Tarija Civic Groups Threaten Major Protest Over Oil Royalty Law Delay

Civic leaders and residents of the Arce and O'Connor provinces in Tarija are mobilizing for a significant demonstration in the departmental capital. The core of their demand is the urgent debate and approval of a law that would redistribute 45% of oil royalties to the producing provinces. This is not a new fight; the law was approved last October but returned with observations from the Governorate, and has since languished in the Legislative Assembly.

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Surely we will cause inconvenience in the city of Tarija, but our fight remains firm for a vindication of our provinces.

Assembly members and civic leaders have resorted to a hunger strike within the legislative building, now in its third day, to underscore the urgency of their cause. They express deep frustration with the assembly's leadership, particularly its president, who they claim has ignored repeated requests for an extraordinary session and failed to uphold a promise to address the law after subnational elections. This inaction, they argue, directly harms the provinces that are the source of these vital oil revenues.

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We seek to do justice to the hydrocarbon-producing provinces, such as Arce and O'Connor.

With the legislative mandate in the Tarija department concluding in just five days, the pressure is mounting. The civic movement emphasizes that their struggle is a firm stand for the rightful claims of their provinces. While acknowledging that their protest may cause disruptions in Tarija city, they maintain that their cause is just and necessary for achieving equitable distribution of resources. The situation highlights a persistent tension between resource-producing regions and the central or departmental authorities over revenue sharing.

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The law was approved in October last year and was sent to the Governorate where it was observed and returned to the Assembly. The president of the entity had committed to addressing it after the subnational elections.