Evo Morales loses power within MAS | Evo Morales se quedó sin poder dentro del MAS

By Juan Carlos Véliz, EJu.tv;

Evo Morales loses power within the party, political analysts agree

A ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal recognizes the MAS congress aligned with Arce, which elected Grover García as party president, replacing Evo Morales.

Former President Evo Morales has lost not only the party leadership and candidacy for the 2025 general elections but, fundamentally, his power, according to two political analysts.

“Through the institutional channel, with the Constitutional Tribunal’s action, Evo Morales has essentially been stripped—not just of the party leadership and candidacy but of power itself. Controlling power means deciding future candidacies for deputies, senators, mayors, councilors, departmental assembly members, and governors within the party. Even if Morales were not a candidate, holding leadership meant wielding control and power, which has now been taken from him. He has lost this source of power that was all he had left,” political analyst Franklin Pareja stated in an interview with Cadena A.

The TCP ruling, made public yesterday, recognizes the MAS congress aligned with President Luis Arce, held in the city of El Alto. This congress elected rural leader Grover García as the new party president, replacing Morales, who held the position for 18 years.

The decision was met with celebration by MAS supporters aligned with Arce, who called on the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to immediately recognize García as the party’s new leader. Meanwhile, MAS factions loyal to Morales rejected the ruling, claiming that the magistrates who issued it lacked legitimacy due to extending their terms in office.

Pareja remarked that the internal dispute within MAS is far from over, as Morales is likely to continue fighting despite his diminished power. However, this shift could also weaken his most loyal circle.

“Since Morales no longer makes decisions, people will start abandoning ship. Many will likely pragmatically align themselves with those currently holding power,” he said.

Political analyst and journalist Susana Bejarano agreed with Pareja that Morales has lost power. However, she argued that this does not mark the end of his political career, as he still enjoys the support of sectors that identify with him.

“Clearly, Morales has lost power. Losing the party presidency means losing the ability to make decisions—not just about his candidacy but also about influencing how a legislative bench, whether officialist or opposition, is formed. This is significant,” Bejarano stated.

“Believing that Evo Morales is a figure who will disappear is an absolute short-sightedness. For 30 years, we have known how Morales operates and about his strength. He remains a leader who resonates with many identities. While it’s true that his follower base may naturally and pragmatically shrink, I don’t think he’ll cease to be the leader many Bolivians identify with. There’s an identity factor tied to Morales that no other leader in Bolivia possesses,” Bejarano emphasized.

MAS, the party that brought Morales to the presidency in 2005 and Luis Arce in 2020, has faced internal division since 2021. This rift has deepened in recent months, escalating to the point where it now involves state institutions.

Evo Evo Morales, the historic leader of MAS, lost the presidency of his party due to a Constitutional Court ruling that he questions. / Photo: Evo Morales

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