Resource allocation will begin in September

Law 1492 stipulates August 30 as the date for the publication of the first population data generated through the census. The National Statistics Institute (INE) published this information yesterday, including data on the distribution of resources and seats in municipalities across the country. The process will begin in September.

This information was shared yesterday at a meeting of the National Autonomous Council (CNA), attended by governors and representatives of municipalities and indigenous farmers’ autonomous groups.

Of course, the governors of Beni and Potosí, Alejandro Unzueta and Marco Antonio Copa, respectively, did not attend the meeting, the first because his commercial flight was canceled due to forest fires and the second because “his internal regulations did not allow him to obtain a permit for one day. “

At the end of the meeting, President Luis Arce reported that he had sent the results of the large-scale investigation to the Deputy Ministry of Autonomy and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) in order to complete the process.

“We said we would have population data for the census by August 30 and we are complying. I confirm that the census process is “highly technical” and has been recognized by all the international organizations that have participated in the process until the publication of the results.” The census showed that the country had 11,312,620 inhabitants, a figure lower than the INE’s annual forecast.

Arce added: “Today, the Bolivian people have a picture in the government of 2024 and we are happy that we have fulfilled our promise and the Bolivian people have fulfilled it.” The census results show that Santa Cruz is the most populous department in the country with 3,115,386 inhabitants, second is La Paz with 3,022,566 inhabitants, followed by Cochabamba with 2,005,373 inhabitants. Later, Potosí has ​​856,419 inhabitants; Chuquisaca 600,132; Oruro 570,194; Tarija 534,348; Beni has 477,441 inhabitants and Pando has 130,761 inhabitants.

The rules Arce abides by were enacted in late 2022 following a 36-day strike in Santa Cruz demanding a transparent and timely vote count. This came after the president was unable to conduct the 2022 census as initially planned, even with a supreme decree.

Tarija Governor Oscar Montes said the data released yesterday will not cause much change in the budgets “and rates” that regions and municipalities receive.

Mayors of Santa Cruz, El Alto and La Paz, Jonny Fernandez, Eva Coca and Iván Lima, voiced their concerns, pinning higher expectations on population growth, and thus more resources for development.

The government is expected to socialize data across the country.