Alas Chiquitanas: Smoke Vice President

In Bolivia, specifically Santa Cruz de la Sierra, fires have been out of control for over three months. More than 4 million hectares have burned, thousands of animals have died, and communities have been displaced.
International aid has just begun to arrive, but it is not enough. We are witnessing one of the largest environmental disasters in history, and the government has turned a blind eye to it.

But can you imagine if the smoke from the fires that suffocates the Chiquitana and Santa Cruz communities invaded the hallways of the "Casa Grande del Pueblo" (the government house)? Would the situation remain the same? Of course not.

I wish the President and Vice President could feel the burning in their eyes, the itch in their throats, the suffocation of smoke in their lungs, and the desperation of not having water nearby. If that were the case, perhaps they would have acted sooner.

The emergency declaration has not arrived, and health alerts do not extinguish the fire that continues to advance minute by minute. Arrogance, bureaucracy, and negligence are leaving scars of burned lives and shattered futures.

The fire does not need more economic reports or bureaucracy. The forest cries out for help, and our unique ecosystems and communities plead for assistance.
It’s not just Santa Cruz that suffers; the entire country is intoxicated with unprecedented levels of smoke. Together with Alas Chiquitanas, we demand:

* Declaration of a National Disaster
* Immediate actions to ensure health
* Repeal of incendiary laws
* Sanctions against those responsible

May the government and its irresponsibility not blind us. Let us act for our country.