Bolivians call for elections despite coronavirus epidemic

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Bolivians made noise Thursday evening to demand an election within 90 days.

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Concert of saucepans and firecrackers to demand general elections in La Paz and its suburb of El Alto. While Bolivia has been in total quarantine since March 22, and a state of emergency has been declared due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Senate approved a law on Thursday that sets a deadline of 90 days from its promulgation for the calling of elections.

The working class districts of La Paz, Bolivia, are ringing with the sound of a cacerolazo.

People are banging their empty pots and pans to protest against hunger, and for new elections. Lockdown and persecution is the only thing propping up this coup regime now. pic.twitter.com/EAWEBw7ESg

After weeks of demonstrations, Evo Morales , who had proclaimed himself the winner for a fourth term, had to resign on November 10. Elections were scheduled to take place on May 3 but were postponed due to the epidemic.

In the meantime, it is still the right-wing interim government chaired by Senator Jeanine Añez who governs. It is she who must promulgate the law, adopted by the two chambers, for the convening of elections within three months.

"Total irresponsibility"

But supporters of Evo Morales suspect the provisional executive of wanting to postpone them to next year. In exile in Argentina, the former president warned the Bolivian interim power against a postponement to 2021 which would be decided by "  taking advantage  " of the pandemic. "  It would be a serious mistake,  " he told Agence France-Presse on April 20. "  It would be fatal. I don't know if the people will endure this until next year  . ”

For his part, after the vote in the upper house, a right-wing senator, Oscar Ortiz, accused him of "  total irresponsibility  " while the priority today is the fight against the Covid-19.

(with AFP)

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• Bolivia
• Coronavirus
• Evo Morales
• Health and Medicine

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