Evo Morales removed from the race for president of Bolivia as the deadline for candidates has passed

Ex-President Evo Morales’ bid for a fourth term as president came to an end on Tuesday as the registration period for candidates seeking to run for the position in Bolivia’s August election ended.

Last week, a constitutional court ruling maintained a ban on anyone holding the office for more than two terms, essentially barring Morales, a political figure of over two decades, from seeking the presidency again.

Supporters of Morales, the first Indigenous president of Bolivia and the country’s leader from 2006 to 2019, have organized protests and traffic stoppages to protest his exclusion.

Morales stated on local radio station Radio Panamericana on Tuesday, “The fight is not lost, we will fight the legal and the social battle.”

After dominating Bolivian politics and boosting Indigenous representation in recent years, Morales’ Movement to Socialism, or MAS, is now a divided political force with at least three factions vying for the presidency as the August 17 election draws near.

Luis Arce, a former mentee of Morales and now an adversary, supports Eduardo del Castillo, who served as interior minister until last week.

Andronico Rodriguez, the president of the Senate, has registered to run, but his involvement is pending a court ruling. Former MAS senator and current El Alto mayor Eva Copa has registered to run for her own party, Morena.

In an election that will occur in the midst of a severe economic crisis and growing public dissatisfaction, eleven people will run for president.

According to independent political expert Carlos Saavedra, a definite election outcome was improbable.

“I’m positive that we’re in a situation where it will be hard for anyone to win in the first round, and there will be a significant voter spread. Getting a two-thirds majority in the legislative assembly is much less feasible, according to Saavedra.

The constitutional court of Bolivia stated that the list of candidates is subject to revision. Up to 45 days prior to the election, resignations are permitted, and up to three days prior to election day, replacements may be made due to incapacity or a permanent obstacle.