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News > Bolivia

Bolivia: Protests Increase Over Election Date Change

  • Only Bolivia´s parliament, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly has the authority to approve any change in the date of the elections, according to the constitutional law. 

    Only Bolivia´s parliament, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly has the authority to approve any change in the date of the elections, according to the constitutional law.  | Photo: EFE/ Jorge Ábrego

Published 3 August 2020
Opinion

Over 30 points of crossing have been blocked by demonstrators who claim their right to vote on the originally agreed date of September 6.
 

A wave of unrest started in Bolivia on Monday as The Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), the Unity Pact (an alliance of social organizations), and groups related to the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) demonstrated against the decision to postpone the general elections until October 18.

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According to the National Transit Directorate, over 30 points of crossing have been blocked by demonstrators who claim their right to vote on the originally agreed date of September 6 establishes the electoral calendar. This is the third time that Jeanine Áñez's de facto government postpones the election in the country.

Unions, social organizations and followers of the MAS party called on a national scale indefinite protest as protests have been reported in Cuatro Cañadas, San Julián, San Pablo, Santa Ana bridge, San Ignacio and Santa Rosa de la Roca.

Furthermore, authorities said that in the Santa Cruz department, the highway that connects with Cochabamba was cut off in the municipality of  Yapacaní.

"At the beginning of the strike instructed by the Central Obrera, to maintain the date of the elections on September 6, roadblocks in La Paz, Oruro, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, and Potosí are confirmed. Street blocks in cities are not yet reported."

The government, on the other hand, has rejected the protests by referring to demonstrators as "irresponsible" since there is an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak spreading across the country. However, social movement leaders say that the coup-born government of Jeanine Áñez is using the Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse to extend itself in power.

On Monday, Bolivia's Full Chamber of the Supreme Electoral Court resumed its activities and ratified that the general elections will be held on October 18, 2020.

Nevertheless, the MAS party has denounced that only Bolivia's parliament, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly has the authority to approve any change in the date of the elections, according to the constitutional law. 
 

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