Bolivia: Courts allow Morales to run for fourth term

Event

The Constitutional Court (TCP) has cleared the way for incumbent President Evo Morales to run for a fourth consecutive term in elections scheduled for 2019, and thus potentially remain in office until 2025. On Tuesday, November 28, the court ruled that term limits violated a human rights convention. The ruling therefore annuls the “no” results of a constitutional referendum held in February 2016 in a bid to remove presidential term limits; Morales had claimed the referendum failed due to an illegal smear campaign.

The opposition has denounced the ruling and could call for protests in the coming hours and days. Demonstrations by Morales backers in support of the ruling are also likely.

Context

The constitution had already been amended once before to allow Morales to run for a third term.

Strikes and protests are not rare - particularly in the cities of La Paz, Potosí, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, and Oruro - and can be highly disruptive to daily life. Bolivian civic groups and unions frequently erect roadblocks as a form of protest. Violence, in the form of clashes between protesters and security forces, often breaks out at roadblocks.

Advice

Individuals in Bolivia are advised to keep abreast of the sociopolitical climate in the coming days and weeks and avoid all protests as a precaution.