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(CNN Spanish) - "The Bible returns to the Palace."
That was one of the first statements of the interim president of Bolivia, Jeanine Áñez, after self-proclamation in office, this Tuesday, after chaotic weeks of political tension in this country.
With the Bible in hand, the interim president began her government by giving one of the first changes in Bolivian politics: return the Bible to the Government Palace.
Thanking the civic, social and citizenship movements "for having thought only of Bolivia," the ruler raised the Bible and said "this is for Bolivia."
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"Bolivia is a tremendously religious and very mystical country and makes providentialism much predominant, that is, this belief that the help of God or deities is necessary for any activity," Fernando Cajías, historian, told CNN in Spanish and professor in Bolivian Cultures of the major universities of San Andres and Bolivian Catholic.
Áñez's statements are a 180-degree turn regarding the policy of Evo Morales, which lasted almost 14 years in power.
Since Morales came to power in 2006, both the president and other public officials stopped swearing on the Bible. Both the president and some of his officials were possessed with the left hand up, as a sign of socialism.
President Evo Morales possesses five new ministers of his cabinet, in 2008, in the Burned Palace of La Paz. As seen in this photo, religious symbols such as the Bible and a crucifix are present at the events. (Credit: AIZAR RALDES / AFP via Getty Images)
Before 2009, the political Constitution of Bolivia said that "the State recognizes and sustains the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman religion", although it recognized "the public exercise of all other worship", but the State was primarily Catholic. With the 2009 Constitution, Bolivia became a secular state, "independent of religion."
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A very catholic country
Not only Áñez, also opposition leader Luis Fernando Camacho used the Bible at this critical time for Bolivia.
To understand why it is necessary to understand the religious context of Bolivia.
In this country, the majority is Roman Catholic (76.8%), a minority is evangelical and Pentecostal (7.1%) and Protestant (1.7%), according to 2012 data.
According to Cajías, there are four worldviews in the country with which Bolivian spirituality can be understood:
On the one hand there is the worldview of the indigenous people (who are 20% of the population of the country), which survives despite evangelization. On the other, says the expert, there are the non-Catholic churches, which among evangelicals, Pentecostals and Protestants represent 8.8% of the population.
Then there are Catholics, who represent 76% of the population. Among them are the "mestizo Catholics" and the "Orthodox Catholics."
The first mix the Catholic with the indigenous worldview. And Bolivian traditions are very connected with this current, says the expert.
It is necessary to see the Oruro Festival, declared intangible heritage of humanity by Unesco, in which there is a mixture of cultural and religious traditions: “The cult of the mine's uncle, who at the same time becomes the devil of Christianity ”, Says Cajías. There is also a cult of the Virgin of Socavón and there is a Mother Earth Day or Pachamama.
And on the other hand are the "Orthodox Catholics" who have "a very great faith in both Christ and the Virgin Mary," says the expert.
The latter is stronger in cities such as Trinidad and Santa Cruz, precisely where the interim president, Áñez, and the opposition leader Luis Fernando Camacho are from.
On Sunday, after Morales's resignation, Camacho entered the Government Palace and placed a Bible on the Bolivian flag and knelt in front of these symbols.
"We don't knock down a government," Camacho said on his social networks. “We liberate a people in faith. Only one Bible was taken to the Palace and a letter of resignation. ”
According to him, the government of Evo Morales resigned "only with faith in God."
"I believe that the fact that both Camacho leader and the current president (Añez) have entered with the Bible is a sign that they are protected in a very difficult time for their faith and devotion," said Cajías.
And Evo?
Morales promoted religious freedom for years, so much so that the 2009 Constitution establishes that "the State respects and guarantees freedom of religion and spiritual beliefs, in accordance with its world views."
In proclaiming a law of religious freedom, in April this year, Morales said: “We are Catholics, some evangelicals, some Methodists, it is a right now. Now all the churches, thanks to the Bolivian people, are recognized by the Constitution. ”
And besides, being Aymara, he swore in a ritual of indigenous tradition in 2006, and, in 2016, he thanked Pachamama (Mother Earth) and Tata Inti (Father Sun) for his 10 years in the Government.
Morales has pointed out that religion "is like a reconciliation" and "blessing" for parishioners and this week criticized the use of the Bible by the opposition as a political tool.
“The Bible is not used to send Bolivians to kill and the Political Constitution of the State is not to burn institutions. Stop destroying Bolivia, ”he said on Twitter.
And he has been very close to Pope Francis, of whom he said he "respects and admires", in an interview with CNN in Spanish, in 2015. At that time, Morales said that, for the first time, he felt he had a father and met with the pontiff both in Bolivia and in the Vatican.
Pope Francis and President Evo Morales during an event in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on July 9, 2015, during the pontiff's visit to Bolivia. (Credit: CRIS BOURONCLE / AFP via Getty Images)
For Cajías, the entrance of the Bible to the Government is “a sign of integration” because if something unites Bolivians it is religion, and says that although some lay students question the mixture of politics and religion, this would not mean an action Against minorities.
"Faith is something that, despite the different versions, unites us and there is a great tolerance in this regard," said the expert.
Evo Morales
