The Morales Fanbase In Bolivia: What's In A Name?

Bolivia's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, has retained significant support among the poor and indigenous people of Bolivia, despite his resignation in 2019 amid mass protests over his disrupted re-election. Morales, a former coca grower, has been widely regarded as the country's first president to come from its indigenous population. Morales supporters are known to chant Evo, Bolivia wants you back! while carrying multi-coloured indigenous flags.

Evo Morales' supporters are marching to Bolivia's capital to protest against the government of current President Luis Arce

Evo Morales supporters are marching to Bolivia's capital, La Paz, to protest against the government of current President Luis Arce. Morales, a former coca grower and Bolivia's first Indigenous President, has retained significant support among poor and Indigenous Bolivians despite his resignation in 2019 amid mass protests over his disrupted re-election.

The march, called the "March to Save Bolivia", covers 190 kilometres (118 miles) from the small village of Caracollo to La Paz. Morales' supporters are raising multi-coloured Indigenous wiphala flags and chanting against Bolivia's economic crisis. The march began peacefully, but violence broke out when hundreds of counter-protesters, armed with tear gas bombs, stones, and firecrackers, spread across the highway to confront the nearly 10,000 marchers. Some of them set a giant effigy of Morales on fire.

Morales' supporters forced the counter-protesters to retreat, shouting, "Evo, Bolivia wants you back!" Thirteen people were injured in the scuffles, including three police officers. The mood was largely defiant late on Tuesday at a protest encampment in Panduro, in the mining state of Oruro, where the weary marchers spent the night.

The political rivalry between Morales and Arce has divided Congress and exacerbated an economic crisis stemming from the depletion of Bolivia's foreign-exchange reserves. Protesters decried Arce's failure to halt the spiral and recalled Morales' tenure as one of economic growth and social uplift.

Morales' supporters are demanding that Morales be allowed on the 2025 electoral ballot

Morales supporters are demanding that the former Bolivian president be allowed on the 2025 electoral ballot. Evo Morales, who served as Bolivia's first indigenous president from 2006 to 2019, has faced criticism and disqualification attempts from his former ally-turned-rival, current President Luis Arce.

Morales supporters have taken to the streets in protest marches, demanding that Morales be allowed to run in the 2025 presidential elections. In September 2024, thousands of Morales supporters clashed with counter-protesters during a 190-kilometer march from Caracollo to La Paz, the political capital. The supporters raised multi-colored indigenous flags and chanted against the country's economic crisis, using slingshots to pelt their adversaries with rocks. The protests turned violent, with injuries reported on both sides.

The rift between Morales and Arce has divided the governing Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party and escalated the political feud between the two leaders. Morales, who is seeking a controversial third term, claims that the constitutional court ruling disqualifying him from the 2025 elections is politically motivated. He has accused the Arce government of restricting political rights and sending plainclothes police officers to stir up trouble during the protests.

Arce and his ministers have accused Morales of attempting to orchestrate a coup and denounced the protest as a "death march." The government believes that the blockades and protests are motivated by Morales' interest in running for re-election, causing daily economic losses. The constitutional court's ruling on re-election has been a point of contention, with Arce seeking a referendum on the issue.

The dispute has also led to a split in support for Morales, with some sectors expressing rejection of his desire to hold on to power. However, Morales retains significant backing, particularly among the working class and indigenous communities, who credit him with overseeing economic growth, poverty reduction, and increased investment in social sectors. The supporters' demands reflect their loyalty and belief in Morales' ability to bring positive change to the country.

Morales' supporters are predominantly poor and indigenous

Bolivia's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, has retained significant support from poor and indigenous communities. Morales' supporters have been described as "poor and indigenous rural areas" in contrast with his "mainly metropolitan critics".

Morales' administration worked towards the implementation of left-wing policies, focusing on the legal protections and socioeconomic conditions of Bolivia's previously marginalized indigenous population. Ideologically a socialist, Morales has led the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party since 1998. Morales' supporters point to his championing of indigenous rights, anti-imperialism, and environmentalism, and credit him with overseeing significant economic growth and poverty reduction as well as increased investment in schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.

