Some MAS thinkers are arguing that a second wave of the pink tide that first swept through the region in the s is gathering force. They frequently refer to a new left-wing axis between Argentina and Mexico conveniently leaving aside the disaster in Venezuela. Richard Lapper is a freelance writer and consultant who specializes in Latin America. He is an associate fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London and a member of the editorial board of Americas Quarterly.
Search for:. Like what you've read? Subscribe to AQ for more. Any opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Quarterly or its publishers. Related Content. Look to Its Cities. Lula Is Back. But Which Lula? Anez is in jail on charges including sedition, which she denies. In elections last year, the socialists swept back into office with Morales' close ally Luis Arce as President. Mesa said that if he were to be arrested, it would mark a worrying shift toward authoritarianism.
Bolivia "has its difficulties and problems, but it is still a democracy," Mesa said. Morales on Twitter on Thursday said Mesa "must answer to justice" over what he has called a coup. Socialist lawmaker Hector Arce, no relation to the president, said that Mesa was simply trying to "wash his hands" of responsibility over "planning and designing a set of strategies to overthrow a legally and democratically elected government".
He also criticized a report by Bolivia's influential Catholic Church, which played down the coup allegations over Anez taking power. The Church had acted along with the European Union and a Spanish government envoy as a mediator during the tense months in The ruling applies not only to the president but to all elected officials.
The court quoted the American Convention of Human Rights as the legal framework for its decision. But the head of the Organization of American States, which is responsible for enforcing the convention, said the way the Bolivian court had interpreted the convention was wrong. He wrote on Twitter [in Spanish] that the article quoted by the constitutional court "does not envision the right to perpetual power". Many of the people who voted "no" in the referendum said that after a decade of Mr Morales in power, they wanted to see someone else lead the country.
But Mr Morales' support remains strong among his traditional backers such as indigenous groups and some trade unions.
Earlier this month , thousands of people took part in a demonstration in La Paz calling for him to be allowed to serve a fourth term. They say that no other president has done as much to help the poor as Evo Morales has and they want him to be given more time to implement further social reforms. They also argue that the only reason President Morales lost the referendum was because of an illegal defamatory campaign launched against him in the run-up to the vote.
January Starts first term as president. January Bolivians approve new constitution in a referendum. December Mr Morales wins second term by a landslide in early presidential election. April Constitutional court rules Mr Morales can stand in the election despite the constitution limiting presidents to two consecutive terms.
The court argues that his first term should not count because it took place before the constitution came into force. October Morales wins third term in office. February Bolivians vote in a referendum against lifting presidential term limits.
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