- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
- Click here to share on LinkedIn (Opens in a new window)
- Click to email a friend (Opens in a new window)
(CNN Spanish) - The exercise of the vote in democracy in Bolivia shows a citizen committed to that right that is reflected in important levels of participation that reach averages of up to 85% in presidential electoral processes, according to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
Citizens who live intensely the politics of their country and who say they are sure why they will vote next Sunday.
CNN was able to talk with several of them and learn about their concerns about Sunday's presidential elections, in the streets of La Paz.
A good number of them showed great concern for Bolivian democracy. Several recalled that the government of President Evo Morales did not respect the result of the February 2016 referendum, which for 51.3% of the votes rejected a new re-election of the president.
The Morales government appealed the result of the referendum on the grounds that weeks before a media campaign was unleashed on an alleged son of the president, who turned out not to be his m.
In September 2017, a group of legislators of the official Movement to Socialism presented to the Bolivian Constitutional Court an unconstitutionality agreement against several articles of the Electoral Regime Law that allowed Evo Morales to run again in 2019.
- Elections in Bolivia: what you should know
In November 2017, a ruling by the Constitutional Court enabled Morales to launch indefinitely to the presidency of Bolivia on the grounds that it is a human right.
In December 2018, the Electoral Court officially authorized Evo Morales as a candidate.
The Bolivian Constitution, approved during the Evo Morales government only allows two consecutive presidential terms.
“I am going to vote for democracy, I want to vote for a person who is worthwhile, enforces democracy, respects laws, respects the rules in Bolivia,” said Cristhian Torrico, a young worker and father.
Alejandra Zeballos, a university student, told us: "I am worried that our rights are being violated and that democracy is being violated, which is the most important thing that citizens have, our freedom"
The retired doctor Carlos Camacho says he will vote for “a probo government, correct, that respects the majority, that there is no corruption and that it does not go against the laws”
Other citizens told us that in their vote the economy, political and social stability will prevail.
Rubén Darío Romero, a university student, says he will bet on the candidate that maintains economic stability in the country, "so that we have more social and economic stability in the country," he ratifies.
It is important to recognize that "there has been a very strong improvement in the economy, compared to the last century," says Diego Marca, also a university student.
Víctor Ribera, recognizes that there are many things to change, but says, “I bet on continuity”
Education, health and work are also issues for which Bolivians will bet.
Rodrigo Calleja, a university student, believes that "education, health is very neglected now" and that his vote is going to make this better.
Older and better jobs is the request of many Bolivians like Diego Blanco, who asks “there is access to work for young people”
But the issue of the defense of the citizen vote, which in previous electoral processes was not so relevant, today has become a very strong demand of the voters after the ignorance of the results of the 21F referendum.
To this, a series of questions have been added to the work of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal by the opposition and citizen platforms that have denounced a possible electoral fraud.
Citizens on the streets say they will go to the polls to vote but that they will respect that vote.
"That my vote be respected," Antonio Casas tells us, "if there has been an election where a part of the people have won, you have to abide by what those people have said."
Embraced her little son, Cecilia Pacheco, she says "I hope they respect because we have voted 21F and they have not respected, I hope they respect this time."
Several political parties, citizen platforms and activists have announced that they will move teams of citizens to the polling stations to control the vote and have launched at least 10 applications on social networks with the same objective.
The political analyst Carlos Toranzo justifies the concern of the voters by ensuring that “there is no one in the Electoral Tribunal that guarantees us anything, that is why the citizens are trying to take care of their vote, they will do it in an incisive way, as all Bolivians do do, ”he points out.
This Sunday, 7 million Bolivians are summoned to the polls in a complex political scenario, but with the democratic conviction of exercising their citizen right and enforcing it.
Bolivia Vote 2019