Brainy IAS - Online & Offline Classes

Why in news?

The Bolivian senator Jeanine Anez has declared herself the country’s interim president after the resignation of Bolivian President Evo Morales.

Who is Mr. Morales?

Mr. Morales is Bolivia’s first indigenous President.
He came to power in 2006, riding South America’s so-called “pink tide”.
He rose to the top office through left-wing unionism.
He presided over one of the most stable governments.
But, cracks began to appear in his Movement for Socialism party when he sought a fourth consecutive term earlier in 2019.

How had Morales’ Bolivia been?

On coming to power, Morales promised economic development and equitable wealth distribution.
Under his fairly good track record, Bolivia has seen a drop in extreme poverty, from 33% of the population in 2006 to 15% in 2018.
His government also stepped up public investments, opened more schools and health clinics.
The economy has also seen a steady growth rate.
Mr. Morales made some major political mistakes as well.

What were the contentions during his term?

Primarily, Morales failed to bring up a second-rung leadership in the Movement for Socialism to whom he could pass the baton of his “21st century socialist revolution”.
In 2016, his push to end presidential term limits through a referendum failed.
He then said he accepted the verdict.
But later, a constitutional court lifted the presidential term limits, allowing the President to seek re-election.
This had got to be a concern to the Opposition, which claimed that the President’s electoral participation itself was unconstitutional.
This was followed by allegations of electoral fraud, which further weakened his stature.

What led to Morales’s resignation?

Pressure had been growing on Mr Morales since his narrow victory in the October 2019 presidential election.
The result was called into question by the Organization of American States, a regional body.
It had found “clear manipulation” and called for the election result to be annulled.
The Opposition contested the results and launched widespread protests, demanding a fresh election.
In response, Mr Morales agreed to hold fresh elections.
But his main rival, Carlos Mesa, who came second in the vote, said Mr Morales should not stand in any new vote.
The chief of the armed forces, Gen Williams Kaliman, then urged Mr Morales to step down in the interests of peace and stability.
Mr Morales then announced his resignation.
He had taken the decision in order to stop fellow socialist leaders from being “harassed, persecuted and threatened”.
He also called his removal a “coup”.
He has flown into exile in Mexico.
In asylum in Mexico, he has vowed to fight the “coup”.

What are the concerns with power transition?

The forced resignation of Evo Morales has thrown the poorest country in South America into its biggest political crisis in 13 years.
Both Morales and his opponents failed to ensure a peaceful, orderly transition.
Violent protesters insisted on Mr. Morales’s resignation. The police forces rebelled against the government. The Military generals forced the President to step down.
All these destroyed the possibility of a peaceful transition.
According to the Bolivian Constitution, if the President steps down, the Vice-President should take over.
The heads of the Senate and chamber of deputies are the other leaders in the hierarchy who could assume acting presidency.
But in the present case, all four officials, all Socialists, have resigned.
This had left a vacuum, which the military could exploit.
In this backdrop, Anez has declared herself the president without having a quorum in the parliament.
More violence could be awaiting the country.

CONTACT US