Bolivia: Protests planned against Morales’ re-election

By Sergio García

BOGOTA, Colombia

Protesters across Bolivia plan demonstrations late Tuesday against an attempt by President Evo Morales who wants to run for a fourth consecutive term.

About 40 different groups have coordinated protests in La Paz, Tarija, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.

Cochabamba civic committee head, Juan Flores, said the demonstration will involve the participation of all civilian sectors that reject Morales new attempt to hold on to power until at least 2025.

Ilya Fortun, in charge of protests in La Paz, said organizers will issue a statement that rejects the re-election bid she called a “coup to democracy,” as quoted in an interview with the local newspaper, Correo del Sur.

Fortun said demonstrators demand the government respect the results of a poll that rejected Morales’ desire for a fourth term.

Minister of the Presidency René Martínez said the protests are part of a conspiracy against the government that was planned between opposition parties and Luis Almagro, who heads the Organization of American States (OAS) regional bloc.

Martinez said Morales’ re-election opponents are opposition party members who are trying to destabilize the government.

“We know that this call is part of a smear campaign and planned destabilization promoted by the opposition,” according to Martínez who said the government would follow up the demonstrations to ensure they do not exceed limits set by the law.

A nationwide poll last February saw 51 percent of Bolivians reject a constitutional draft that would have allowed the president of president to seek another term.

The ruling Movement for Socialism Party (MAS) filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court to modify the Constitution to allow Morales’ presidential candidacy in 2019.

The Court announced last month the submission of an appeal by MAS and said the document is in compliance with the Code of Constitutional Procedure.

The Court has 45 days from the submission of the appeal to make a final decision.

Morales was elected in January 2006 and has been twice re-elected, in 2009 and 2014.

A constitutional referendum that passed with 61 percent approval in 2009 set a limit of two consecutive terms for the president.

* Daniela Mendoza contributed to this report