© Sandra Cartaso
Luis Arce received the Doctorate Honoris Causa from the hands of Umet students.
The warm welcome included Bolivian flags and wiphalasan enthusiastic reception that exploded when yesterday followingnoon he entered the main hall of the Umet Luis Arce Catacora. He came straight from the Casa Rosada, where he had been since morning and together with the president Alberto Fernandez signed central agreements in the current bilateral relationship, gas supply in the country in the future nearby and the joint exploitation of lithium. Trade union representatives, from the Bolivian community in Argentina, students, teachers, university workers, showed a special form of affection and closeness when the president of Bolivia received the Honoris Causa Doctorate awarded to him by the Metropolitan University, UMET. “Bolivian men and women elected a government of the people and for the people, and here is the people receiving this award”thanked Maple.
There was another important distinction for the president whose inauguration, in November 2020 and at the same time that former President Evo Morales returned from exile in Argentina, meant the restoration of democracy in Bolivia. From the hands of the Mother of Plaza de Mayo Taty Almeida, Lita Boitano, president of Relatives of the Disappeared, and the Grandmother of Plaza de Mayo Buscarita Roa, Arce received the White Handkerchiefsymbol of Memory, Truth and Justice.
Among those present that he also received, a group of teachers gave him a white overall and a painting with a drawing by Paulo Freire.
From the people and for the people
“His role as Minister of Economy was key during the government of Evo Morales for the recovery of natural resources and for the construction of a development model that involved one of the processes of greater redistribution of wealth and greater democratization that the region experienced in the 21st century”, described Arce to justify the Honoris Causa.
“We give it to him, but on his behalf also to all the Bolivian people, who fought for social justice, and once morest the oppressive elites who come for our rights.”
“I feel very honored to represent the Bolivian men and women who fight, and who will continue to fight, for a fairer, more equal society, and without social classes“, expressed Arce when thanking the distinction, which the Umet previously gave to regional references such as Lula Da SilvaPepe MujicaRafael CorreaDilma RoussefOliver Stone.
“We are proud to be recognized for our grain of sand to build the Great Homeland. If we Bolivians are an example of what it means to be consistent with our ideas, we have been able to show that there is always retribution,” he said, referring to the long months of democratic interruption in his country. “We are committed to continuing to work for better days for the Bolivian people, for the most needy, the most humble, those who were once discriminated once morest,” he said.
And acknowledging the work of “a university created by workers” like Umet, he recalled that “this economic model that has transformed Bolivia was born when we were teaching at the University of San Andrés, a public university. This project of the people was born there and for the people that we are leading today”.
An opportunity
Along with the Bolivian president, the ambassador to Bolivia, Ariel Basteiro, and the Bolivian ambassador to Argentina, Ramiro Tapia, also arrived. They were received on stage by the head of the October group, Víctor Santa María, who gave the first words of welcome. Maia Gruszka, academic secretary of the UMET, Gimena Vitali, administrative secretary, and Ana Natalucci, Research secretary of the house of studies, joined.
“More than the President for us is Luchowe love him very much and he has had many visits to Argentina and in particular to this university, where he has given many talks”, he introduced Arce Santa María. He recalled when, on the occasion of the inauguration of Umet, Lula Da Silva said: ” The only thing I ask is that they give the workers an opportunity.” “And that is what this university represents, which today recognizes Arce, along with Evo Morales, as an example of a leader who never gave up” .
Among the attendees who filled the auditorium were numerous representatives of social movements and union organizations (Hugo Godoy, general secretary of ATE, Ricardo Peidro, of the CTA, Roberto Baradel, of Suteba, Angélica Graciano, of UTE, among others and others), the deputy Gisela Marziotta, the Buenos Aires legislator Matías Barroetaveña, the head of Inadi, Victoria Donda, the former Minister of Education, Nicolás Trotta.
The particular characteristics of a university such as Umet, created by the building workers’ union, but which over these ten years had the participation of almost eighty union organizations, including the CGT, the CTA, and the CTA Autónoma, was also highlighted. in the act. “This adds to the richness and diversity of this university, which is a collective project,” she stressed.