MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Evo insists on running for President of Bolivia despite reelection limits

Evo's spinoff from the MAS has its own flag

Despite a ruling from Bolivia's Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (TCP) banning him due to reelection limits, former President Evo Morales (2006-19) is pushing forward with his bid for the Aug. 17 elections. He has yet to explain how he plans to overcome the legal barriers to his candidacy and has already admitted he does not have a Plan B.

At a congress in Villa Tunari, his supporters approved the acronym “Evo Pueblo” for his new political movement after parting ways with the ruling Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) of his former ally and incumbent President Luis Arce Catacora.

“In the Congress of Refoundation of the Political Instrument, the Organic Commission proposed to approve the acronym 'EVO PUEBLO' as the official identification of the movement, which was approved by majority. Likewise, the congress approves that the colors of the flag will have a white background with blue and green stripes, representing the principles and values of the process of change”, Morales posted on social media.

Morales insisted he was the sole leader and candidate of this movement, aiming to participate in the elections using the Frente para la Victoria (FPV) acronym, pending the party's legal recognition. ”We are going to win (the) elections with a borrowed acronym this year,“ Morales pointed out.

”There is no plan B here (...) The only candidate (is) Evo,“ said the indigenous leader in front of supporters who filled a stadium in Villa Tunari, his political stronghold in the central department of Cochabamba. ”Here, sisters and brothers, we are going to give birth to another name, the true name of the political instrument,“ said the former head of state.

In a separate event in La Paz, Arce urged his voters to seek cohesion to secure victory in the upcoming elections, thus distancing the party from Morales’ influence and thus ”save Bolivia.“

The MAS ”is going to divorce itself from a statute that was made to the measure of one person, regardless of the rest“, but that now the ”principles of the political instrument“ will be ”consolidated,“ Arce insisted.

”There is a fundamental variable that is in us, and that formula that gave us the victory in 2020 (...) is that all our social organizations and the Bolivian people maintain unity with their political instrument; unity is going to make us win once again,“ he elaborated in a recorded message. ”We are the only alternative for the Bolivian people, there is no other, the only force that represents the popular structures of the country.”

Current Senate Speaker Andrónico Rodríguez did not participate in either event, citing health problems. He is reportedly wanted by both forces to top their tickets.