Concepción council urges priority for alternate road amid repeated Chiquitania blockades

The president of Concepción’s municipal council is asking departmental authorities to prioritize an alternate road after repeated blockades disrupted municipalities in Santa Cruz department’s Chiquitania region.

Elizabeth Hurtado recalled that officials had proposed connecting Concepción with San Antonio de Lomerío and then Tres Cruces. The route would give the region another connection during future conflicts and blockades.

Hurtado said blockades affect the entire population of the Chiquitania, including people in places not involved in the disputes. Concepción hosts activities that generate economic and tourism traffic, such as a rally, a forestry fair and other productive and commercial events, she said.

She argued that the road would benefit not only Concepción and San Antonio de Lomerío, but also other Chiquitania municipalities and the department of Beni. Hurtado urged authorities and mobilized sectors to seek solutions through dialogue.