Bolivian President Must Change His Ministers in 24 Hours: Morales
The ‘March to Save Bolivia’ in La Paz, Sept. 23, 2024. Photo: teleSUR
September 24, 2024 Hour: 4:41 am
The ‘March to Save Bolivia’ arrived at La Paz after marching for seven days across the highlands.
On Monday, Evo Morales, the former president of Bolivia and leader of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), demanded that Bolivian President Luis Arce change his ministers within 24 hours if he wishes to complete his term.
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“If Luis wants to continue governing, the first thing he must do in the next 24 hours is remove the narcos, racists, and fascists,” Morales exclaimed during a speech in La Paz.
Thousands of Morales supporters arrived today at the seat of government after marching for seven days and 187 kilometers across the Bolivian highlands in a mobilization called the “March to Save Bolivia,” which Arce described as an attempted “coup d’état.”
In response to the march’s arrival, supporters of President Arce, armed with sticks and makeshift shields, set up barricades and surrounded Plaza Murillo, where the Executive’s headquarters are located, fearing that Morales’ followers might try to seize the Government House.
“I made a mistake appointing Luis as president,” Morales said during his speech, adding that the Bolivian leader has “sunk” Bolivia into an economic crisis due to a lack of dollars and fuel shortages.
Arce was Morales’ economy minister during his presidency, and both belong to the MAS party. However, Morales blames him for the country’s crisis, claiming that Arce has “shifted to the right” and is trying to “ban” the political movement. For his part, Arce blames Morales for the current crisis, citing the lack of exploration projects to increase natural gas reserves, a product Bolivia’s economy relied on until recently.
The mobilization, which began a week ago, has caused tension among the residents of La Paz, who fear a direct confrontation between the “evistas” (Morales’ supporters) and the “arcistas” (Arce’s supporters).
Morales is also seeking to have the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) allow him to run as a presidential candidate in the 2025 elections, despite a constitutional prohibition. Morales also warned the TSE magistrates that if they do not recognize the MAS congress, which was held by his supporters in 2023 and where he was proclaimed the party’s “sole candidate,” Indigenous communities would block roads.
Arce and Morales have been at odds since late 2021 and are engaged in a long-standing struggle for control of both MAS and the Executive. “Evistas” and “Arcistas” have held separate congresses to change the party’s leadership and proclaim candidates, but the TSE insists they hold a joint congress for it to be valid, which has not yet happened.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
