The mining district was quarantined weeks later because the government, backed by Huarachi's COB bureaucracy, continued to guarantee the exploitation of Mount Posokoni at the service of transnational corporations. To date there are already 9 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Huanuni, which causes panic as the pandemic strikes a population where miners have been long burdened with lung diseases.
At the time of registering the first cases of coronavirus, the hospitals of Santa María and San Martín de Porres only had two stretchers for the care of patients with coronavirus, for a town where around 25 thousand inhabitants live.
Previously, health personnel had denounced the lack of supplies, equipment, and even of specialized medical personnel. The terrible situation that exists now is the product of years and years of disinvestment in health. The Bolivarian government of Evo Morales did not put a Bolivian peso in the health system for 14 years while 4 billion dollars went out from the national mining into the pocket of the transnational companies; on the contrary, his government invested in the militarization of Huanuni since February 2019 that the lives of four unemployed miners were be claimed. Áñez further deepens this militarization as homes and hospitals fall apart and drinking water is rationed, because what they want deep down is to keep the miners disciplined manu militari to prevent them from revolting by outpacing their collaborationist FSTMB and COB leaderships.
Thus yesterday afternoon, for further strengthening the militarization, 250 soldiers and 50 Army instructors arrived in Huanuni, in a coordinated operation between the police and the army to control the population. Then, at night, a rehearsal of this operation took place in the closed coliseum of Huanuni, attended by Oruro Governor, Huanuni mayor, the Armed Forces and the police, together with the Ministry of Defense of the Añez government with the excuse of supposedly “preventing the health of the population” with the tight control of the armed military, police, and alligators that not one milliliter of alcohol in gel bring to distribute, but spread terror within the population. Under the excuse of the economic crisis and the pandemic, this creates the unbeatable scenario for the privatization of the Posokoni that now can subsequently be done, what Morales had tried again and again, and as is the desired plan of Añez and the transnational companies as a strategic blow to finish liquidating nationalized mining.
We ought not leave our health and life in the hands of the murderous army and police of Añez! Get the repressive forces of the state off the streets!
For a National Public Health Committee comprising the FSTMB, the Huanuni Union with the leaders and delegates, together with the mining unions, coordinating together with the housewives, the workers organizations and the health workers to take the problem of the pandemic and the economic crisis in our hands, before it is too late! Surveillance committees of the workers' organizations together with the neighbors!
Enough that the collaborationist leaders subordinate themselves and leave our health in the hands of the fascist government of Añez and the Armed Forces. They are killers! The COB and the FSTMB must break with the pacification deal between the MAS and the coup leaders signed on the blood in Sacaba and Senkata, with the protection of the UN and the OAS!
Quarantine for all miners with 100% of their pay and indexed to the cost of the family basket! For a committee of the unemployed who must get a wage according to the family basket and be represented with voice and vote rights in the FSTMB!
Mine that suspends or dismisses workers or closes must be taken under workers control without compensation! To guarantee decent health for all miners and exploited, all mining must be nationalized without compensation and under workers' control, starting with San Cristóbal de Potosí! There is the money to guarantee quality hospitals, items, biosecurity, tests, and supplies necessary to face the pandemic.
Capitalists should pay for the crisis!
Correspondent for the Liga Socialista de los Trabajadores Internacionalistas of Bolivia
