The Movement for Socialism (MAS) has decided to expel Bolivian President Luis Arce, whom it holds responsible for alleged irregularities in the handling of resources, as well as political “betrayal” during the electoral process and corruption allegations within his administration.
MAS President Grover García reported that the decision was made after several attempts by the party to get Arce to regularize his financial contributions to the organization.
García added that the measure also responds to a breakdown in internal unity during the election campaign and to accusations of corruption made by various public sector entities. “We reject the corruption that arose,” he stated.
The MAS, which has governed Bolivia since 2006, experienced its first period under the leadership of Evo Morales (2006-2019) and, after the 2019 political crisis, returned to power with Luis Arce, who assumed the presidency in 2020.
However, in recent years, the party has fragmented into four internal factions, weakening its political presence In the August 17 elections, the organization obtained only 3.17 percent of the vote, one of the worst results in its history.
Arce, a 62-year-old economist, came to power backed by the Movement for Socialism (MAS) and was initially considered Evo Morales’s political successor. However, his relationship with the former president deteriorated over time, leading to an internal power struggle within the party. Ultimately, Arce’s faction prevailed, while Morales decided to step down from leadership.
Although Arce was seen as the natural candidate for the 2025 elections, he decided against seeking reelection due to a lack of popular support and divisions within his own movement. The internal fragmentation of the MAS facilitated the advance of conservative forces, which they describe as a “self-inflicted defeat.”
In Bolivia, various social sectors interpret the recent rise of the right wing as a direct consequence of the internal rupture and conflict within the MAS. They assert that the “fratricidal fight” and personal interests achieved what “not even a military coup had managed”: dismantling the political force that governed the country for almost two decades.
IMAGE CREDIT: Arce came to power backed by the MAS and was initially considered the political successor to Evo Morales. Photo: EFE
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
