Arce proposes referendum on presidential re-election in Bolivia

PeacePresident Luis Arce proposed a referendum on Tuesday to define presidential re-election as “continuous or discontinuous” in Bolivia, at a time of confrontation with former president and indigenous leader Evo Morales, who is seeking a new term in 2025.

“I propose calling for a referendum on the date of the judicial elections (on) the continuous or discontinuous reelection of the president and vice president of the Plurinational State of Bolivia,” Arce said during a message to the nation, in celebration of the founding of the country in 1825.

The request is made “so that political actors do not affect the stability and economy of Bolivian families again.”

The Bolivian Constitution states that the presidential term is five years, with the possibility of continuous re-election.

The Arce government says that this article disqualifies Morales, since he governed three consecutive terms from 2006 to 2019 until his resignation, which occurred in the midst of a popular revolt that accused him of promoting fraud to govern for a fourth time.

For his part, the indigenous leader argues that this constitutional article does not affect him, since it only speaks of continuous reelection and, therefore, he could be president again, after having left power in 2019.

Morales has not commented on the referendum proposal, which requires a law from the bicameral Congress, dominated by Morales’ supporters and two centre-right parties.

The former president is at odds with the Arce government; he often denounces cases of corruption and his parliamentarians have blocked economic laws that the executive branch urges.

The leader of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) was disqualified by a high court from running for a new term. However, he is seeking to have the sentence reversed in order to compete for the presidency with Arce, his former Minister of Economy and today his greatest political adversary.

Judicial elections are due to take place between December of this year and January 2025, according to estimates by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which did not provide details. Next year’s presidential elections also have no date.

Arce, plagued by economic problems, also proposed that the referendum define what to do about fuel subsidies, a cause of the shortage of dollars and, at the same time, of diesel and gasoline.

Various sectors propose ending the subsidy, although an inflationary effect is feared.

Much of the dollar deficit is due to the subsidies that the State gives with its international reserves to companies that import diesel and gasoline.

The Central Bank of Bolivia (BCB) set the price of the dollar at 6.96 bolivianos, but it is not available for purchase in the banking system and its price on the black market has risen by 80%.