Evo Morales will continue the march to La Paz against the government, source confirms
Afp
The newspaper La Jornada
Thursday, September 19, 2024, p. 26
La Paz. Former President Evo Morales (2006-2019) will continue the march through the Bolivian Andes against his former political heir Luis Arce, despite having announced his withdrawal from the protest, a peasant leader reported yesterday.
Ponciano Santos, leader of a peasant union close to Morales, said that Our commander Evo Morales Ayma will continue this march until reaching the seat of government.La Paz, next Monday.
Peasant, indigenous and worker leaders said it was important for Morales to lead the march that began on Tuesday in Caracollo, 190 kilometers south of La Paz. The marchers arrived yesterday in Lahuachaca, 140 kilometers from the seat of government. There they met to evaluate Morales’ decision.
The Aymara leader had announced his departure to avoid the government linking him to personal ends. Several ministers have indicated that Morales is seeking to promote a coup against Arce and also has electoral motives.
He indicated earlier that As the government says it is Evo’s march, I decided to withdraw from the march.As of yesterday, the march had gathered around 10 thousand people, according to the former president himself.
Morales confirmed that the protest is against the economic crisis and the lack of dollars and fuel. Arce’s government, on the other hand, claims that it is to demand that the Judicial and Electoral powers accept his candidacy for the 2025 presidential elections.
The Executive Branch insists that Morales cannot be re-elected because he had served two consecutive terms. In addition, in 2016 he lost a referendum to run again, although he was still a candidate in 2019. The opposition denounced fraud at the polls and protests motivated his resignation.
Arce and Morales are facing off for the leadership of the ruling party and for the nomination for the presidency, although only the coca grower leader announced that he wants to be a candidate.