With the new transition of power, the Bolivian interim government must arrange for new elections and address some of the nation’s hottest issues, in this case, the controversial Chepete-Bala mega dam proposals.
According to this Spanish language article, the new government adopted a transcendental measure to meet the demand of public opinion to reject the El Bala-Chepete hydroelectric project and avoid a resulting socio-ecological catastrophe. The current head of government Jeanine Añez, through the Minister of Energy, Rodrigo Guzmán, made it known that the El Bala project was an irresponsible pipe dream of the previous government, and would be archived.
The ministry explained that the overthrown government did not make prior consultations to the communities involved, did not conduct adequate environmental studies, and posed a risky investment for stakeholders. The 10 billion dollar construction of the dams would have flooded rich rainforest lands and about 400 thousand cultivable hectares, killed a variety of animal and forest wealth, and would have expelled important native populations from their rooted places.
This article additionally stresses the obligation of the new government to solve extremely serious problems left behind by the government of Evo Morales.