The Bolivian president also called to join efforts in the face of the new onslaught of external entities over natural resources such as lithium. | Photo: @LuchoXBolivia

Sucre, August 6 (RHC)-- Bolivian President Luis Arce evoked this Sunday the independence struggle of the Bolivian people on the 198th anniversary of the achievement of their freedom, during a ceremony held at the Casa de la Libertad in Sucre.

"198 years ago, Bolivia burst into the concert of free, sovereign and independent nations, an act preceded by an arduous and bloody war that for 16 years kept in check the colonial power in Upper Peru, which was finally sealed by the extraordinary triumphs of the United Liberating Army in the famous fields of Junin and Ayacucho," he recalled.

In his speech, the President recalled the heroes who participated in the struggle for the recovery of democracy, and also recalled how Bolivian independence was strongly demanded by the General Deliberative Assembly, convened by Marshal Antonio José de Sucre. 

The Bolivian leader stressed that the road to Bolivian freedom was not exempt from betrayals and sufferings, but despite adversities, Bolivia always fought for its self-determination.  "It is fair to recognize that today we are here, in the Casa de la Libertad, celebrating the 198th anniversary of the founding of Bolivia, thanks to the heroic competition and sacrifice of men and women who stood as forerunners and precursors of our independence," he stressed.

In this sense, he recognized the participation of indigenous men and women, mestizos and Creoles, who joined the cause of a country free from colonialism, outrages, outrages and humiliations.

"Never was there so much and better fighting as during independence, never were we so united and united around a common ideal as during that heroic time. Heirs of this spirit, today ALBA, Celac, Mercosur and Unasur have their seed, their genesis in the dream of the Latin American and Caribbean Great Homeland", he stressed.

In this way, the Bolivian leader emphasized that the current Plurinational State is the result of a historical process where all the peoples that make up the Bolivian identity are recognized as equals.

Luis Arce called for the unity of his people to continue with the Democratic Cultural Revolution and thus renew and redirect the popular project promoted by his government towards the Bicentennial, in his speech for the 198 years of independence of the South American country.

Likewise, he indicated that all the challenges and challenges that the nation has ahead, can be overcome with unity.  "What better lesson can leave us this August 6 than the certain fact that our independence is the result of the unity of our people and the unity of our Abya Yala", he said.

The Bolivian president recognized the need to return to the origins to know and understand the struggles of the present, and highlighted the role of indigenous peoples against colonialism and in favor of the working class against capitalist exploitation.

The Latin American leader also stressed that the unity of the Bolivian people will have its maximum expression in the continuity of the Cultural Democratic Revolution and its anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist, anti-neoliberal, anti-colonial and anti-patriarchal character.  

"Unity will ultimately come from the grassroots organizations, from the social organizations, which in order to enforce their will constituted their own political instrument, which should not be instrumentalized exclusively for electoral purposes", he stressed.

Regarding the Bicentenary, Pesident Luis Arce insisted that the Bolivian people are facing the challenge of reflecting on the good, what should be rectified, the goals achieved and what remains to be achieved.

The Bolivian president also called to join efforts before the new onslaught of external entities on natural resources, and warned that "divided and confronted among Bolivians, we could again become an easy prey of interests alien to those of the Homeland".

"Being aware of this possibility should lead us to join efforts to face future contingencies with a sense of Homeland, prioritizing the common good and not personal interests", emphasized the Head of State.

In view of the large, proven reserves of lithium that Bolivia has at international level, the recent agreements signed with Chinese and Russian companies for its exploitation, and the interests in this and other minerals that the country has on the part of the great Western powers, Arce warned that the projects of growth, stability and social justice "are not to the liking of those who want democracy and freedom only for themselves".

"Today, the project of achieving emancipation is again threatened. They are the same threats from inside and outside our Homeland, which achieved that from 2,373,256 square kilometers with which we were born to republican life, today we have only 1,098,581 square kilometers of territory", he warned.

The Bolivian Government will not leave cases of violence and sexual abuse unpunished.  And President Arch affirmed that his government will not leave cases of violence and sexual abuse against women and children unpunished, and stressed that this is a commitment as president of the Bolivian people.

In this sense, he stressed that he will work for the strengthening of institutional mechanisms to punish these crimes in an exemplary manner, and said that violence against women is an evil that still persists in Bolivian society, marked by a system of patriarchal oppression.

"The regulations are not enough, but to attack the foundations of the oldest system of oppression, patriarchy, so we must work from families, in education at all levels, in addition to creating and strengthening those institutional mechanisms that allow us to prevent violence at all levels, but also to punish in an exemplary manner the commission of crimes of violence against women and children," he insisted.

Finally, the Bolivian president urged the organs of justice not to hinder the issuance of sentences against women and children, nor allow impunity.