President Luis Arce met with the leaders of the Unity Pact, headed by COB executive secretary Juan Carlos Guarachi, at the Casa Grande del Pueblo. | Photo: Oxigeno

La Paz, July 31 (RHC)-- In Bolivia, social organizations that form the Unity Pact announced that it was agreed to socialize with social organizations and the nine departments the development of the entire census process and not allow the politicization of the Population and Housing Census for 2024.

After a meeting with President Luis 'Lucho' Arce, the Unity Pact decided that if from Santa Cruz "they dare to take any action" (pressure measure), they will immediately launch marches, strikes and blockades.

The executive of the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), Juan Carlos Huarachi, indicated that in the meeting with President Luis Arce, the social organizations expressed their resounding rejection of the politicization of the Census by some politicians of the Santa Cruz department.

Both Arce and the representatives of the Unity Pact agreed on the importance of carrying out a census process that is absolutely technical, responsible and far from any political interest.

"We will not allow them to politicize the Population and Housing Census, we will not allow them to harm the population, workers, merchants, transporters and all those who are part of the economic and productive reconstruction of the country", said Huarachi.

Institutions of Santa Cruz have already carried out a 24-hour strike to demand the annulment of the decree that postpones the Census until 2024. On the weekend they will hold a summit, where they could also decide on more pressure measures.

The executive of the Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos (Csutcb), Eber Rojas, called on the representatives of Santa Cruz to reflect and not to activate measures that divide the country, but to seek unity.

The Government and nine mayors of capital cities, plus El Alto, agreed last Wednesday to depoliticize the issue of the Population and Housing Census and create a technical commission for a socialization of the process that will be in charge of the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

The census process, initially set for November 16 of this year, was postponed until 2024 as a result of the agreement between President Luis Arce and the eight governors in the National Autonomy Council (CNA).