“Political parties are an extension of personal careers, no ideology” | “Los partidos políticos son una extensión de carreras personales, no tienen ideología”

By Fernando Chavez, Vision 360:

Diagnosis

“Parties are an extension of personal careers, they have no ideology,” says an analyst

“Operators have a low ideological profile, there are no guiding principles and programs are not discussed—only the attributes of the leaders,” criticizes Ricardo Fuentes.

Una papeleta electoral de los comicios de 2020. Foto: RRSS

A ballot from the 2020 elections. Photo: Social Media

Political analyst Ricardo Fuentes stated this Sunday that political parties in the country are an “adversity” for the population, that they use power in a “self-serving” way, and that they are, moreover, an extension of personal careers. They have no ideology, do not discuss programs, and caudillismo persists within them.

Asked whether there is a crisis among parties, why so many alliances are emerging, and the reasons why these organizations “sell out,” Fuentes pointed out: “It’s concerning and deserves reflection—parties are the main channels of representation, and their crisis affects democracy and development, leaving them exposed to social neglect.”

This party crisis, he noted, represents an adversity for society. “They are immersed in a patrimonialist culture, in the self-serving use of power, as if power were an extension of private interests. They do not view themselves as a public space, but rather as an extension of that personal and patrimonial career,” the analyst said during an interview with Radio Panamericana.

He went on to say, “Their operators have a low ideological profile, there are no guiding principles, and programs are not discussed—only the attributes of the leaders.” “There is a caudillismo; we see it in Evo Morales, in Tuto, in Samuel, and a serious lack of internal democracy.”

He also stated that the pacts between parties, alliances, and groupings have triggered a “polarization that is harmful to the economy.” “They don’t even comply with the agenda of the third multiparty meeting.”

All of this, he indicated, shows a breakdown of the party system, which tends to worsen rather than be resolved.

“The trigger has been the fracture of the dominant party (MAS) in the Assembly. We need a stable party system; politics is not a space for the creation of goods and services, but rather an element of representation, of debate, and of channeling citizens’ demands,” he warned.

“The alliances have a very poor outlook because the history of coalitions in the past already foretells their fate, rooted in inefficiency, corruption, and quota-sharing. The crisis of democracy must be resolved with more democracy and participation,” he criticized.

He predicted that after the elections, political volatility will increase, and several groups will disappear and others will have to be hastily founded.

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