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Thread: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

  1. #61

    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Quote Originally Posted by irontaino View Post
    Looks like we're back in the old days of U.S. backed right-wing governments in Latin America. Those were fun times, where non-whites enjoyed equal rights, the environment was safeguarded as were human rights in general, right? Right?
    What makes you think this was US backed? The guy did some pretty blatant stuff to stay in power, such as ignoring a referendum and bending the constitution.

    Ultimately, things happen across the Globe without US involvement, and I see no reason why you should assume the US had a major role to play in this one. In the end, plenty of countries have messed themselves up voluntarily without the having anything to do with it.

  2. #62
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Quote Originally Posted by Cookiegod View Post
    It proves everything you said about it being unconstitutional false.
    How? Term limits are still set by the Bolivian Constitution. Referencing other law doesn't make those term limits magically go away.

    American convention on human rights requires member states to incorporate it into domestic law. Something which Bolivia has done.
    No they haven't and what part of the ACHR bans term limits? Because many signatories to this treaty currently employ term limits like Mexico.

    You have, so far, not provided anything to substantiate your claim about unconstitutionality.
    The Bolivian Constitution is clear on term limits. Its unconstitutional.

    The one quote from a secondary source you gave us only works for you when you choose to believe an extreme interpretation of it that is at odds with how law is practiced all around the world. Citing the convention is not the same as basing it SOLELY on it.
    Except my source explicitly says they based it off the ACHR and not the Constitution.

    It is not possible for a court to base their judgements on anything but relevant domestic law. But they are allowed to cite other sources as to how THEIR law should be interpreted. E.g. there's nothing unusual about the Bolivian supreme court citing the convention when explaining how they decided the relevant human rights in their own constitution should be interpreted.
    ACHR again is not domestic law. And i'll ask again. What part of the ACHR says term limits are against human rights?

    Citing the convention is well and good, since this is where the law originally came from. In Germany you have courts occasionally citing everything, even medieval Danish kings.
    Where in the ACHR does it declare term limits to be against human rights?

    The Bolivian court decided that two parts of the constitution were at odds with one another, and decided that one part was more important than the other.
    Are you claiming they said that in their ruling? Because that needs a source.

    None of this, however, is relevant in any other way than that this is a very poor justification by you to justify an unconstitutional takeover. You don't even deny it. Yesterday 5 native protesters were killed by the military and the police protecting a rascist usurper whose legitimacy is not even close to the gray zone. You care about constitutionality in one case, even though the popular will was clear, but you completely on it the moment your fave gets in, and you keep on it even as you know what she's doing with it now.
    The only thing that is poor is you continuing to ignore a referendum and the Constitution solely because of your anti-US bias and bias for Eva. I bet if a right-wing president did the same things Eva did you'd change ypur tune in a second.

    Nothing constitutional about Eva's fourth term. They put it to a vote. The Bolivian people spoke and decided to not extend term limits. You can try to ignore popular will all you want but you just look like a hypocrite. But continue please making excuses for Eva.

  3. #63
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Nothing constitutional about Eva's fourth term. They put it to a vote. The Bolivian people spoke and decided to not extend term limits. You can try to ignore popular will all you want but you just look like a hypocrite. But continue please making excuses for Eva.
    And than his term was put t a vote and he won...
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Quote Originally Posted by conon394 View Post
    And than his term was put t a vote and he won...
    Cool. His chance to change the term limits was voted down. Is it ok to ignore term limits and referendums as long as you win the next election? You still haven't answered my earlier post about setting a dangerous precedent like that.

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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    This is the problem with ideologues. They start out with disliking a politician/party/movement for its policies, which is all well and good, but then end up excusing everything and anything done by others against them. Such as an unconstitutional military take over. And yes, we have already been over this several times in this thread. Morales and his government were TOLD by the military to resign. The fact that they didn't spell out the "or else" publicly doesn't change everything else. Nor does the tying of politicians to trees and setting their houses on fire, threatening them with violence, as was done by the far-right paramilitaries with the backing of the police and military.

