Bolivia Suspends TSE Member who Reported Electoral Fraud to OAS

The Plenary Hall of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Bolivia has informed this Monday of the beginning of "a disciplinary process and the temporary suspension" against Rosario Baptista, a member of this entity who in November made observations to the electoral process of October 18 of this year.

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According to the information shared by journalist Tuffi Aré, through his social networks, the measure applied against Baptista is due to "the possible commission of serious and very serious misconduct (...), for the non-attention and timely delivery of the information that was repeatedly requested of her and for the also supposed non-compliance with the principles of the OEP [Plurinational Electoral Body] and the action or omission contrary to its functions, attributions, and obligations.

In November, Baptista sent a letter to the Organization of American States (OAS) denouncing fraud in the presidential elections. That said, she clarified that she "does not specifically question the result of the electoral process" but rather "fulfills the purpose" of advancing towards the consolidation of the country's democratic system in order to "recover the confidence of Bolivians in their institutions."

"The TSE suspended member Rosario Baptista and initiated a disciplinary process against the person who denounced before the OAS alleged irregularities in the electoral process."

The spokeswomen's denunciation is contrary to the multiple public recognitions that last October's elections were clean and transparent, as was confirmed by national and international observation groups, including one from the OAS.

In a press conference in the city of La Paz (Bolivia's administrative capital) after the electoral results were known, which gave Luis Arce the victory in the first round, he assured that the Bolivians "recovered democracy and hope" in the country, and promised "to govern for all Bolivians" and "to build a government of national unity."