Amid a strike of workers seeking better pensions Bolivian legislators passed a law allowing President Evo Morales and Vice President Álvaro García Linera eligible for another term in the elections of December 2014.
Plurinational Constitutional Court or TCP, opened the way to the re-election of Morales in late April 2013, when it declared constitutional four of the six articles of the law, including the provision that allows the re-election of Morales and Linera. As explained Emily Achtenberg in NACLA blog Rebel Currents [in]:
The court ruled that Morales could seek a third consecutive term, although the 2009 Constitution allows only two, considering that his first election (in 2004) was performed under a previous constitution. The ruling rejected a clause in the new Constitution which states that any previous term must be taken into account in the calculation of allowable limits. This transitional provision, the court reasoned, does not apply to Morales because its original mandate did not continue in the new Constitution (in fact, Morales shortened his first term in a year and was re-elected in 2009 under the new constitutional regime).
Emily also noted that critics say the president "should have sought a constitutional amendment before standing as a candidate for a third term."
President Evo Morales taking office in La Paz on January 22, 2010. Photo shared on Flickr by the Presidency of the Republic of Ecuador (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
While supporters of Morales welcomed the decision of the court, others, such as Bolivian bloggers Andrés Gómez Vela and Eduardo Bowles , criticized. Andrew said that the judges of the court have failed the test on this key issue, while Eduardo wrote that from the legal point of view, the decision to accept third presidential candidacy is one of the biggest setbacks in the process of the democratic constitution of the country . Also, Edward warned that the decision could trigger a new period of instability.
Emily added in Rebel Currents,
According to current polls , which give Morales a support of 60% in the departmental capitals and 76% in rural areas, a referendum for constitutional reform would probably have prevailed. At avoid constitutional route, argue critics, Morales cheated then not only the political opposition but the Bolivian people, who voted to support the Constitution of consensus, including their commitments to term limits, by a margin of 61% .
For the next election, Morales has publicly announced it expects to achieve an ambitious mandate of 74% , surpassing its previous 54% in 2005 and 64% in 2009.
However, Bloggings by boz [in] argued that despite their popularity Morales should not stand for election:
Should I apply? Probably not. Errors or just bad luck in his third term economic tarnish his legacy and spoil the changes he has made. In addition, the report for the third term, Morales is making the same mistakes that Hugo Chavez. Are you relying on your personal leadership rather than building institutions and other similar ideological leaders to continue their work. Any movement or country dependent on a single individual lacks resistance.
Bolivians go to the polls to elect a new president in December 2014. Meanwhile, Internet users are concerned about the escalation of tension caused by strikes and protests present a conflict that could affect the chances of President Morales to win his third presidential election.
Written by Silvia Viñas · In Sonia Ordonez · View original post [en] · Comments (0)
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