• In December 2023, former Bolivian President Evo Morales denounced a "dark plan" aimed at eliminating him and his party’s leaders, Andronico Rodriguez, Leonardo Loza and Gualberto Arispe.

• A 2015 investigation was reopened against Evo Morales for "rape, trafficking and human trafficking", after being closed in 2020, then six other investigations were opened against him on various grounds.

• Since 14 October, his supporters are blocking the country’s main roads to protest against the "judicial persecution" of their leader, but also against the government’s management of the crisis in which the country is plunged.
Violence followed violence, pitting police against demonstrators, while blockades caused further economic turmoil. According to Bloomberg, the clashes have already caused $5 billion in losses, or 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP).

• On 26 October, the entire military high command was renewed by President Luis Arce.

• On 27 October, Evo Morales was the victim of an assassination attempt while driving in the Chapare, in the center of the country. His two vehicles were riddled with 14 bullets and his driver was injured. He had already been the subject of assassination attempts in 2009 and during the 2019 coup.
He said: "The car I arrived in was shot 14 times. I was surprised. Fortunately, today, we are alive [...]. It was hooded men who fired [...]. It was planned, it was to kill Evo [...]. [President] Luis Arce destroyed Bolivia, and now he wants to eliminate our movement by ending Evo’s life. We’ll see how we’re going to prepare [...]. A state of siege is underway."

• The assailants used military helicopters and retreated to the 9th Division’s barracks.

• Minister of the Interior Eduardo del Castillo refuted this version, saying that it was a "staged act" by Evo Morales. He explained at a press conference that the incident occurred during a road check set up as part of the fight against drug trafficking in Chapare. Deputy minister of security Roberto Rios put forward the hypothesis of a "self-attack" on the part of Evo Morales.

• Evo Morales admitted that his car and escort vehicle belonged to Venezuela. He said: "I will not leave Bolivia, I am with my people and with the people we will resist and we will face and defeat a corrupt government, a government of Narcos."

• Evo Morales’ lawyers have referred the case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

• President Luis Arce plans to declare a state of emergency.

☞ Over the past four years, the Latin American left has become increasingly divided and aligned with the North American and European left. It is abandoning the defense of proletarians for that of minorities. In Ecuador, President Lenin Moreno has turned his back on his predecessor, Rafael Correa, to align himself with Washington and pursue neoliberal policies. In Peru, President Pedro Castillo was overthrown and imprisoned to be replaced by his former Minister of Development, Dina Boluarte, now allied with the right.

This is the editorial from our paywalled "Voltaire, international newsletter", n°106. For more information, do not hesitate to subscribe: 500€ per year.

Translation
Gregor Fröhlich