The new elections in Bolivia, a compromise to get out of the crisis

After several days of negotiations, the parliamentarians of MAS, the party of former president Evo Morales, and the caretaker government of Jeanine Añez, representing different movements of the Bolivian right wing, reached a compromise on Saturday, November 24th.

The text approved by Parliament and promulgated by the interim president provides for the annulment of the 20 October vote and prohibits Evo Morales, who has already served three terms, to participate in the next elections, which must be organized within 120 days.

#Bolivia
Rige the ley para las elecciones sin Evo con plazo máximo of 120 días tras the convocatoria. https://t.co/XdYvunu6JK pic.twitter.com/uKP3I6608m

This law also provides for the appointment within 20 days of a new electoral authority composed of six members elected for six years and comprising at least three women and two natives. The latter will be responsible for approving the electoral lists, validating the candidatures and ensuring the smooth running of the vote.

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After two weeks of violence that left more than 30 dead in the country and blocking access to major cities, this agreement allows an institutional exit to the political crisis and removes the threat of civil war that weighed on the country after the clashes. between supporters of the former president and police forces backed by the army.

A victory of the moderate wing of the MAS?

This compromise also marks a break between the MAS (Movement towards Socialism) and its historical leader, Evo Morales, who has not reacted to the adoption of this law since his exile in Mexico.

Los golpistas intentan criminalizar con montajes mis denunción de violaciones a los DDHH. No es la primera vez que la retecha me acusa por defender a los humildes, lo viví como directente sindical y diputado, pero sus amenazas no van a doblegarnos, sólo demuestran su autoritarismo pic.twitter.com/DC6QvP0Zpy

By agreeing with an interim government that the former president calls a putschist, the moderate wing of the MAS has meant that it wants to compete in the next elections, even without the tutelary figure of the movement. A wing that is embodied by the new Senate Speaker, Eva Copa, 30, elected from El Alto.

This agreement probably allows the party to preserve its many local elected officials and politicians, some of whom were arrested in recent days by order of the Attorney General.

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During the debate, the "hard" MAS wing called for an amnesty for former President Evo Morales and former Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera. This provision was immediately refused by the de facto president, Jeanine Añez, who accuses the tandem in power for 13 years of "terrorism" and "subversive".

A decision that confirms Carlos Mesa and Luis Fernando Camacho

Hope for many Bolivians, the organization of new elections is the result of a compromise between several political forces. The agreement prevents the disputed interim government from calling the elections by decree.

A new vote was called for by Carlos Mesa, the opposition candidate who won at least 35% of the vote in the October elections. And also by Luis Fernando Camacho, the leader of the Civic Committees of Santa Cruz and scorer of Evo Morales, bible in hand.

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