Rival demonstrators clash in Bolivia as former leader Evo Morales runs march to capital
Date
9/23/2024 4:19:21 AM
(MENAFN) Supporters of Bolivia's pro-government faction clashed with protesters loyal to former president Evo Morales on Sunday, marking a second outbreak of violence within the week and heightening fears of ongoing unrest in the country. The confrontation unfolded in El Alto, where both groups hurled firecrackers, homemade explosives, and stones at one another, while riot Police responded by deploying tear gas into the fray. The health Ministry reported at least eight injuries resulting from the chaos.
The standoff coincided with a significant march by thousands of Morales' supporters, who have been walking for a week toward La Paz, the capital, to voice their discontent. This situation underscores the deep political divide in Bolivia as the country approaches the 2025 presidential election. Morales and current President Luis Arce, who was once his economy minister but is now his rival, are both vying for leadership of the long-dominant socialist party, known by its Spanish acronym MAS. Their ongoing power struggle has not only paralyzed the government but has also worsened Bolivia's dwindling foreign-exchange reserves and fueled widespread protests.
The political turmoil traces back to 2019, when Morales was forced to resign after being re-elected amid allegations of electoral fraud, leading to mass protests. Although he left the country, he made a significant return a year later, reclaiming considerable support from poorer and Indigenous communities in Bolivia. The marchers, inspired by Morales and driven by frustrations over the economic crisis and President Arce's attempts to undermine his candidacy, paused on Sunday after a six-day trek, setting up camp 11 kilometers from El Alto.
In an effort to frame the march as a cultural as well as a political event, Morales celebrated his supporters and their connection to Bolivia’s Indigenous heritage, highlighting the multicolored flag symbolic of Indigenous Andean pride. However, tensions escalated when factions of Morales' supporters pushed into El Alto's outskirts, leading to violent clashes in the Ventilla neighborhood. As acrid smoke from burning tires mixed with tear gas in the streets, accusations flew between the two sides, with Morales claiming Arce’s government was employing "paramilitary groups" to incite violence, a sentiment echoed by Bolivia's ombudsman.
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