Luis Acre and the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) have taken the 18 October 2020 election by storm according to official sources, winning 52% of the vote with his closest rival, the centre right candidate Carlos Mesa only receiving 31% of the vote.
Bolivia’s new socialist President Luis Acre thanked the Bolivian people for putting their faith in him and once again in MAS. In his address he proclaimed, “We have recovered democracy and hope. We ratify our commitment to work with social organizations. We are going to build a national unity government.”. Former President Evo Morales also commented from his exile in Argentina “Everything indicates that the MAS has won the elections and won a majority of seats in both chambers.“
As much as now is a time for celebration of the victory of the Bolivian working class, MAS cannot let it’s guard down as the combined forces of the domestic extreme right (led by Luis Camacho, who obtained 14% of the vote) and US imperialism are likely to seek a repeat performance of last years coup that overthrew Evo Morales and brought a year of misery to the Bolivian working class.
YCL General Secretary, Johnnie Hunter, told Challenge, “the victory of MAS in the Bolivian elections is a blow to the US-EU-UK imperialism and a victory for working people across Latin American and the world. The Bolivian people have shown, against all odds, that US coup tactics can be resisted.”
He added, “but this is no time for complacency. The US and its puppet government’s Latin America will be out for revenge. We must redouble our solidarity here in Britain with Bolivia and also with Venezuela and socialist Cuba. Our priority must be to fight for respect for national sovereignty and that the UK is forced to recognise the democratic will of the Bolivian people.“
Daniel Forrest
