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Thousands of Bolivians will celebrate the "Day of the Democratic and Cultural Revolution" in Cochabamba Saturday to mark the 12th anniversary of President Evo Morales' tenure.
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The backdrop of the celebrations is the Movement Towards Socialism, MAS, party's decision to present Morales as a candidate for the 2019 presidential election.
"The candidacy is no longer debated, our brother and president has already been ratified in a MAS congress," women's rights activist Bartolina Sisa said.
Members of the Bolivian Workers' Center, 37 federations of oil workers, the Confederation of Indigenous Peoples and thousands of people from different sectors are expected to participate.
MAS Secretary for International Relations and campesina leader Juanita Ancieta said the National Confederation for Change hopes to close 2017 with a "historical gathering in Cochabamba" to show support for Morales.
In Feb. 2016, Morales narrowly lost the constitutional referendum that sought to allow the President and Vice President to run for a third consecutive term. However, in Nov. 2017, the Constitutional Court gave a positive response to MAS' request that Morales be allowed to participate in the 2019 elections, citing Article 23 of the Convention on Human Rights that guarantees the right of citizens to vote and be elected.
In a series of tweets posted on Saturday, Morales remembered the assassination of independence leader Eusebio Lira in 1817. He also recalled the eradication of 13,343 acres of coca involving rape, torture and killings ordered by former President Sánchez Lozada in 1995 and the 2007 right-wing celebration of an illegal autonomous status for Santa Cruz, which was "executing its separatist adventure."
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