    Juxtaposed their leanient treatment of far-right racist paramilitaries we have their brutal clampdown on the protesters demonstrating for the biggest party in their country and the man who not only rightfully won the election, but whose current term wasn't even set to end this year yet, and who by the way arguably has been the most successful president of the country ever.
    It is impossible that any of the junta-supporters here can have missed this irony here - no matter their ideological blinders.

    Aside the fact that the junta is neither supported by the senate, nor the house, nor the people of Bolivia, the most important, and baffling fact here is that you are all supporting a ruler who has given her military total amnesty, and whose soldiers have killed dozens on purpose. You don't shoot people in the head with military grade ammunition if shooting to kill wasn't your intention.

    I get called right-wing by the people on the other fringe a lot. But it's in times like these where I'm glad that I'm not.

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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Quote Originally Posted by Cookiegod View Post
    This is the problem with ideologues. They start out with disliking a politician/party/movement for its policies, which is all well and good, but then end up excusing everything and anything done by others against them.
    I dislike Eva for violating the Constitution and a referendum. Not because of his ideology or policies. Do try again though.

    Juxtaposed their leanient treatment of far-right racist paramilitaries we have their brutal clampdown on the protesters demonstrating for the biggest party in their country and the man who not only rightfully won the election, but whose current term wasn't even set to end this year yet, and who by the way arguably has been the most successful president of the country ever.
    Being successful doesn't mean you get to ignore the Constitution or popular referendums. I like how you are trying to paint me as a supporter of the far-right but not agreeing with Eva's disregard of the Constitution and referendum doesn't make me a support.of the far right or right-wing.

    It is impossible that any of the junta-supporters here can have missed this irony here - no matter their ideological blinders.
    The irony here is you complaining about an unconstitutional military takeover while ignoring Eva who violated the Constitution and ignored a popular referendum.

    Aside the fact that the junta is neither supported by the senate, nor the house, nor the people of Bolivia,
    More claims with no evidence. Keep it up.

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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    I've already laid out to you why your claim about unconstitutionality has zero merit. You don't get to be the Bolivian supreme court, and your extreme interpretation of one sentence from a secondary source is a highly unlikely one. -> You have to choose to live in fantasyland to believe in it. Because there's not a place on earth where it works like that. The suspension of disbelief is strong in you and I'm not going to change it.

    The irony isn't me complaining about an unconstitutional military takeover, since my focus has always been that 1) I don't like military juntas, 2) I don't like oppression of natives, 3) I don't like demonstrators with legitimate grievances being killed by military. Which is fine by you obviously.

    Your only leg so far to stand on has been the claimed by you unconstitutionality of the referendum. All the political institutions of Bolivia disagree with you. Since that, according to your own words, is your reason to support the junta, that's where it gets ironic, but frankly more hypocritical for you to ignore the unconstitutionality of the take-over.

    Basically while I say moral standards are good, you say double standards have to be twice as good.

    Quote Originally Posted by Cookiegod View Post
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Quote Originally Posted by Cookiegod View Post
    This is the problem with ideologues. They start out with disliking a politician/party/movement for its policies, which is all well and good, but then end up excusing everything and anything done by others against them. Such as an unconstitutional military take over. And yes, we have already been over this several times in this thread. Morales and his government were TOLD by the military to resign. The fact that they didn't spell out the "or else" publicly doesn't change everything else. Nor does the tying of politicians to trees and setting their houses on fire, threatening them with violence, as was done by the far-right paramilitaries with the backing of the police and military.

    Juxtaposed their leanient treatment of far-right racist paramilitaries we have their brutal clampdown on the protesters demonstrating for the biggest party in their country and the man who not only rightfully won the election, but whose current term wasn't even set to end this year yet, and who by the way arguably has been the most successful president of the country ever.
    It is impossible that any of the junta-supporters here can have missed this irony here - no matter their ideological blinders.

    Aside the fact that the junta is neither supported by the senate, nor the house, nor the people of Bolivia, the most important, and baffling fact here is that you are all supporting a ruler who has given her military total amnesty, and whose soldiers have killed dozens on purpose. You don't shoot people in the head with military grade ammunition if shooting to kill wasn't your intention.

