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News > Bolivia

Bolivia To Keep March 7 as Subnational Election Day

  • Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party helds a rally, Cochabamba, Bolivia, Feb. 6, 2021.

    Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party helds a rally, Cochabamba, Bolivia, Feb. 6, 2021. | Photo: Twitter/ @LosTiemposBol

Published 9 February 2021
Opinion

The National Action Party candidate Amilcar Barral presented a claim to postpone local elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

La Paz Constitutional Court on Monday ruled out a claim that sought to postpone the Bolivian subnational elections over fears of an increase in COVID-19 infections.

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The appeal was filed on Jan. 27 by candidate Amilcar Barral, who is running for La Paz Mayor's office on behalf of the National Action Party (PAN-BOL).

Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) President Salvador Romero argued that electoral authorities had approved health protocols to avoid risking the population, adding that the presidential elections held in October last year did not increase the rate of contagion.

Besides the habilitation of more polling stations on election day, the TSE decided the segmentation of the voting process by age, the extension of the voting hours, and the appointment of election board members under 50 years of age. 

Lower Chamber President Freddy Mamani affirmed that Barral was only looking for media prominence while noting that his claim did not have legal grounds, which determined its rejection. 

Barral's petition found other candidates' support such as that of Bolivia's former President Jorge Quiroga (2001-2002), ex-Economy Minister Oscar Ortiz, and La Paz Mayor Luis Revilla.

Last month, 20,000 Russian Sputnik V vaccines arrived in Bolivia to start the first stage of a vaccination campaign. As of Monday, 7,636 people, most of whom are health workers, had received the first dose.

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