LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Former Bolivian President Evo Morales said yesterday that the referendum on re-election called by the current president and his political rival Luis Arce seeks to disqualify him as a candidate for next year’s elections.
“Luis Arce intends to call a referendum with the sole purpose of disqualifying me as a candidate,” said the former president (2006-2019) on his X account, formerly Twitter.
The day before, Arce said he would call for a referendum to redefine reelection, but he did not give details of its content.
The Supreme Electoral Tribunal has asked the president to clarify the political and legal implications of his proposal.
“Now President Lucho wants to hold a referendum on whether Evo can be re-elected or not. I ask that the Bolivian people be consulted on how much they approve or disapprove of Lucho,” Morales said later in a press conference.
Arce and Morales have been embroiled in an internal dispute within the ruling party Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS) that has divided it into two currents following Morales’ claim to be a candidate in 2025.
Arce acknowledged that this division in his party has led to the loss of the majority in the Legislative Assembly, where legislators close to Morales are blocking the approval of international loans intended to reactivate the economy.
Analysts agree that this referendum seeks to settle disputes over control of the party apparatus ahead of the elections.
The president has not yet set a date for the referendum, but it is expected to take place in the coming months, along with the election of judges for the main courts of justice, which in that country are elected at the ballot box.
Related
#Evo #Morales #Luis #Arce #fighting #power
2024-08-20 20:22:44
