Analysts see that Morales opens a fight to undermine Arce

Juan Perez Munguia / La Paz

Political analysts Paul Coca and Erick Fajardo agree that former President Evo Morales began to apply a strategy to wear down the government headed by Luis Arce. There are those who consider that this is one more evidence of a struggle with a view to the 2025 elections, others do not see a pre-election dispute.

On Monday, Morales denounced that allegedly at least one colonel from the Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (Felcn) is covering up drug trafficking in the Cochabamba tropics.

What caught the attention is the fact that the ex-governor made known this supposed illicit in a press conference. This, taking into account that he met Arce last week in Oruro, when the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) celebrated its 27th anniversary.

After Morales’ complaint, the anti-narcotics director, José María Velasco, described the material presented by the MAS leader as montage. The Vice Minister of Social Defense and Controlled Substances, Jaime Mamani, said that the Executive is carrying out a frontal fight against drug trafficking.

The incidents around the complaint and the repercussions on the ruling party did not stop there. Yesterday, the Felcn found four factories and a cocaine laboratory in the Cochabamba tropics. Meanwhile, the head of the MAS bench in Deputies, Gualberto Arispe, assured that they do not trust Velasco because he was a member of the “de facto government.” Morales added that the operation was to incriminate leaders of the tropics.

“According to information from patriotic police, one of the main actors in the cover-up of drug trafficking in Valle Sajta is Colonel Velasco, who began an operation this morning with the plan of holding me and leaders of the tropics responsible,” he asserted.

“A sinister chess”

Analyst Paul Coca said that the former president points to Del Castillo, and indirectly to Arce’s management, since he is one of his advisers. Therefore, he considers that with Monday’s complaint he gave the line to censor the head of the government portfolio, when he appears before the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.

“Morales not only wants to slap Del Castillo and the Felcn, he also wants to slap the government (…). Morales has always been campaigning since he came into power and now he continues. Faced with the rejection of sectors of the MAS, he wants to bring order, clean up his image and teach his militancy a lesson. This questioning is something unprecedented, before it was not the case that a party questioned the minister of its own party, ”he said.

The analyst Erick Fajardo stated that the currents that fight in the MAS play “their game of chess.” He added that the internal conflicts are becoming more and more evident and that the new masismo current also wants to distance itself from the Chavista influence.

“It is no coincidence that when Morales spoke of a cabinet change and the effective capture of Maximiliano Dávila came out. Nor is it by chance that the operation of the aerodrome in Santa Cruz, La Cruceña, comes out of an interpellation with Eduardo del Castillo (Government Minister). After this, Morales responds again with his complaint of cover-up for drug trafficking. There is a sinister chess that is being played in the MAS”, he emphasized.

The analyst and lawyer Israel Quino indicated that Morales only observes the administration of the Ministry of Government and wants to avoid any speculation about rumors that could link him to Dávila, who was in charge of the Felcn.

“There is a question to the management of the Ministry of Government, because it has hinted at apparent complicity that has to be investigated. He does not stop pointing to the management of Del Castillo, who was observed by social sectors. This does not mean that the confrontation is against the structure of the Government, because the former president was punctual in denouncing him, ”he said.

Quino asserted that one cannot speak of a pre-electoral struggle between Morales and Arce, since the elections are still a long time away. He added that the former head of state’s remarks are healthy, since he questions cabinet members for improvements.

“From the very structure of the party, it seems healthy to me that the management of a certain state portfolio that does not generate results, management image, is questioned or criticized. Not only the former president observed Del Castillo’s management, but also social organizations”, he commented.

two
CONSECUTIVE DAYS
Evo Morales pointed to the
government ministry
for drug trafficking.