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On 20 October, Bolivians vote for parliamentarians and the new president for a very uncertain ballot. The undecided are still numerous, and the political panorama of the country could change. After more than a decade in power, will Evo Morales remain at the helm of the country?
With our correspondent in La Paz, Alice Campaignolle
In Bolivia, where voting is mandatory, all citizens will go to the polls on October 20 to decide to reappoint for a new term Evo Morales , president for over 13 years now or opt for political change, synonymous with uncertainty .
The undecided are still numerous according to the surveys, like Gabriela who does not know yet who to vote for. " We can not help thinking that if the government changes, there will be a crisis ," she says. But at the same time, it's very frustrating to say that he will stay in power. So frankly, I do not know who to vote for . "
The indeterminate may be tilting this vote. Evo Morales may go to the second round, which has never happened to him before. While he won so far with stunning scores, up to 64% of the vote, today polls certainly announce it in first place but "only" with 36% of the vote.
Usury of power?
The reason for this decline in popularity? One of the citizens is fed up with corruption, the failing health system and, above all, the lack of respect for democratic rules. The president stands in the elections when the Bolivians said "no" in 2016, in a referendum for a fourth term, a result he chose to ignore. 2019 could be the election of too much for Evo Morales.
India's first elected Aymara president in 2006, it sparked a wave of hope and openness in the country. But after three terms as head of state, he is accused of authoritarianism and corruption by his detractors. The opposition, however divided, hopes for a second round and is betting on the wear of power. But for the Minister of Economy Luis Arce Catacora, Evo Morales has brought a lot of prosperity to the country, which will translate into the polls.
" The wear and tear we are talking about is fabricated from scratch, it is generated by this dominant social class that came out of power thirteen years ago and wants to return to business ," he says. We can make mistakes, it happens to any government, that's normal. But today, Bolivia has industries, we have industrialized the gas industry, we have two petrochemical plants, we are developing a lithium industry, and Bolivia is emerging from poverty. It is also what the Bolivian people appreciate .
" Maybe there is an impression that this has been going on for too long, that you have to change the president ," continues Luis Arce Catacora. But what people do not want to change is the pace of growth of the economy, the economic stability, the political and social stability that we have had over the past 13 years. That's why I say: we'll talk about it after the election, because people will think about what they will vote according to what they have left in their pockets . "
► See also: Elections in Bolivia: Evo Morales goes to the polls for the fourth time