Sat Nov 09 11:54:08 UTC 2024: ## Bolivia’s Constitutional Court Bars Former President Evo Morales From Running for Office
**LA PAZ, Bolivia** – The Bolivian Constitutional Court has barred former President Evo Morales from running for elected office, effectively ending his political comeback bid. The decision, announced on Friday, confirms a previous ruling stating that a president cannot serve more than two terms, whether consecutive or not. This ruling prevents Morales from participating in the next presidential election scheduled for August 2025.
Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, led the country from 2006 to 2019. His popularity waned after he attempted to bypass the constitution and seek a fourth term. Despite winning the election, he was forced to resign amidst protests alleging electoral fraud and fled the country.
He returned after his former ally, Luis Arce, won the presidency in 2020. However, tensions have since risen between the two as they jostle for control of the governing party, Movement Toward Socialism (MAS).
The latest court decision, made in response to a parliamentarian’s request to clarify a previous ruling, comes amidst a month-long series of protests by Morales’s supporters. These protests, which began after Morales was charged with statutory rape, have seen roadblocks, hostage-taking, and calls for Arce’s resignation.
Morales has denied the rape allegations, accusing Arce’s government of using them to prevent his political return. He has also accused the government of attempted assassination in a separate incident, which Arce’s administration claims was a staged event by Morales.
Morales has not yet commented on the latest court decision. His lawyer, Orlando Ceballos, has called the decision politically motivated, claiming it is an attempt to “disqualify” Morales.
The court’s ruling has been met with celebration by the opposition. Legislator Marcelo Pedrazas stated, “Without a doubt, this ushers in a new era of politics in Bolivia. In 2025, we’ll have an election without Evo Morales on the ballot.”
However, tensions remain high. On Friday, Morales’s loyalists disrupted Congress, shouting and throwing flowers before Arce’s planned yearly address, forcing him to deliver his speech from the presidential palace.
First Piper 