    I get called right-wing by the people on the other fringe a lot. But it's in times like these where I'm glad that I'm not.
    You should remember that pro-MAS militants are violent as well. I have seen indigenous manifesting against the Tipnis in 2012 being attacked by MAS militants. Seriously, left-wing and right-wing are both violent there. The MAS is the first party, you should be blind if you believe such a reservoir of activists and militants has not been involved in the general violence occurring everywhere.

    And than his term was put t a vote and he won...
    Your thoughts on this?

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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Quote Originally Posted by Cookiegod View Post
    I've already laid out to you why your claim about unconstitutionality has zero merit.
    And i addressed it and laud out why you were wrong.

    You don't get to be the Bolivian supreme court, and your extreme interpretation of one sentence from a secondary source is a highly unlikely one. ->
    Neither do you. At least i have a source proving my claim. Where's yours again?

    You have to choose to live in fantasyland to believe in it. Because there's not a place on earth where it works like that. The suspension of disbelief is strong in you and I'm not going to change it.
    Name one other place please. You haven't proven once this is how international law works. Its just biased conjecture from you with no evidence behind it.

    You still haven't told me what part of the ACHR that makes term limits a violation of human rights like Bolivian court claims.

    The irony isn't me complaining about an unconstitutional military takeover, since my focus has always been that 1) I don't like military juntas, 2) I don't like oppression of natives, 3) I don't like demonstrators with legitimate grievances being killed by military. Which is fine by you obviously.
    Nice strawman at the end but ypur entire focus is on Eva except of course when he violates the Constitution or ignores a referendum. You have no problem with undemocratic actions when its someone you support doing it.

    Your only leg so far to stand on has been the claimed by you unconstitutionality of the referendum. All the political institutions of Bolivia disagree with you.
    Another claim with no evidence. You can try to ignore popular will all you want but the people of Bolivia spoke in 2016. Respect their wishes.

    Since that, according to your own words, is your reason to support the junta, that's where it gets ironic, but frankly more hypocritical for you to ignore the unconstitutionality of the take-over.
    I haven't once said i supported the opposition at all. Feel free to quote any of my posts. You are just making up arguments to claims i've never made while still failing to prove your own.

    Basically while I say moral standards are good, you say double standards have to be twice as good.
    Considering you're perfectly ok with Eva's undemocratic actions because of your support of him you don't get to talk about double standards or morals. Ignoring popular referendums and the Constitution is not moral nor is excusing the actions if Eva. Your entire position is a double standard.
    Last edited by Vanoi; November 17, 2019 at 11:45 AM.

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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Quote Originally Posted by Genava View Post
    You should remember that pro-MAS militants are violent as well. I have seen indigenous manifesting against the Tipnis in 2012 being attacked by MAS militants. Seriously, left-wing and right-wing are both violent there. The MAS is the first party, you should be blind if you believe such a reservoir of activists and militants has not been involved in the general violence occurring everywhere.
    How many people have the pro-MAS protesters killed so far? Oh right, zero, vs 23+.

    Have they attacked the politicians directly with the support of the police, set their houses on fire, threatened them, tied them to trees and so on? Nope.

    Did Evo Morales promise the security forces a total amnesty in dealing with the opposition? No, he did not. Do I have to continue?

    Why are you defending the murder of civilians with legitimate grievances by security forces using military grade ammunition with the clear intent to kill?

    This would be hilarious if it wasn't for the dead people.

    Quote Originally Posted by Cookiegod View Post
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    How many people have the pro-MAS protesters killed so far? Oh right, zero, vs 23+.
    This leftist delirium tires me as much than the conservative one from B.W...

    Dozen of militants from the opposition have been killed during protests against the government the past decade. Multiple times the police has been used by Morales government to beat the protestants. When the protest comes from the MAS, the kills count from the police and the military goes to the right-wing but when there are opponents to the MAS killed, somehow the kills count vanish in oblivion. Yeah sure, the government of Evo Morales is crystal clear and pure, without any stain of blood (sarcasm).


