By Juan José Toro, Los Tiempos:

In Bolivia, prison can become a springboard for an electoral campaign. All it takes is convincing part of the country that one is not being held accountable by the justice system but is instead suffering political persecution. After that, all that remains is to present oneself as the nation’s savior. Nilton Condori and Juan José Zúñiga seem to have discovered the political appeal of this narrative.

Condori is in pretrial detention, while Zúñiga, who was also imprisoned, is now under house arrest as legal proceedings continue over the events of June 26, 2024, when soldiers and armored vehicles arrived at Plaza Murillo.

Their legal situations are different, and pending charges do not amount to convictions. Both aspire to the presidency and could turn their conflicts with those in power into political capital.

This is where the “professional victim” comes in: someone who not only portrays himself as a victim but also sees grievances as an opportunity to win public sympathy. It is neither a legal category nor a verdict, but rather a sarcastic way of describing a strategy: turning one’s own troubles into evidence of persecution and confrontation into publicity.

Condori appears to be following a familiar playbook: turning allegations of persecution into a political banner and portraying himself as a target of the elites. Evo Morales has employed this same rhetoric.

Zúñiga, for his part, has maintained that he was a victim of Luis Arce and that what happened in Plaza Murillo was a “self-coup.”

These are claims that must be examined, not truths that become facts simply through repetition.

The concerns extend beyond their narratives. Condori has spoken of executing those he considers corrupt by firing squad. Fighting corruption is an obligation, but claiming the authority to decide who deserves to die threatens the rule of law. Justice cannot be replaced by the firing squad.

Zúñiga faces charges stemming from the events of 2024, which must be resolved in court. It would be wrong to declare him guilty before a verdict is reached. But neither is it a minor matter that an Army commander led a military deployment outside the Government Palace. In a democracy, weapons are not tools for settling political disputes.

There is also the question of their qualifications to govern. Condori trained as a teacher, while Zúñiga pursued a military career. Their known professional backgrounds do not demonstrate extensive experience in civilian government leadership, and when questioned by the media, neither appears particularly well prepared.

The presidency of a country demands more than denouncing privilege or gaining notoriety. It requires knowledge, management skills, competent teams, and respect for institutions.

Can they aspire to the presidency? Yes. That right does not depend on a columnist’s approval. But having the right to run for office is not the same as being qualified to govern.

Bolivia has already paid a heavy price for the cult of strongmen and the belief that declaring oneself an enemy of the system automatically makes someone its best replacement.

Being a victim of those in power is one thing; playing the “professional victim” to seize power is another. And neither automatically makes anyone fit to be president.

The author is a recipient of the National Prize for the History of Journalism.