The former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, confirmed this Sunday his candidacy for the 2025 presidential elections, pointing out that he was “forced” to make this decision so that he will enter the “battle” amid the divisions within the ruling party, the Movement for Socialism (MAS).

“They convinced me that I will be a candidate, they forced me, of course people want that, but they force me, against Evo, the right, the government, the empire,” said Morales (2006-2006). 2019) in his program on local radio Kawsachun Coca.

The MAS leader also added that there is a “dirty” campaign against him as the opposition calls him a “drug trafficker” but the government of President Luis Arce and Vice President David Choquehuanca calls him the “king of cocaine”. , so these situations ‘forced’ him to be a candidate and ‘compete’.

“We are not going to give up and we are going to be in this tough democratic battle. To formulate proposals now, I am meeting with businessmen, I welcome the proposals that are coming, we must build the post-bicentennial agenda,” Morales said. .

The former president regretted that Arce, who served as his minister of economy during his administration, did not advance “anything at all” of the 13-pillar agenda they were implementing toward the country’s bicentenary.

“We still have strength,” he said.

Once again, the former president denounced that Arce’s government has a plan to defend him “with political processes” and that they even want to “eliminate” him physically, so he decided to accept what his militancy demands.

“We are going to confront with truth, dignity and honesty all that aggression we have suffered on the social networks of the Ministry of the Presidency,” he emphasized in a subsequent post on X (formerly Twitter).

Morales’ announcement comes just a few days before the MAS national congress is to be held from October 3 to 5 in the tropics of Cochabamba, one of the political strongholds, which has also been a source of contention among the ruling party.

Arce’s allies or “arcistas” have been trying to have this congress take place in the city of El Alto, bordering La Paz, and to renew the ruling party’s leadership, starting with Morales himself.

While the so-called ‘evistas’, close to Morales, have already warned that the MAS meeting will decide on the expulsion of Arce and Choquehuanca, whom they describe as ‘traitors’.

Morales said his opponents will try to disqualify his candidacy “with the help of a woman” as “the right did” during the 2019 crisis, when he resigned amid accusations of electoral fraud in his favor and denounced a “coup” stated. for which the opposition Jeanine Áñez assumed the interim presidency of the country, despite the resignation of all those in the line of succession.

“We will never give up on sisters and brothers! “United we will save our beloved Bolivia again!” he said.

Last Saturday, the MAS leadership, which is close to Morales, accused Arce’s government of putting pressure on the Supreme Court through some leaders in an attempt to invalidate the party congress.

The struggle in the MAS began in late 2022 with criticism of government management and complaints of corruption against some ministers, while several pro-government sectors separately declared the candidacies of Arce and Morales for the 2025 elections. (JO)