Arce urged to banish hatred, racism, discrimination and lust for power “that poison the national soul.”
“Let us not forget history, only the united people are able to overcome the greatest challenges, only in unity can we move forward on the path of development and growth, only united will we be strong (…)”, he said in his speech.
He emphasized that unity is the constant and permanent struggle to “expel from our hearts and minds hatred, racism, discrimination and the thirst for power that poisons the national soul.”
He stressed that the armed forces have a duty to be together and to serve their people, “(…) to love the country as if it were an extension of itself and to love its people as if it were its own family .”
He emphasized that this was something that unpopular rulers such as Mariano Melgarejo (1820-1871), Aniceto Arce (1824-1906) or Eliodoro Camacho (1831-1899) did not understand.
Without naming names, he was of the opinion that history is repeating itself today with the balkanizing desires of the anti-homeland countries who want to prevent Bolivia from becoming the central South American axis connecting oceans, lakes and rivers with both seas (Atlantic and Pacific ) connects.
“This date is appropriate to recognize and warn that, just as history knows how to recognize the error and the glory of its heroes, its patriotic soldiers and its martyrs, history can also remember those who chose to do so,” emphasized he emphatically sacrificed their interests for the country.”
Arce reiterated that the country needs more than ever the joint efforts of its entire population and, together with them, its armed forces to advance the industrialization of lithium and natural resources.
He described that these projects take place in an international context marked by geopolitical reconfigurations that will give way to a new multipolar order, the demand for strategic resources, minerals and rare earths for space exploration, Industry 4.0 and new technologies.
In addition, he emphasized, the climate crisis is being exacerbated by plundering capitalism.
He believed that this critical situation was pushing the global economy to shift towards electromobility as an energy matrix with lithium as a strategic resource.
He added that beyond completing this transformation, this metal is also crucial in promoting the long-awaited development of society and the well-being of the people.
“For this reason, we must preserve our Constitution and the state’s ownership of the resources of the Bolivian people,” he concluded.
lam/jpm