Bolivians protest against the candidacy of Evo Morales for a fourth term

People from different departments of Bolivia go to La Paz to protest against the candidacy for the re-election of Evo Morales, Villa Remedios, December 5, 2018 – AFP [AFP[19659003] Bolivian civil society groups demonstrated Thursday in the main cities of the country to reject the candidacy of the president for a fourth term in office to President Evo Morales, in power since 2006, at the time of calls for civil disobedience and an indefinite strike

Protesters in La Paz called for the resignation of the members of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), which gave the green light to the Morales' candidacy for the elections of 2019 and the preparation of a national strike of indefinite duration, without indication of date. 19659004] In Santa Cruz (east), epicenter of the anti-Evo demonstrations, the main leader of the civil society Fernando Cuéllar proclaimed that "there is a people in all cities of the country" defending the Political Constitution and resist their perpetuation to power. "

In a first mention of the conflict, President Morales said at an event in Cochabamba (downtown) that, with the protests," the law is deceiving the people and their supporters. "

In several Bolivian cities, groups of activists blocked the streets with flags and posters bearing the inscription" Bolivia Said No "- alluding to the 2016 referendum on the reelection of Morales – disrupting car traffic [

The opposition to Morales increased the tone after the TSE allowed Tuesday to the president to attend the primaries before the general election of October 2019.

Ministers of the Interior, Carlos Romero, and the presidency, Alfredo Rada, have downplayed the blockages and even stressed that the country was working

"The results are not far what their organizers were looking for," said Rada, while that Romero said that "the situation in the country is normal. In any case, we want to celebrate the work vocation of the population. "

Late in the day, Romero denounced the death of a 52-year-old man in Riberalta (Northeast) following a cardiac arrest while he was discussing with groups of Protesters.

– "There is no independence of powers" –

At the same time, three prominent human rights defenders agreed to call "disobedience "

At the end of the day, the demonstrations stopped and the cities returned to their normal state."

"There is no independence of powers and the people are absolutely without Now the legitimate right to rebellion and civil disobedience is emerging, "said former Pueblo defender Waldo Albarracín.

Rolando Villena, also a former ombudsman, said that if Morales does not respect the popular vote, the people have the right to have all the mechanisms within their grasp to peacefully rebel through civil disobedience.

In the same sense, pointed out the president of the NGO Permanent Assembly of Human Rights, the former nun.

With this decision, the TSE has "thrown the doubt about the foundation of democracy "and established" an uncertain future for Bolivians, "warned the Catholic Church in a letter to the Catholic Church of Amparo Carvajal.

Meanwhile, the Former President Carlos Mesa (2003-2005), Morales' main opponent in the elections scheduled for October 2019, has encouraged the mobilization of a "democratic party" we will win. "

The mayor of La Paz Luis Revilla, who supports Mesa's candidacy, chairs the Sol.bo center party. He said that "what remains to be done is to resist (and) turn to the demonstrations to prevent this decision from being taken."

Another Leader of the Opposition, Samuel Doria Medina, defeated three times by Morales and who, in 2019, withdraws from his candidacy for a single opposition candidate, calls for "the unity to end the dictatorship ".

the decision of the TSE, which allows Morales to go to primaries, in which they do not have opponents, and therefore would run in the October elections, it was virtually no It is likely that the opposition will oppose its veto to their candidacy.

Morales lost a referendum in February 2016 for his re-election, but in late 2017 he was allowed by the Constitutional Court to allow his candidacy for the 2020-2025 period, arguing that his fundamental right was to apply.