Santa Cruz Council Stalled by Electoral Credential Dispute

Controversial Council Takeover

• ⚠️ Andrea Negrete and Denis Guzmán attempted to take over the offices of council members Silvana Mucárcel and Israel Alcócer at the Santa Cruz Municipal Council.
• ❌ This action was described by Councilman Marcelo Vidaurre as an "excess" and "unnecessary", serving only for show and harming the council's image.

Electoral Credential Dispute

• 🧩 The Departmental Electoral Tribunal of Santa Cruz issued credentials to Negrete and Guzmán, but a vocal from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) stated this was unauthorized by the full TSE board.
• ⚖️ This has created a conflict and uncertainty regarding who the legitimate council members are, as the TSE claims the note allowing credentials was an arbitrary decision.
• 💡 According to Ley 482, there should only be 11 council members, but the current dispute effectively creates 13, making the situation legally problematic.

Impact on Municipal Governance

• 🚫 The Municipal Council cannot hold sessions (ordinary or extraordinary) until the TSE resolves the controversy, leading to a stalled legislative process.
• 📊 This situation prevents the council from addressing important issues, such as resolving an appeal and conducting public hearings, thereby harming citizens.

Council's Call for Clarity

• ✉️ The Municipal Council sent an urgent letter to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal in La Paz, requesting a "prompt and truthful" report to clarify the situation.
• ✅ The council emphasizes the need for the TSE, as the highest electoral body, to define the true status of the council members to avoid violating rights or committing illegal acts.

Critique of Actions and Delays

• ⏳ There is concern that the TSE has allowed this controversy to persist for days without a definitive pronouncement from its full board, despite the urgency.
• 🎯 The council urges the TSE to act with celerity and truth to restore institutional functionality and legal certainty in Santa Cruz, rather than being caught in a "sandwich" situation.