La Paz.-The former president of Evo Morales and his followers are at the gates of La Paz, headquarters of the Executive and Legislative powers, in a march against his former ally and current president, Luis Arce, whom he blames for the economic crisis in Bolivia .
Some 15,000 followers entered the city of El Alto, neighboring La Paz, where street clashes between supporters of the former ruler and President Arce were reported on Sunday, leaving eight people injured, according to the Ministry of Health.
It was the second crash. The first occurred on Wednesday, a day after starting the walk, which left 26 injured.
The former president began walking last Tuesday from an Andean town, 190 km south of La Paz.
Morales indicated from his social networks: “We entered the city of El Alto in search of solutions to the serious economic crisis and respect for the laws and institutions.”
In El Alto, Morales and his followers marched with Bolivian flags peacefully, without being harassed by pro-government civil organizations or the police, an AFP journalist confirmed.
Morales and his followers are expected to enter La Paz in the next few hours. Access to the Plaza de Armas, seat of the Executive and Legislative powers, was closed by a large police guard.
The arrival of Morales motivated Arce to warn his former ally and political godfather that he will not allow a civil war.
A social upheaval “is precisely what the internal and external enemies of our Plurinational State of Bolivia would like (…) We will not allow it,” Arce said in a television message, without revealing the name of Morales’ collaborator.
“For there to be a civil war, at least two antagonistic fronts are needed and that is a pleasure that we will not give you, our commitment is to peace,” he indicated.
The deputy of the ruling parliamentary bloc Jerges Mercado, close to Arce, assured that “there is concern about the march” and that Morales’ objective is to qualify himself again as a candidate for the presidential elections in August 2025.
Arce and Morales are facing off for the official presidential candidacy, although only the coca grower leader anticipated that he wants to run.
The government points out that the Constitution provides for immediate or consecutive re-election only once, which would prevent Morales from running again, although he insists that it is allowed, when it occurs after at least one presidential term has elapsed. Clarín.
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2024-09-28 09:00:18