MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Plot to delay elections denounced by Bolivian candidate

Bolivian favourite presidential hopeful Evo Morales claimed the existence of a plan orchestrated by his country's “oligarchy” to delay the coming December elections, but this will “only delay their own defeat”.

"For the first time ever we the Indian people have a chance of winning the elections and precisely at this moment Bolivian justice is planning to block elections.

The neo-liberal model is only delaying its own defeat", argued Mr. Morales currently in Paris.

Last Tuesday according to Mr. Morales, Bolivia's Constitutional Court, CC, admitted an unconstitutional appeal from the "civic committee and right wing Congress members from Potosi province", which is contrary to the Executive decree establishing general elections next December 4.

Mr. Morales argued that this happens precisely when his party, Movement Toward Socialism, MAS, is leading in the public opinion polls for December's elections which will not only elect a new president "but change the history of Bolivia".

"We're going to FACE serious problem and a national protest. The people want to vote and now from the Constitutional Court they are trying to suspend them. This is unacceptable", warned the candidate. According to Mr. Morales it all began when a new Congressional benches re-distribution was ruled by the CC.

The new redistribution will cut the number of benches for the provinces of La Paz, Potosi and Oruro and increase those of Santa Cruz, Tarija and Cochabamba. Political leaders and representatives are at odds as to when the ruling should apply, now or for the following elections in 2010 or 2015.

"You can't in the middle of an electoral campaign redistribute Congress benches among the different regions. This will inevitably force a confrontation and is a provocation, because it should have been advanced long time ago", warned Mr. Morales.

"Foreign interests, beginning with the White House are intent in blocking the elections because they want to impede the "nationalization of the hydrocarbons industry that the Bolivian people are demanding"

"The matter of the fact is that in this excluding and exclusive society, as is Bolivia, Indians are condemned to extinction and they can't win elections or become presidents", underlined Mr. Morales.