Gabriel Romano
10/20/2020 7:21 PM
Clarín.com
World
Updated 10/20/2020 7:21 PM
A government supported by a "renewed" Movement to Socialism (MAS) and with the intention of
"governing for all"
are the work bases proposed by Luis Arce, virtual president of Bolivia after the elections last Sunday, as highlighted in an interview this Tuesday with the Efe agency.
Arce, who confirmed the need to give way to professionals, young people with "commitment" and social sectors that were not taken into account, said that he is not unaware of Evo Morales as a "mentor" and "historical leader" of his party, although he pointed out that the new Executive will be your Government.
-How have been the hours after meeting that you practically won the election?
-Today has been a day, rather, quiet, because we have been able to sleep the normal eight hours, not the night before, because we were there until 03:00 to 03:30 in the morning because of the vote count, with the press.
Now much calmer, more relaxed.
-Have you talked to Evo Morales (who is in Argentina)?
-Of course, we have spoken with him, he was also happy, we did not do it until this last night, we have spoken with him.
We have been with a very different agenda.
Luis Arce was Evo Morales' Minister of Economy.
Photo EFE
-What is the style of government that you want to have?
-In our Government what we are going to do is include more young people, it is the MAS 2.0, it is a renewed MAS.
A MAS with changes that must be made, we must continue some good things that we have done, but of course, we must modify others.
-In one of your first speeches you spoke of redirecting the "Change Process" What does this mean?
-There must be much more communication with social organizations, have regular and permanent meetings.
Give space to sectors that in the past did not have access to the instrument such as professionals, youth.
and what better, that professionalism and youth come together.
-After the results of this election, does the MAS still think that Evo Morales is irreplaceable?
-I believe that we must differentiate, one, the leadership of the former president, because we will always have him, we will always recognize him, the historical leader, the mentor of this process of change that Bolivia has been experiencing since 2006. But this issue of the elections It is something else. I believe that the elections there were based on social organizations, the MAS militancy and the Bolivian people who wanted a transformation.
-The question that is repeated is whether Evo Morales is going to govern behind Luis Arce. What does he say about it?
-That's what the right-wing parties have invented to take away our votes, to try to capitalize on some people who don't like comrade Evo, be it out of hatred, racism or whatever.
We are going to rule.
It will be my Government and in my Government we are going to move the country forward.
Photo EFE
-How would you reconcile Bolivians and how to show that the MAS was not related to alleged acts of violence?
-With objectivity, simply with objectivity.
When has the MAS entered the government with violence?
Never.
We have entered with a vote, in elections, with democracy.
Those who enter violently, those who attack the Bolivian people are the right wing, the right wing parties.
-How would you work for a reconciliation?
-What we have done (and said) from day one: we are going to govern for all.
Our Government is going to be for everyone.
We are not the violent ones, we do not pay to carry out a coup.
Even so, we understand that (our opponents) are Bolivians and that enough is enough of fighting over strictly personal or group issues and interests.
We are going to build all the bridges that are necessary so that they can see that there is the possibility of governing all of us.
-Who called you to congratulate you?
-I have received calls from all over, President Alberto Fernández -of Argentina-, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico, President (Daniel) Ortega -of Nicaragua-, President (Sebastián) Piñera -of Chile- have called us. , the president of Paraguay -Mario Abdo Benítez-, several presidents.
-Is it necessary to redirect foreign policy? What will happen to Cuba, Venezuela, Iran?
-We are going to reestablish all relationships.
This government has acted very ideologically, depriving the Bolivian people of access to Cuban medicine, to Russian medicine, to advances in China.
For a purely ideological issue, the population has been exposed in an unnecessary and harmful way.
We are going to open the door to all countries, the only requirement is that they respect us and respect our sovereignty, nothing more.
All countries, no matter the size, that want a relationship with Bolivia, the only requirement is that we respect each other as equals.
If that is so, we have no problem.
-The interim Foreign Minister, Karen Longaric, has indicated that the new Government will have power over the difficulty that has occurred with Mexico as a result of its former colleagues (former ministers of Evo Morales) welcomed in the Mexican residence in La Paz.
-The current chancellor is committing an illegality by not applying all international regulations on asylees.
She should have issued safe conducts.
By international regulations, I think he has made big mistakes, there simply for an ideological issue and I regret it.
Photo EFE
-What will happen to your former colleagues who remain in the Mexican residence?
-We are going to give them the safe conduct as they have requested.
They will define what to do, I cannot tell them what to do, but since we understand that they have requested a safe conduct, in application of international regulations we are going to give it to them.
-Will you reinstate the ambassadors with Mexico and Spain?
-Of course, you have to reset.
We must reestablish with all the countries that want (to have a relationship) with us.
I have also spoken with the President of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
He said 'we want to work', we have no problem.
A good sign would be to reestablish ambassadors, the same with Mexico.
It seems an abuse to me what the current government has done with the Mexican ambassador (María Teresa Mercado), who for me has done an excellent job here in Bolivia.
What's more, I am going to ask again, if the Mexican government so wishes, to send us the same ambassador who was there before the coup.
-What is Luis Arce's message to the OAS, the EU, the United Nations?
-From the OAS, we have many observations about the work you have done here in Bolivia since last year.
We have said it clearly and if these errors are not corrected, we will continue to observe everything that the OAS has done in Bolivia.
-What are your main economic measures going to be?
-We are going to make an industrialization plan with import substitution, we are going to make a security program with food sovereignty, promote internal tourism, generate our industrialization processes of lithium, iron from Mutún, export electricity, continue with our processes gas industrializers.
And we are going to continue with our strategic scheme of keeping natural resources in the hands of the State.
EFE Agency
PB
Look also
Elections in Bolivia: Who Will Have Power?
Luis Arce's victory and the specter of a two-headed driving
What are the main challenges for the next president of Bolivia