Marianela Paco

Marianela Paco Durán (born 28 November 1976) is a Bolivian journalist, lawyer, and politician of the Movement for Socialism (MAS). She served as a Plurinational Deputy for Chuquisaca Department from 2009 to 2015, and was the country's Minister of Communications from 2015 to 2017, during the third government of President Evo Morales.

Marianela Paco
Minister of Communications of Bolivia
In office
22 January 2015 – 23 January 2017
PresidentEvo Morales
Preceded byAmanda Dávila
Succeeded byGísela López
Deputy of the Chamber of Deputies of Bolivia
In office
2009–2015
ConstituencyChuquisaca Department
Personal details
Born
Marianela Paco Durán

(1976-11-28) 28 November 1976
Tupiza, Bolivia
Political partyMovement for Socialism
Alma materUniversity of Saint Francis Xavier
OccupationJournalist, lawyer, politician

She is known for drafting and promoting legislation against racism, human trafficking, and violence against women.

Biography

Marianela Paco was born in the town of Tupiza on 28 November 1976.[1][2] She is the daughter of two teachers – from Cotagaita and Betanzos – and the oldest of five siblings.

For professional reasons, her parents moved the family to Potosí, where they remained until she was five years old, when they moved again, this time to the municipality of Quivincha.[3] She took intermediate and baccalaureate studies in Betanzos. In Sucre, she earned licentiates in social communication and in law, political, and social sciences at the University of Saint Francis Xavier.[3]

From 2000 to 2004 she worked at the Youth Social Ministry, and from 2005 to 2009 she was a social communicator and journalist on Aclo Foundation Radio, part of the Radio Erbol Network, notably as a news announcer in Quechua.[1][4]

On 23 May 2008, she reported having been the victim of attacks by groups of agitators close to former Chuquisaca governor Savina Cuéllar and the so-called Inter-institutional Committee, who mobilized in Sucre to confront the campesinos who arrived from the countryside to meet President Evo Morales.[5] Paco claimed that they doused her with alcohol and threatened to set her on fire.[6]

They said to us: "Go back to your pigs, to the countryside and your cows." We must never let them humiliate us like that again.[5]

Political career

In 2009, Paco was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, representing Chuquisaca Department for the MAS.[7] There she assumed the presidency of Chuquisaca's parliamentary brigade, and became the president of the Chamber's Human Rights Commission.[8] Her work in the Assembly focused on the defense of human rights and women's rights. She was one of the authors of the new Family Code and Family Process.[9] She was an editor, designer, and one of the main promoters of the Law Against Racism, whose debate began in 2010.[10] She also championed the Comprehensive Law Against Human Trafficking, the Law Against Harassment and Political Violence Against Women, and the Comprehensive Law Against Violence Against Women.[11]

In 2015, she was appointed Minister of Communications in the government of Evo Morales.[12]

During her tenure, she positioned herself in favor of community radio and free software as instruments of technological decolonization.[13] She initiated review and debate on the use of social networks to ensure respect for the dignity of people and reduce the vulnerability of children and adolescents.[14]

In October 2016, Paco was hospitalized several times for health reasons.[15] She was diagnosed with microangiopathy. On 29 December 2016, she announced that she would not resign despite her illness.[16] On 23 January 2017, Gísela López replaced her as Minister of Communications.[17]

Controversies

Marianela Paco usually wears a sombrero in her public appearances. This has generated criticism on social networks, which she ascribes to racist reactions.[10] In interviews, she has explained that she has worn it since 2011 in tribute to the campesinos who were blocked from entering the plaza of Sucre in May 2008 due to their condition and attire. She also sees it as a symbol of cultural identity and political commitment. In response to the online attacks, she filed a lawsuit against 20 politicians, holding them responsible for spreading racism.[10]

References
  1. "Marianela Paco Durán" (in Spanish). Office of the Vice President of Bolivia. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  2. Gonzales Salas, Inés, ed. (2013). Biografías: Historias de vida en la Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional [Biographies: Life Stories in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly] (PDF) (in Spanish). International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. p. 121. ISBN 9789995493059. Retrieved 17 October 2019 – via Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
  3. Díaz Arnau, Oscar (5 April 2015). "'Me entrenaba psicológicamente para saber resistir'" ['I Trained Psychologically to Know How to Resist']. Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  4. "En democracia, al menos 28 periodistas ingresaron a la carrera política" [In Democracy, at Least 28 Journalists Enter Political Race] (in Spanish). Eju TV. 21 September 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  5. "Colonial scars run deep in Bolivia". BBC News. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  6. "Marianela Paco Durán" (in Spanish). Ministry of Communications of Bolivia. Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  7. "Ministra Paco: Nuestro desafío es comunicar respetando la dignidad" [Minister Paco: Our Challenge is to Communicate Respecting Dignity] (in Spanish). Radio Fides. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  8. Vaca, Mery (3 June 2010). "Derecho de admisión: ¿una forma de racismo en Bolivia?" [Right of Admission: A Form of Racism in Bolivia?] (in Spanish). BBC Mundo. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  9. "Nuevo Código innova cambios para la justicia social dentro la familia" [New Code Innovates Changes for Social Justice Within Families]. Opinión (in Spanish). 3 November 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  10. "Ministra Paco: Ellos esperan que esta mujer india y morena trabaje como su empleada" [Minister Paco: They Expect This Indian and Brunette Woman to Work as Their Employee] (in Spanish). Eju TV. 11 September 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  11. "Diputada Paco pide aprobación de Ley Contra el Acoso y la Violencia Política" [Deputy Paco Asks for Approval of Law Against Harassment and Political Violence]. La Patria (in Spanish). La Paz. ANF. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  12. Series Históricas 80 años generando estadísticas [Historical Series: 80 Years Generating Statistics] (in Spanish). National Institute of Statistics of Bolivia. February 2016. p. 6. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  13. "Ministra Paco inaugura el Primer Encuentro Internacional de radios comunitarias y software libre" [Minister Paco Inaugurates the First International Community Radio and Free Software Meeting] (in Spanish). Quillacollo: Ministry of Communications of Bolivia. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  14. "Ministra Paco plantea revisar y debatir el uso de redes sociales" [Minister Paco Proposes to Review and Debate the Use of Social Networks]. Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  15. "Hospitalizan a la ministra Marianela Paco en la ciudad de La Paz" [Minister Marianela Paco is Hospitalized in the City of La Paz]. Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  16. "Paco descarta renunciar a su cargo en el Gobierno" [Paco Rules Out Resigning Her Post in the Government]. Correo del Sur (in Spanish). 29 January 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  17. "10 nuevos ministros figuran en el gabinete de Evo; Choquehuanca y Quintana dejan sus cargos" [10 New Ministers Appear in Evo's Cabinet; Choquehuanca and Quintana Leave Their Posts]. Los Tiempos (in Spanish). 23 January 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
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