Bolivia: Morales pressures government through social organizations

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Following continued pressure measures by the so-called anti-vaccine sectors, even after the central government backed down on the vaccination card requirement, dissidents of the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) and opposition officials say that ex-president Evo Morales has taken on the task of forcing potential changes in the cabinet using social organizations.

In recent hours, representatives of the mobilized groups have maintained pressure measures in several parts of the country, actions that occasionally turned violent against the police and press workers. Representatives in the city of El Alto openly announced that they are demanding three ministries.

Ex-senator Omar Aguilar claimed that this movement resisting vaccination began spontaneously, however, groups that respond to ex-president Morales have been gaining prominence by making a demand regarding a change of ministers, as personally suggested by the leader of the blue party through social networks and statements.

“Morales has undertaken the task of, himself, pressuring for a change of ministers, but also pressuring through social organizations for the change of cabinet officials,” said the former MAS legislator.

Aguilar said that president Luis Arce, in coordination with organizations, was right to have postponed potential cabinet changes until February.

Finally, he said that constitutionally and in terms of the image projected by the government, Arce is right in not yielding to pressure, but he should expect that the groups led by Morales, under the pretext of rejecting vaccination, will take measures later on, and in order to understand these struggles it is necessary to analyze the recently denounced existence of wings and factions within the blue party.

Comunidad Ciudadana (CC) deputy Ingvar Ellefsen lamented that ultimately all mobilizations that allegedly oppose vaccination are nothing more than an internal struggle for power and positions of power.

Ruling party deputy Sandro Ramírez said that the issue has been politicized. “Unfortunately, it is being seen more as a political than as a vindictive issue (…). There are more particular interests showing, in a scenario in which the needs of the population are being set aside,” he said.