Bolivian President Luis Arce assured today that mining remains a mainstay of the Bolivian economy and will be so “for a long time,” because now technology demands the production of that sector .
“Today (…) technology more than ever demands what we produce and have as natural resources here in our territory,” said the head of state in an act for the 46th anniversary of the Departmental Federation of Mining Cooperatives (Fedecomin) of La Peace.
Arce stressed that some sectors think that “mining is in decline”, however, he believed that it is the opposite and reiterated that the validity of this sphere will continue for many years.
He clarified that this time Bolivians “are not willing to give away our natural resources.”
The president reaffirmed that the government authorities no longer want minerals to be given away as in the past, at the time of the tin barons, Hochschild, Simón Patiño and Carlos Aramayo.
He stressed that the country is rich not only in traditional metals such as tin, zinc, lead, silver, but also in the so-called rare earths, non-metallic minerals, very important for agriculture and with many prospects for industrialization.
He also recalled that the mining cooperatives faced 20 years of neoliberal governments in which they fought against privatization policies during the mandates of Víctor de Paz Estenssoro and Hugo Banzer.
He emphasized that many young university students who are beginning their political and professional life remember this sector as one of those who overthrew the government of Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada in 2003 “that brought mourning and pain to the Bolivian family.”
“Therefore, how can we not come and share with you these important moments as it is another anniversary of our Fedecomin. We admire them, we love them very much, we respect them for the fight they have followed,” exclaimed the dignitary.
As a gesture of support for Fedecomin and for its anniversary, the Head of State gave the representatives the documents of a vehicle so that they can mobilize in their different functions.
The Vice Ministry of Communication, for its part, reported that in the afternoon the president will attend in Cochabamba the acts of delivery of the Bolívar 1 vehicular bridge and the Qualitative Housing project called Phase VI 2022.
Source: Prensa-Latina