Morales' brand of pragmatic socialism was a program that was one of many among the pink tide that swept throughout Latin America in the 2000s, where a number of left-wing leaders rose to power with socialist and social democratic leanings. Morales was opposed to neoliberal policies of austerity and privatization, and after coming into office in 2006, his administration nationalized the oil and gas sector. Using the funds derived from the nationalized natural gas and oil businesses, his administration invested heavily in basic sanitation, agriculture, education, water resources, transportation, and health with the strategic goal to tackle the structural causes of poverty. By 2014, Morales' anti-poverty programs won him wide support as the country saw poverty reduced by 25%, extreme poverty reduced by 43%, social spending increased by over 45%, and the real minimum wage increased by 87.7%.

Morales' unorthodox behavior contrasts with the usual manners of dignitaries and other political leaders in Latin America. Morales made use of personal stories and anecdotes in his speeches and used coca as a political symbol, wearing a coca leaf garland around his neck and a hat with coca leaves in it when speaking to crowds of supporters. Following his election, he wore striped jumpers instead of the suits typically worn by politicians. It became a symbol of Morales, with copies selling widely in Bolivia.

Morales' supporters are facing violent opposition from Arce's supporters

Bolivia's former president Evo Morales is facing violent opposition from supporters of the current president, Luis Arce. Morales, a former coca grower, has retained significant support among the poor and indigenous Bolivians despite his resignation in 2019 amid mass protests over his disrupted re-election.

Morales, who is the first indigenous president of Bolivia, has called for a "March to Save Bolivia" – a 190-kilometre trek from Caracollo to the capital, La Paz – to denounce Arce's government. Morales's supporters, carrying multi-coloured indigenous flags and chanting against Bolivia's economic crisis, clashed with counter-protesters blocking their way. The counter-protesters, armed with tear gas bombs, stones and firecrackers, set a giant effigy of Morales on fire.

Arce and his ministers have accused Morales of trying to orchestrate a coup. Eduardo Del Castillo, a top official in Arce's government, said:

> [Morales's protest is a] "death march" and [Morales] seeks "to destroy democracy in Bolivia and end the lives of Bolivians."

Morales has denied these allegations, claiming that the government sent plainclothes police officers to stir up trouble and vandalise protesters' vehicles. He said:

> [Arce's government] "has lost respect for human rights and laws in the country."

The violent opposition to Morales's supporters comes amid a backdrop of political and economic instability in Bolivia. Morales's supporters are demanding that he be allowed on the 2025 electoral ballot, despite a ruling by Bolivia's constitutional court last year that disqualifies him.

Morales, who is the leader of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party, has been widely credited with overseeing significant economic growth and poverty reduction in Bolivia, as well as increased investment in schools, hospitals, and infrastructure. However, critics point to democratic backsliding during his tenure and argue that his policies sometimes failed to reflect his environmentalist and indigenous rights rhetoric.

Morales' supporters are protesting the government's handling of the economy

Bolivia's former president, Evo Morales, has sparked a wave of protests against the current government's handling of the economy. Morales, a former coca grower, has retained significant support among the poor and indigenous Bolivians, despite his resignation in 2019 amid mass protests over his disrupted re-election.

Morales and his supporters are marching to the capital, La Paz, to protest against the government of current President Luis Arce. The march, called the "March to Save Bolivia," covers 190 kilometres (118 miles) from the small village of Caracollo to La Paz. Morales has accused the Arce administration of mishandling the economy, causing hunger and suffering among the people. He claims that Arce's failure to halt the economic spiral is in stark contrast to Morales's tenure, which was marked by economic growth and social uplift.

The protests have turned violent, with clashes between Morales's supporters and those of the current government. The former group carried multi-coloured indigenous flags and chanted against Bolivia's economic crisis. The violence included the use of slingshots to pelt rocks, as well as kicking, beating with sticks, and chasing opponents into the highlands.

The political rivalry between Morales and Arce has divided Congress and exacerbated the economic crisis in Bolivia, which is facing depletion of foreign-exchange reserves. The situation has been further inflamed by the power struggle within the governing Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party, as both leaders vie for its leadership ahead of the 2025 presidential election.

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