The Movement Towards Socialism endorses Evo Morales as its presidential candidate for the 2025 elections in Bolivia and expels Luis Arce

The various committees discussed at the National Conference State Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) On Wednesday, they approved the presidential nomination of the former president Evo Morales (2006-2019) for the 2025 elections in Bolivia. Furthermore, President Luis Arce was expelled from the party amid a dispute with his former ally and now rival.

On the second day of the MAS meeting, which Arce and the main social, indigenous and union organizations rejected because they saw it as not properly representing them, the political, economic, membership and inspection committees presented their decisions.

“It was decided to announce the name The only candidate From MAS-IPSP to our brother Commander Evo Morales Ayma, candidate for the Bicentenary 2025-2030,” the Policy Committee stated in its decision, a decision echoed by other committees.

Likewise, they endorsed Evo Morales as the main leader of the Movement Toward Socialism – Political Instrument for People’s Sovereignty (MAS-IPSP).

On the other hand, on Wednesday, he decided to “self-expel” the President of Bolivia, Luis Arce, and his deputy, David ChoquehuancaThis is because they did not attend the ruling party’s national conference.

“The self-expulsion of Luis Arce Katakura and David Choquehuanca for not attending the MAS-IPSP conference was recognized.“, read a member of the party’s membership committee.

The Political Committee also decided so It is not permissible to ally with other political parties Ahead of the 2025 elections.

While reading the decisions of each committee The attendees chanted “Evo, Evo” and “Always loyal, never traitors.”

Regarding the complaints submitted against a number of the movement’s officials and activists on charges of deportation and treason, they were sent to the Disciplinary and Ethics Court to determine the penalties that will be applied, such as expulsion from the party.

The conference, which was held in the town of Lauka Nou, in the orbit of Cochabamba, Morales’ political and union stronghold, opened another front for division in the ruling party between the “Avestas” loyal to the former president, and the “Arcestas”, near Ars.

This Monday at the opening of the event, During his speech, Morales defended that the movement towards socialism is a “movement” born from social sectors that “suffer from discrimination” and are destined for “extermination,” such as the indigenous population.

He wondered how many elections had been won by traditional leftist parties “without indigenous people” in Bolivia, and considered that the “attacks” on the official conference were not due to “fear of Evo Morales” but rather due to “fear of the indigenous movement.” “.

“Unfortunately, some internal and external groups do not accept that the original movement lead this revolution, and this is our crime.”he added.

During a meeting in La Paz, which took place at the same time as the opening of the MAS conference, Arce said that it was “an attack on social organizations that are already being stripped of their own political tools, and there is a ‘lack of respect for social organizations, and this foundational character is not taken into account’.” .

Arce and Morales are separated at the midpoint Internal tensions in the ruling party Which began at the end of 2021 due to the former president’s demand to change some ministers, which the president ignored.

Likewise, the MAS conference held in Lauca Ñ announced “Self-expulsion” of Luis Arce and the country’s Vice President David Choquehuanca for “not attending” the meeting. Along with them, the Socialist Movement also ordered the expulsion of “several members of the ruling party in the Legislative Council” among the members of the Provincial Council and other armed men.

For his part, Morales expressed his regret on social media over the decision of “some brothers,” referring to Arce and Choquehuanca, not to attend the Movement Toward Socialism conference. According to the former president, those absent with this decision “exclude themselves.”

(With information from EFE)