    Have they attacked the politicians directly with the support of the police, set their houses on fire, threatened them, tied them to trees and so on? Nope.
    https://www.telesurtv.net/news/Seis-...0218-0001.html
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vIDZ_gwSRQ
    Last edited by Genava; February 28, 2020 at 12:04 PM.
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Ten days ago, when the military pushed Bolivia's left-wing leader Evo Morales to resign, the country is sinking into a whirlpool of chaos and violence. More than 30 of his followers died in the riots, most of them apparently shot by soldiers and police. "It scares me," Morales said in a conversation with Der Spiegel in his Mexican exile.
    ...
    Añez accuses Morales of electoral fraud, which he vehemently rejects. Their supporters in the rich province of Santa Cruz have sparked a religious war against Morales and his followers, who belong to the indigenous population majority. They see in Morales a "Satan who occupied the presidential palace".

    https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausla...a-1297528.html


    Only a question of time, when national emergency is declared and evil "communists/satanists" are taken in prevention cutody and disappear to nowhere...
    Last edited by Morticia Iunia Bruti; November 21, 2019 at 12:00 PM.
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  13. #73
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Pop

    so MIT analysis - sorry no fraud by Morales, just a right wing /military coup.

    https://jackrw.mit.edu/sites/default...port-short.pdf

    But I suppose MIT is full of pot smoking lefty statisticians...
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Quote Originally Posted by conon394 View Post
    Pop

    so MIT analysis - sorry no fraud by Morales, just a right wing /military coup.

    https://jackrw.mit.edu/sites/default...port-short.pdf

    But I suppose MIT is full of pot smoking lefty statisticians...
    Leaving out him violating a popular referendum and his own Constitution. But yes, evil right-wing coup indeed.

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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Morales broke the constitution by running.
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  16. #76

    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    So, yet another independent research concludes that the official report of OAS (Organisation of American States) alluding to electoral fraud in the 2019 Bolivian elections were flawed. To summarise, their observations relied on a number of statistical mistakes and arbitrary assumptions, which failed to predict the overwhelming victory of Morales in the elections. From this, they deduced that the government must have intervened illegally to influence the result, but their extrapolations have already been disproved more than once. The lack of rigorous, academic standards in the OAS is not particularly surprising, given the diplomatic influence some of its members exercise upon it, but it's interesting to note that not only Washington and the rest of La Paz' adversaries promoted these fragile accusations, but also several well-respected media, including the New York Times, which now adopts a much more skeptical stance.

    The findings of the OAS sparked anti-Morales demonstrations, who was forced to abandon the presidency, when the armed and police forces called for his resignation, in what could be described as a typical coup d'état. Of course, the interim government, supposedly destined to only prepare for the next elections, still rules over Bolivia, while it has rejected the orientation of its predecessor, especially in terms of foreign policy, despite its presumably limited jurisdiction. Anyway, in my opinion, as the Intercept article explains, this controversy is a classic case of mediocrity in mainstream press, which often touts the official line of the State Department, without actually processing it, as journalistic standards require. Of course, in rather more sinister examples, the reason behind it is pure bias, that exceptional quote from the Economist is quite comical for someone even remotely familiar with Latin American domestic politics.
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  17. #77
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    So, yet another independent research concludes that the official report of OAS (Organisation of American States) alluding to electoral fraud in the 2019 Bolivian elections were flawed.
    If I can quote directly the research paper you are referring too:

    "Our analysis does not establish the absence of fraud in this election; that could never be determined on the basis of quantitative analysis alone. The quantitative results that we revisit formed just one part of the OAS’s case against the integrity of the Bolivian election. Their team presented evidence of secret servers, improperly completed tally sheets, undisclosed late-night software modifications and myriad other reasons for suspicion. But while quantitative evidence was merely one of the findings of the OAS audit report, it played—and continues to play—an outsize role in Bolivia’s political crisis. It helped convict Morales of fraud in the court of public opinion. We find that this key piece of evidence is faulty and should be excluded."

