Why Evo Morales’s party accuses President Luis Arce of “treason” and wants to expel him

the fight between Evo Morales and his dolphin the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, has escalated in recent days. The ruler’s dome Movement to Socialism (MAS) accuses the president of “treason” and could expel him. In this way, “evistas” and “archists” or “renovators” have increased an old political divorce that now has as its culmination the next presidential elections of 2025.

In this power struggle there are not only two heads, Evo Morales and Luis Arcebecause there is a third figure in conflict, who is the vice president of the country David Choquehuancaa former minister of the aimara leader who is now a loyal ally of the president.

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Luis Arce He was the most prominent Minister of Economy of Evo Morales and father of the “economic miracle” of bolivian. For the 2020 presidential elections, he was imposed as the MAS candidate by himself. Morales, who was in exile. Next to David Choquehuancacampaigned under the slogan “Lucho and David, one heart”.

The then President of Bolivia, Evo Morales (left), and the Minister of Economy, Luis Arce Catacora, during a bond launching ceremony for USD 500 million on October 23, 2012. (Photo by AIZAR RALDES / AFP). (AIZAR RALDES /)

But after the victory of Maplehis relationship with Evo Morales it deteriorated rapidly. He did not mention his mentor in his inauguration speech, nor did he bring his collaborators to his cabinet. In addition, Morales could not intervene in the first decisions of the new government. Thus began a silent fight that has escalated over the years.

In 2021, the MAS “evistas” recommended to the president Maple make changes among his officials, but he ignored them.

Then, the “evistas” began to denounce corruption within the Government.

Now the fight is over who will be the MAS candidate for the next presidential elections of 2025: the leaders do not want Luis Arce is up for re-election and instead they seek to support the candidacy of Evo Morales.

Bolivian President Luis Arce and former President Evo Morales, wearing garlands of flowers and coca leaves, speak during a political meeting to mark the 28th anniversary of MAS, on March 26, 2023. (Photo by Aizar RALDES / AFP). (AIZAR RALDES /)

Last week the break deepened. On Tuesday, the national leadership of the MAS accused Luis Arce of “betraying” the party and said that it has become its “worst enemy”. In addition, he told him to seek his re-election outside the MAS.

It was not the only thing. The vice president of the MAS, Gerardo García, said that the leaders and militants regret “having chosen” Arce “as president of the State.”

“We have seen that now he has betrayed us, it is the worst. Betrayal is what hurts the most (…) Instead of us making a government effort, they keep saying that they are from FURTHERbut they are acting in a different way, they have tried and are trying to make their own political structure”lamented Garcia.

According to Garcia, when Maple he was sworn in in November 2020, he told him that it would be “for the only time”, but now “he is more interested in ratifying himself” and “the worst thing is that corruption is rampant, the drug trafficker is rampant and he doesn’t say anything about that ”.

The leader announced that a possible ignorance, suspension or expulsion of Luis Arce of the party should be dealt with in a next national congress of the MAS.

For his part, Senator “Evista” Leonardo Loza remarked that “the next candidate for the FURTHER for the 2025 elections is Evo Morales. He added that “renovators” or “archists” are “synonymous with the right.”

Photograph of an image of former President Evo Morales during a press conference in La Paz of the MAS leadership. (EFE / Luis Gandarillas).

On Sunday, Evo Morales asked the MAS to “take care” of Luis Arce and told his government to organize an attack against him “with the right and the empire.”

“I repeat, you have to take care of Lucho Arce, I ask the healthy and honest leaders who are not prebendal” because it “follows them up” to “do some montage,” he said Morales the Kawsachun Coca radio station.

Evo Morales He maintained that he is “concerned” that now “our Government” seeks to carry out an attack to relate it to drug trafficking cases.

He accused the Ministry of the Presidency and the Vice Ministry of Communication of preparing a video to tell “lies”.

Morales He said that the government divides the MAS “as the neoliberal governments did.” He added that there is a “dirty campaign” where “some perks” are used to deliver them to some leaders and that they join the block of “renovators.”

“Who is the head of the renovators, Lucho (Arce) and (Vice President) David (Choquehuanca)” and “they are trying to outlaw the MAS and now they say we are from the MAS,” Morales continued.

A day before, on Saturday, Evo Morales met with the federations of coca leaf producers from the tropics of Cochabambaits main political stronghold.

At that meeting, the leaders of the FURTHER present agreed “hire security guards” to protect MoralesWell, they assured, “the right can attempt against his life” and for this they asked for a “voluntary” contribution from the militants, reported the EFE news agency.

Bolivian President Luis Arce delivers a speech during celebrations for International Workers’ Day, May 1, 2023. (Photo by JORGE BERNAL / AFP). (JORGE BERNAL /)

Also on Saturday, while Evo Morales was in Cochabamba, Luis Arce met in La Paz with his ministers, deputy ministers and several legislators “archists” to plan its management. According to the EFE news agency, a statement emerged from that meeting in which they ratified their “militancy” in the MAS, together with “our revolutionary, anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist, anti-colonial and anti-patriarchal ideological principles” with the “unity” of the popular movement.” .

The “archistsThey “forcefully” rejected any “internal and external destabilization” attempt. They recalled that “the main enemy” is not in the ranks of the MAS” but in the “fascist right”.

While the Minister of the Presidency, María Nela Prada, explained that the meeting discussed issues of management, communication, allegations of corruption and drug trafficking, as well as “ideological reaffirmation.”

“We will not allow that, with political desires, they try to label us all as guilty for crimes that are personal,” said Minister Prada.

Days before, Minister María Nela Prada had said that the MAS accusations against Arce and Choquehuanca had the sole purpose of preparing the ground for the expulsion of both.

“All these types of accusations, attacks, unfounded lies about our president, are setting up a scenario aimed at expelling our president Lucho Arce, our vice president David Choquehuanca from the ranks of our political instrument”he pointed.

The followers of Maple They maintain that they do not have deep ideological differences with the “evistas” and that the only thing that separates both sides is the ambition to Evo Morales return to power, says a report in the newspaper El País.

As to Maplethe president has warned several times that a conspiracy is underway against him, which involves dividing the social forces that support them.

“El País” points out that Luis Arce and David Choquehuanca are building their own network of adherents in the unions that form the backbone of the FURTHER. On this matter, the “evism” accuses the Government of buying loyalty through the delivery of public jobs.

For his part, Álvaro García Linera, who was vice president of Evo Morales and is considered the main intellectual of the MAS, is looking for an agreement that saves the unity of the Bolivian left. He argues that, divided, the indigenous movement will lose the next elections and he will not regain power for “a long time”, according to “El País”.

The fight between Evo Morales and Luis Arce. (AFP).

Source: Elcomercio