.- With a referendum on the commercialization of natural gas just a few days away, Archbishop Tito Solari of Cochabamba, Bolivia, issued a call to participate in the voting, saying “we cannot miss this opportunity to directly express our wishes.”
“The referendum is the maximum display of democracy,” explained the Archbishop, who underscored the need for citizens to ensure that “their rights prevail.”
Despite the radical opposition to the measure by some union leaders, the Archbishop said people are very interested in the referendum. “These radical groups cannot influence the decision of the people,” he said.
“I don’t think the people are in favor of these radical groups; on the contrary, I think there is much expectation to participate in this event, which will allow every Bolivian to directly express what he or she wants, without the political parties as intermediaries,” he added.
