Bolivia’s Parliament Calls for Presidential Elections in 90 Days, Despite Pandemic

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In Bolivia a controversy has flared up over the new date for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections. The elections originally scheduled for May 3rd have been indefinitely postponed due to the health emergency. This week, Parliament is discussing the setting of a date.

Almost two-thirds of the Chamber of Deputies, which continues to be governed by the former ruling party Movement for Socialism (MAS), on Wednesday voted to hold the elections within the next 90 days.

In doing so, they rejected the bill proposed by the Supreme Electoral Court, which had set a date between June 28th and September 27th, in order to counter the coronavirus crisis. The bill was passed by the Senate. Now interim President Jeanine Áñez will decide whether to approve or veto the bill.

The new elections are required because, after the fall of President Evo Morales following the October 20th elections, a self-styled “interim government” took power.

The Organization of American States had characterized Morales’ re-election in the first round as a “fraud”, thereby fuelling riots in the country. The police and army sided with the opposition and demanded the President’s resignation.

Morales ultimately resigned and fled the country together with his vice-president Álvaro García Linera. MAS now has Luis Arce and David Choquehuanca in the race for the Presidency. Their chances of winning are considered to be good.

Political opponents accuse MAS of failing to respect the health and safety of the population. They are allegedly intimidated and controlled by ex-president Morales.

On Wednesday, Áñez announced an extension of the health emergency beyond May 10th. Nevertheless, Áñez said that an easing of the strict quarantine measures as of May 11th was planned in order to normalize the population’s situation and to revive parts of the economy.

The so-called dynamic quarantine will benefit mainly cities and provinces that are less affected by the Covid 19 pandemic. The de facto government reserves the right to reverse the lifting of restrictions in the event of an increase in the number of infections.

Compared to other South American countries, very few people in Bolivia are tested for Covid-19. Since March 10th, only 80 people per day have been tested.

The Ministry of Health estimated the number of infections in late April at just over 1,100, which is far below the global average for a population of approximately ten million. Experts fear that this number could be in the five-digit range.

Áñez declared a health emergency in late March. This is coupled with extensive restrictions on access, border closures, and the militarization of many regions.

Morales, who is in exile in Argentina, sharply criticizes the Áñez government: “Bolivia is the only country where the pandemic is being fought with war weapons and tanks. Instead of providing protective clothing for health workers, the de facto government is investing in the police and military.”