Evo Morales Was Prevented From Running For A Fourth Term As Bolivia's President

The registration of candidates was accompanied by protests.

Former Socialist leader Evo Morales failed to register for the upcoming presidential election in Bolivia: his name is not on the list of 10 candidates published by the country's electoral court on May 20.

The politician himself said on social media that his party had met the requirements of the electoral law to nominate him as a presidential candidate. Morales did not specify whether he plans to appeal the court's decision.

The former Bolivian president, whom the world media call a "controversial figure," has served three terms as head of state and recently warned that if he is not allowed to run for a fourth term and participate in the August elections, protests will inevitably erupt in the country.

Bolivia's incumbent president Luis Arce has decided not to seek a second term and instead backed his political ally Eduardo del Castillo. His decision was influenced by a sharp drop in ratings caused by a currency crisis that has triggered the country's deficit and high inflation.

Preliminary polls do not give a clear picture of the electoral race, but leftist candidate Andronico Rodriguez and big business representative Samuel Doria Medina are still considered the favorites.

The registration of candidates was accompanied by protests, road blockades and clashes between Morales supporters and security forces. In parallel, Bolivia's courts have been engaged in processes aimed at revoking the legal status of Rodriguez's pro-Rodriguez Alianza Popular party.

Secretary of the electoral court Fernando Arteaga said the list published on May 20 was still under review and would not be officially approved until June 6. He explained that he is waiting for the Constitutional Court's decision on Rodriguez's party status, which is due on May 21.

In addition, Arteaga added that the political movement Evo Pueblo, which nominated Morales as a candidate, does not have official party status, so the former president was not given the opportunity to participate in the elections.

In 2024, Morales accused the Bolivian authorities of organizing an assassination attempt on him: the car in which the former president was traveling was shelled. The politician claimed that Arce was behind the incident, allegedly intending to "eliminate a rival." At the time, Morales was a defendant in a criminal case involving the rape of a 14-year-old girl.

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