources.

Because Bolivia, as a rich country, is also in geopolitical dispute worldwide. We are very rich in minerals, gas, in gold, in rare lands. Of course, there are many external interests acting in our country and these internal divisions collaborate a lot with this game.

And the role of Brazil in all this?

The participation of President Lula and his government is very important in the region. At the South American level we always have the memory of this unifying squid, with Kirchner in Argentina, Chávez in Venezuela, Correa in Ecuador, Evo Morales in Bolivia, Lugo in Paraguay and Mujica in Uruguay.

Lula had a very important transcendental participation, and I believe our America needs a much broader unit and the small countries much more of the larger brother, which needs to be up to history and circumstances.