    Simply to moderate excessive conclusion.
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Morales has been charged today because of terrorism while being in argentinian exile .

    One point of the charge is blocking roads to some cities by his supporters.

    https://www.dw.com/de/terroranklage-...les/a-54074586

    With no proof for voting fraud its clear for me, that this is a political intrigue and a show trial.
    Last edited by Morticia Iunia Bruti; July 07, 2020 at 03:16 AM.
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  19. #79
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    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    Tension arises in Bolivia about the oncoming elections, the delay faced important opposition:

    Bolivia’s delayed presidential election will be held on Oct. 18 as scheduled despite calls from various political sectors that polls be held earlier.

    Amid the coronavirus outbreak, tensions have escalated between the government and the opposition.

    The interim right-wing government enacted a law that mandates elections will be held next month, while the opposition accuses President Jeanine Anez of seeking to delay the vote to increase her election prospects.

    Thousands of supporters of former President Evo Morales set up roadblocks weeks ago demanding that elections be held on Sept. 6.

    The roadblocks paralyzed the nation, causing food shortages and delayed the transport of critical medical supplies for the coronavirus pandemic that has infected 119,000 and left more than 5,000 dead in Bolivia.

    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/boli...vision/1965163
    The government is trying to convinct Morales and the MAS about the roadblocks:

    Bolivia contacts ICC over ex-president Evo Morales alleged crimes

    Bolivia's government contacts International Criminal Court to denounce former president Evo Morales for "crimes against humanity" relating to last month's mass roadblock movement in troubled nation.

    Conservative leader Áñez said that the communication was "due to the siege of the cities that caused more than 40 deaths from lack of oxygen," which could not be delivered to hospitals.

    Morales denied any wrongdoing and said the allegations were "a smokescreen aimed at distracting the Bolivian people's attention from the economic, health and humanitarian catastrophe" in their country" ahead of a presidential election in October.

    The Bolivian indigenous leader, who is a hugely influential figure in his homeland even though he currently lives in exile in Buenos Aires after 14 years in power, had encouraged his supporters to ramp up the pressure on authorities in a bid to prevent a postponement of the election.

    https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/lati...d-crimes.phtml
    Indeed the roadblock had huge impact for the medical staff (according to Dr. Antonio Viruez of El Alto):

    Bolivia Under Blockade as Protesters Choke Access to Cities

    Six million people have been marooned by 70 roadblocks set up to protest the government’s response to the coronavirus and the postponement of the country’s general election.

    TARIJA, Bolivia — Antigovernment protesters in Bolivia blockaded some of the country’s main roads this past week to challenge the delay of general elections and rebuke the government’s poor response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    The protesters — who support Bolivia’s former president, Evo Morales — say they have set up 70 roadblocks, marooning about six million residents of three highland regions, including Bolivia’s most important metropolis, La Paz. Already, the blockade has raised fears of food and gasoline shortages, pushing throngs of La Paz residents into the streets to line up outside food markets and gasoline stations.

    Bolivia’s unrest could be a harbinger of what’s to come elsewhere in Latin America, where citizens are losing faith in their countries’ ability to contain the pandemic, and to mitigate the economic crisis brought on by measures to combat the virus.

    The pandemic has killed more than 210,000 people in Latin America and plunged its economy into the deepest recession in at least a century, according to the United Nations. Bolivia is suffering one of the biggest outbreaks in the region, when adjusted for population; the virus has killed 3,000, sickened top government officials and overwhelmed hospitals.

    The government on Thursday said it would break up the blockades by force if it can’t reach an agreement with the protest organizers. The threat revived fears of a return to last year’s political violence, when two dozen of Mr. Morales’s supporters died during clashes with Bolivian security forces.

    Protest organizers said they were allowing medical workers, medical suppliers and fuel to pass through the blockades. But government health officials said the blockades have reduced the supply of oxygen and other materials for coronavirus treatment, causing deaths.

    Although there are no official figures, doctors from local hospitals said at least eight patients have died in the cities of Oruro and El Alto, outside La Paz, because of oxygen shortages this week.

