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Credit, Reuters
Luis Arce said that Morales’ return to Bolivia does not mean that the former president will be part of the new government
The virtual president-elect of Bolivia, Luis Arce, says that the possible return of Evo Morales – former president in whose government he was minister – does not mean that he will be part of the new government.
The projections of the results of the electoral polls in Bolivia give Arce the victory in the dispute for the presidency of the country. At the end of Sunday’s vote (10/18), the voting station of the Cies Mori research institute and the Tu Voto consortium indicated that Arce will have estimated 52% of the votes.
Both the interim president, Jeanine Áñez, and the main opponent, Carlos Mesa, acknowledged Arce’s victory, although they asked that the official electoral result be awaited.
Until this Tuesday (10/20), 60% of the polls had been counted and Arce had 50% of the votes, compared to 32% for Mesa. Although he appears to have votes to win in the first round, he must face a deeply divided country.
The divisions refer to 2016, when then-President Evo Morales held a referendum to ask Bolivians if they wanted to change the Constitution to allow him to be reelected for a fourth term. At that point, the “no” won.
Morales’s party, the MAS (Movement to Socialism), took the matter to court and, in November 2017, the country’s constitutional court overturned the referendum and removed limits on presidential re-election.
Morales ran for reelection in 2019, when a runoff between Morales and Carlos Mesa was scheduled. But the count stopped after 24 hours, and when it resumed, the results gave Morales the winner in the first round.
Credit, Anadolu Agency
Arce was Evo Morales’ minister and, for critics, he would be a “puppet” of the former president
The alleged irregularities sparked strong protests in Bolivia, putting pressure on Morales, who resigned on November 10, 2019 and left the country. Until the publication of this report, he was in Argentina, and said that he will only return to his country when Arce is confirmed as president.
Áñez, then vice president of the Senate, took over the country.
The BBC Newshour program spoke with Luis Arce about the political polarization of Bolivia and what will be the possible participation of Morales in his government. Here is the transcript of the interview:
BBC – How do you plan to unite such a divided country?
Luis Arce – From my point of view, what is divided are the interests of the people. When a country is divided by politics, parties or whatever, these are all class interests.
But because of the pandemic, everyone began to feel that the economy is not doing well, that the neoliberal model that they implemented in November 2019 is not doing well.
People had more benefits in our model. So the interests are returning more to the social side, than to the right side, which wants to stay in the neoliberal model, but the benefits are more for the entrepreneurs and the rich.
BBC – You explained that there is a profound economic and philosophical difference between you and your opponents. I get it. But we must also accept that there is a profound lack of trust on the part of those who did not support him, MAS and Evo Morales. They think that the fact that he (SUBWAYoral) having said that he will return shows that there was abuse of power and corruption. How are you going to convince them that this time it will be different?
Maple – You see, corruption was created in this right-wing government. So, corruption is not the key to the differences between the two ideas about the Bolivian state. Our difference is what we do with the State …
Credit, fake images
Luis Arce is designated the winner of Sunday’s elections and can win in the first round
BBC – To be clear, Mr. Arce, I’m sorry for the interruption. But there were many cases of corruption during Morales’ years in power. It would be difficult to ensure that there is no corruption.
Maple – Nerd. I am not saying there is no corruption. We even sent a MAS activist who had stolen to prison.
But in this government we also find corruption, but they are still there, and nobody did that (send them to jail), so there is a difference.
BBC – But stillsim there are many people in Bolivia who will say that the most obvious abuse of power was in 2016, when Morales held the referendum to abolish the limits of presidential re-election, people clearly said no and decided to take that to court, which annulled the chose. . Then, as you know, in 2019, the elections in which he participated were controversial and the target of accusations of fraud. So my question is: how are you going to convince people who doubt that you will act with freedom and justice?
Maple – Well, there are two things. I can’t help but talk about what you said, but there are no facts, you know.
The MAS is a majority party and yesterday’s (Sunday) votes clearly demonstrated this. We are the majority, more than 50%.
Of course, last year there was no fraud. It was a coup for the right-wing parties, which cannot defeat us in the elections. The only way they managed to come to power is through a coup.
Second, what we are going to do is try to talk to the people and build bridges between what they want to do and what we have to do, to overcome all these crises that the right-wing parties have created in the country.
Credit, Reuters
Carlos Mesa already acknowledged the opponent’s victory, but asked for the vote count to be completed
BBC – When is Morales expected to return to Bolivia?
Maple – I don’t know, you have to ask him.
BBC – Should you have talked to him?
Maple – Yeah, but I’m not him, you know?
BBC – What did he tell you?
Maple – Well, he said that (would go back). But today is (Monday) is the day after the elections and he is not here in Bolivia.
BBC – Of course. But the reason I ask this question is that many people wonder if, in some way, without wanting to be disrespectful, you are going to be yourself or an Evo Morales puppet.
Maple – Nor will I be disrespectful, but I have said it many times: I am not Evo Morales. I am not Evo Morales.
BBC – Obviously, he is a very powerful figure. He has a large group of followers and said: “I feel that my task now is to dedicate myself to the experience of the struggles to form new leaders.” He seems interested in wielding power in some way.
Maple – We said we needed to do a renovation at MAS, to (attract) younger people. If Evo Morales wants to help us, he will be welcome. But that does not mean that Morales will be in government. It will be my government.
If you want to go back to Bolivia and help us, no problem. The one who will decide. I will not decide for him.
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