“What is being played here is the possible presidency of 2025, both Evo Morales and Luis Arce have electoral weight”

Evo Morales asked on Sunday to “take care” of Bolivian President Luis Arce and accused his government of dividing the Movement for Socialism (MAS). He also recently pointed out on Twitter that “comrades and colleagues” from the Ministry of the Presidency have warned him that there is a dirty war against him.

“I repeat, (you have to) take care of Lucho Arce, I ask the healthy and honest leaders who are not prebendal” because he “follows them” to “make some montage,” said Evo Morales, former Bolivian president and head of the ruling Movement for Socialism (MAS), according to EFE.

These statements by Evo Morales were added to what was mentioned on Tuesday the 13th by the vice president of the MAS, Gerardo García, who indicated that the party leaders regret “having elected” Luis Arce “as president.”

Luis Arce speaks with the former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, during a press conference, in Buenos Aires, on January 27, 2020. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP) (RONALDO SCHEMIDT /)

“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 continue to say that they are from the MAS, but they are acting in a different way, they have tried and are trying to create their own political structure,” he said. the vice president of MAS.

For her part, the Minister of the Bolivian Presidency, María Nela Prada, disagreed with Gerardo García.

“We deeply regret and firmly and fully reject these statements (…) we have not betrayed and will not betray the principles of our political movement,” the minister said at a press conference on Wednesday the 14th.

Raúl Peñaranda, a Bolivian journalist and political analyst, spoke with El Comercio about Evo Morales, President Luis Arce, the Movement for Socialism (MAS) and the 2025 Bolivian elections.

What is the position of Evo Morales regarding the government of Luis Arce?

There is a great distance between Evo Morales and Luis Arce. It is incredible because Luis Arce has been Evo Morales’s economy minister and a very close ally. It was Evo who put him as a candidate, perhaps thinking that he was going to be a more docile person and that he was going to be the candidate for 2025. Perhaps that was the calculation.

Does distancing favor or disadvantage Evo Morales?

Evo has caused the distance, not Arce. I have the hypothesis that Evo Morales expected Arce to say, early in his term, that he was not going to be a candidate in 2025. By not doing so, Morales began to get very nervous. Added to this is the fact that Arce has a better image than him in the polls.

We could also presume that Arce has not made a decision about running in 2025. This is also a possibility.

What would Evo Morales be looking for with this distance?

It is a tough war, especially from Evo and his main allies. Not so much from Arce, who has never responded directly. He has made some allusions but his strategy is not to respond. It does have members of the bench arcist where there are deputies who have to respond harshly with Morales, but in general Arce and the ministers have avoided confrontation.

What is being played here is the possible presidency of 2025. Both have electoral weight.

Do the polls support Luis Arce?

President Arce has not indicated that he wants to be a candidate, but everything indicates that he could be. In addition, in the polls he appears with greater popularity. When people are asked which are the figures that have the greatest support, not necessarily electoral, but a good image even with low numbers, Arce comes first. In voting intention that changes a bit, but we are so far away that it is not worth insisting on that. In image, although he has gone down, he has a better image than Evo Morales.

Evo Morales tweeted that “dignified and honest colleagues from the Ministry of the Presidency warn us of the dirty war” and at another point in his publication he says the “plan is to destroy our image to later justify an attack on our freedom or our lives.” . What do you think about that?

The tweet shows the state of mind of Evo Morales. His lack of balance right now. He is totally out of whack. I think he fears that the government may start a smear campaign. He always talks about how they want to destroy him, like putting the patch on before the wound.

The subject mentioned by Evo Morales in a recent tweet, about the attack on his freedom or on his life, is completely exaggerated. That is not going to happen in Bolivia. That is not a possibility. But he is afraid, he is waiting for a move from the government that never comes. The government always responds with silence.

Evo is in a position of increasing radicalism that prevents him from seeing reality adequately. I’m not so sure if this type of message is supported in your database.

Is the Movement for Socialism (MAS) weakening?

The MAS continues to be an important force. There could be two candidates, it is not known who could have the acronym. At this moment the owner, so to speak, who controls the acronym before the Supreme Electoral Tribunal is Evo Morales. The same, I presume, that for Luis Arce it will not be difficult to get another party to be able to run.

What is the situation of the left in Bolivia?

There is very little leftist force outside the MAS. In general, all the left from different factions are within the MAS. He is a very big pig. Within the party there are people who are more progressive and more conservative. There is little left outside the MAS.

Source: Elcomercio