The deputy Rolando Cuéllar surprised the country on Tuesday by announcing that he would propose President Luis Arce for the Nobel Prize in Economics. The parliamentarian, loyal to the Movement for Socialism (MAS), highlighted the economic stability that, according to him, has been maintained under Arce's management. According to Cuéllar, the socialist economic model has been successful and he claims that many countries look to Bolivia as an example to follow.
Cuéllar argued that, unlike other nations where currencies have devalued, the boliviano has remained strong. He also assured that the Bolivian economy remains solid despite the global crisis. In his view, President Arce has managed to maintain the economic balance that many governments have not been able to.
Cuéllar's proposal has also been seen as an attempt to divert attention from the growing economic difficulties in Bolivia. In recent months, the country has faced a severe fuel shortage and rising inflation affecting the poorest. Additionally, experts have pointed out that the Bolivian economy is in a structural crisis.
Economist Juan Pablo Suárez stated that since 2016 economic indicators have been worsening. The lack of dollars in international reserves and the growing difficulties in importing basic products are suffocating the population. Inflation has reached worrying levels, affecting the purchasing power of Bolivians, making Cuéllar's proposal seem like a mockery.
Meanwhile, businessman Marcelo Claure has also been critical of the government's economic management. On his social media, Claure denounced that Bolivia is on the brink of economic collapse.
He also assured that the country is mired in a crisis of poverty and unemployment, caused by erratic economic policies. Claure also questioned the lack of a suitable investment climate in the country. According to the businessman, these situations have led many entrepreneurs to seek opportunities outside the country.
Is there no crisis for the regime?
Meanwhile, Luis Arce's regime has maintained that there is no crisis in the country. The president has argued that the economic difficulties are inherited from Evo Morales's mandate. However, analysts like Ruddy Sanguino and Suárez assure that the current crisis is the result of poor economic decisions during this government.
