President of Bolivia declares national emergency due to the El Niño climate phenomenon

WorldThe head of state referred to the natural weather event that is beginning to hit Bolivian territory and said he will mobilize financial and human resources to deal with its effects. The president of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz. Screenshot. CommentsThe president of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz, declared a national state of emergency this Saturday over the El Niño weather phenomenon, asking for help from the international community after 63 localities were affected. In a video posted on social media, the head of state referred to the natural weather event that is beginning to hit Bolivian territory and said he will mobilize financial and human resources to deal with its effects, which are expected to include droughts and floods."Unlike other years, when we waited for the blow from the environment to arrive, we have made a decision, with international cooperation and national efforts, to pool financial and human resources to deal with this phenomenon," said Paz, in remarks reported by the newspaper El Deber. With this measure, the Bolivian government aims to get ahead of a phenomenon that "will hit very hard," and it warns that it will need the "cooperation of all institutions, departmental governments, municipalities and especially every Bolivian." The Andean head of state noted that, unlike previous administrations, which waited for El Niño to arrive, his Administration decided to act in advance by coordinating resources and institutional efforts to reduce the impact of these events. The president indicated that the drought is already affecting several regions of the country, specifically 63 communities, and that he will make his "greatest effort" to prevent its consequences and ensure that the subsequent floods cause the "least possible impact." Paz also highlighted the participation of the Armed Forces, the Bolivian Police and the various branches of the Executive in the response efforts. "We are using our best men and women from each institution to give you a quick and prompt solution," he said. In addition, he said that the availability of financial and human resources will be essential to address the situation, but stressed that coordination between institutions and Bolivian families will be decisive in facing the effects of the weather phenomenon. More on:BoliviaRodrigo PazNational emergencyEl NiñoResourcesDroughtFloodsWorld