Alida Juliani
Madrid (EFE) .- Bolivia will raise the debate on the danger that “hate speech” poses for democracies, in the world in general, and in particular in Latin America, at the Ibero-American summit in Santo Domingo, according to what he said this Thursday in a interview with EFE the Bolivian foreign minister, Rogelio Mayta.
That was one of the topics parallel to those projected for the meeting -scheduled for March 24 and 25 in the capital of the Dominican Republic-, which Mayta, visiting Spain, raised today in a conversation in Madrid with the Secretary General Ibero-American, the Chilean Andrés Allamand.
“The hate speech that has been circulating in the region is a threat to our democracies,” said the Bolivian foreign minister, who gave as an example what happened at the beginning of the year in Brazil, when followers of former President Jair Bolsonaro took over the facilities of the National Congress , the Presidency and the Federal Supreme Court, “something that we had also experienced in Bolivia.”
According to Mayta, this hate speech comes “from extreme right currents” and tends to “invalidate those who consider themselves political enemies. Unfortunately they do not have a reasonable basis, but they stick well as an explanation of some phenomena.
“If a country is in a bad way, it is the fault of the actions of certain groups in society, and in these hate speeches the possibility of agreement is not expressed, if not of elimination,” he said.
And from there, according to the Bolivian foreign minister, situations “as serious” as the one experienced by the vice president of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, are explained: “someone who did not agree with what he expressed politically or what he represented took the option of carry out the attack that fortunately was failed.
A worldwide phenomenon
Mayta stressed the concern about this phenomenon that is taking place in Latin America, also in Bolivia, where at the end of last year there were “complicated events in the midst of this type of speech and positioning.”
But he acknowledged that it is something that is not exclusive to Latin America, “rather we have an importation of this phenomenon.”
“We see it in Europe and in North America. In the midst of those fiery speeches that absolutely invalidate those who believe they are the opponent and even the enemy took the Capitol, let’s not forget it, “he said.
And because it is taking place all over the world, “for this very reason we cannot ignore it. In the search for the preservation of our democracies we have to minimally reflect on it.
Another issue that Mayta proposed to address at the Ibero-American summit is the role of the media, an issue that “even if it is complex, it must be addressed.”
The Bolivian foreign minister alluded to the media that, in some cases, “go beyond communication and become a kind of political actor that disseminates ideas that can come close to political propaganda.”
«There is a balance between what is acceptable as freedom of expression and the work of communication. It is complex, but they are issues that make up democracy. Although you have to be very careful to address them, we believe that there is a need, “he said.
Bet on regional integration
In relation to the attendance of all Ibero-American leaders at the Santo Domingo summit, Mayta recognized that it is a “complex” issue, and justified it in the agendas of the presidents and the internal dynamics of each country.
«But this time, due to the perception we have, it is going to be a good call. There have been several scenarios in which they have been sitting together beyond having different positions and at times some conflicting speech, “he explained.
And he gave as an example the last summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), held on January 23 in Buenos Aires, in which they tried to articulate common concerns beyond the differences between what the presidents expressed from certain countries.
Bolivia is in favor of regional integration, and beyond the existing organizations, “we participate in the oldest system in America in this sense, which is the Andean community.”
“We are members in the process of joining Mercosur (Common Market of the South) and we see the potential of this regional articulation, which has not been sufficiently exploited, but which has served us a lot.”