    The protesters “don’t let ambulances pass, they pelt them with stones, threaten to burn them,” said Dr. Antonio Viruez, the head of the emergency department at El Alto’s Northern Hospital, the city’s largest. “The situation is critical, because the inputs are not arriving.”

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/07/w...-blockade.html
    Áñez' Government is also trying to prosecute Morales over a case involving an underage woman:

    Evo Morales: Exiled Bolivian ex-president accused of rape

    The Bolivian justice ministry has filed a criminal complaint against former President Evo Morales for statutory rape and human trafficking.
    It comes after photographs were published in national media of the 60-year-old ex-leader with a young woman who was reportedly a minor at the time.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-53858091

    Bolivia Investigates Evo Morales’ Affair with a Minor

    Evo Morales has at least five open investigations and, as if that were not enough, he has added another one: romance with a minor. For a month now, the Bolivian Ministry of Government has been investigating whether the former president had a romantic relationship with a teenage girl while in office.

    The young girl, whose full name is Noemí Meneses Chávez, was only 14 years old when the romance began, according to the Spanish website OK Diario, which had access to the 46-page secret police report containing photographs and compromising conversations.

    According to the authorities, the relationship began five years ago, so the young woman is now 19 years old. OK Diario points out that the commission of the crime of statutory rape carries a penalty of three to six years in prison, according to the Bolivian Penal Code.

    The research is focused on confirming whether Morales had sex with the young woman when she was a minor. One of the pieces of evidence is a video that Noemí Meneses sent to the former president, congratulating him on the fifth anniversary as a couple. The video is already being circulated on Twitter.

    https://panampost.com/jose-gregorio-...-affair-minor/
    Paola Barriga goes further accusing the MAS of complicity in those affairs:

    The complaint against the former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, for a case of pedophilia is only the tip of the iceberg. This scandal has uncovered what appears to be repeated behavior involving more than one minor. New pieces of the puzzle point to an alleged human trafficking network linked to his political party. This is how the former president has been choosing his “harem” of minors, according to El Diario.

    In statements to the Bolivian publication, Paola Barriga, lawyer of the mother of one of the alleged victims, assured that there is evidence linking the Movement to Socialism (MAS) with a human trafficking scandal known as the Katanas case.

    It is about the confession of two policemen sentenced for this scandal and the denunciations of mothers of minors who have had relations with Evo Morales. The accusations point to a former minister and a deputy of the MAS.

    https://panampost.com/jose-gregorio-...-harem-minors/
    The situation becomes explosive with Evo Morales seeking a seat in the senate:

    The ruling eliminates Evo Morales from having parliamentary immunity against sedition and other charges against him.

    A Bolivian court has blocked deposed former President Evo Morales from seeking a seat in the Chamber of Senators in the country's October elections, arguing that the ex-leader, living in Argentina, does not meet residency requirements.

    Morales sent a tweet saying he would not appeal Monday's decision, though he said before the ruling that the court was acting "under threats and pressures," and he considered the ruling "political and illegal".

    The ruling eliminates the possibility that Morales could obtain parliamentary immunity against sedition and other charges against him, but his Movement Toward Socialism party still controls the Legislative Assembly and polls indicate it remains the frontrunner for the October 18 vote.

    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/...141922986.html
    Last edited by Genava; September 09, 2020 at 01:28 PM.
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  20. #80

    Default Re: Bolivia president resigns. Danger of civil war ahead

    The candidate of Morales' party gained more than the absolute majority of the votes in the presidential elections, so no new elections are necessary. I think that's a very positive development, as Morales will not serve an extra term, which was prohibited by the Constitution that the majority of the Bolivians didn't want to amend and he's prevented from forming a dynasty focused on his personality alone. The victory of MAS also confirms the massive popularity the party enjoys, as well as the end of an interim government that imposed public order by sending the army (which also enjoyed legal immunity) to quell unrest. Añez had also joined the race, despite her early promises not to do so, but she quit, after polls indicated that she had no chance of defeating Luis Arce, MAS' candidate.

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