The ruling prevents the nation’s first Indigenous president from contesting elections scheduled in August 2025.
Bolivia’s constitutional court docket has barred former President Evo Morales from operating once more for elected workplace, stopping him from contesting subsequent yr’s presidential election.
The ruling, made public on Friday, additionally reaffirms a 2023 court docket order {that a} president can’t serve greater than two phrases, whether or not consecutive or not, and “with out the potential of extending it to a 3rd time period”.
Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, Morales led the nation from 2006 to 2019 and was extraordinarily well-liked till he tried to bypass the structure and search a fourth time period.
The leftist won that vote however was compelled to resign in 2019 amid lethal protests over alleged election fraud and fled the nation.
He returned after his former ally Luis Arce gained the presidency in 2020. However since then, the 2 males have struggled for management over the governing social gathering, Motion Towards Socialism (MAS).
The constitutional court docket’s ruling got here in response to a parliamentarian’s request to make clear doubts about its December 2023 determination.
It additionally comes a couple of month into protests by Morales’s supporters, who’ve blocked roads, taken troopers hostage and referred to as for Arce to resign.
The protests started on October 14 after prosecutors charged Morales with statutory rape over his alleged relationship with a 15-year-old lady whereas in workplace.
Morales has denied the allegations, saying they had been introduced by Arce’s authorities to forestall him from making a political comeback.
Political tensions have additional intensified in current weeks after Morales accused the government of attempted assassination in late October.
In response, the Arce administration accused Morales of staging an try on his personal life, saying the pictures fired at his automobile got here after he tried to run a police checkpoint.
The 65-year-old former president has not but commented on the newest court docket determination.
However his lawyer, Orlando Ceballos, referred to as the choice politically motivated and an try and “disqualify” Morales.
Bolivia will maintain its subsequent presidential election in August 2025.
“No doubt this ushers in a brand new period of politics in Bolivia,” opposition legislator Marcelo Pedrazas informed journalists on Friday after the choice was issued.
“In 2025, we’ll have an election with out Evo Morales on the poll.”
On Friday, legislators loyal to Morales precipitated chaos in Congress, shouting and throwing flowers earlier than Arce’s deliberate yearly tackle and forcing him to ship his speech from the presidential palace.
