Evo Morales forms new party for 2025 bid
In a significant political development in Bolivia, former President Evo Morales has announced the formation of a new political party called "Evo Pueblo" (Evo People). The announcement was made during a gathering in Cochabamba, where Morales and his supporters approved the name and flag for the new faction.
Morales, who resigned from the ruling MAS-IPSP (Movement for Socialism) party in February, will lead the new party, which he formed together with indigenous people and farmers. This move comes after a power struggle between Morales and the current Bolivian president, Luis Arce, for the leadership of the MAS party.
In November, MAS appointed a new head, Grover Garcia, replacing Morales, and elected Arce as its candidate for the 2025 presidential elections. Morales has now signed an alliance with the "Front for Victory" party to run for the presidency in 2025, which would defy Bolivia's three-term limit.
The establishment of "Evo Pueblo" signifies a deepening rift within Bolivia's political landscape, particularly within the leftist movements that have dominated the country's politics in recent decades. The new party's formation follows a ruling by the Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (TCP) that recognized the faction led by President Arce as the legitimate leadership of MAS, effectively marginalizing Morales and his allies.
Despite the formation of "Evo Pueblo," Morales's path to candidacy in the 2025 presidential elections faces legal obstacles. A constitutional ruling from December 2023 stipulates that re-election is permitted only once, which would preclude Morales from running, given his previous terms from 2006 to 2019. However, organizations loyal to Morales argue that he remains eligible to run for office again.
As the 2025 general elections approach, the emergence of this new party is poised to reshape alliances and influence the political discourse in Bolivia, as the country navigates the ongoing power struggle within its leftist movements.
