Shortages of foreign currency, gasoline, as well as many imported goods (especially medical products), and the associated enormous price increases for food are causing growing calls for the resignation of incumbent President Luis Arce before the upcoming elections. Furthermore, life in the capital, La Paz, is being paralyzed not only by the fuel shortage but also by protests and blockades. The government even recently deployed an "airlift" to supply the capital's population.
In addition to legal skirmishes and the precarious supply situation, the agitation of former President Evo Morales (2006-2019) also poses a risk to the electoral process. In December 2023, Bolivia's Supreme Court upheld the constitutional ban on more than one re-election, thus depriving Morales of any prospect of legally participating in the elections. In addition, several arrest warrants have been issued against him, including for pedophilia, making it impossible for him to run for the highest office in the state. As a former coca farmers' union leader who organized nationwide blockades in the early 2000s and successfully forced President Sanchez de Lozada to resign and go into exile in 2003, Evo Morales has extensive experience in mobilizing protests and erecting blockades along the country's strategic transportation routes. He is now attempting to enforce his demand for participation in the elections through street protests and blockades. With the election date approaching, he recently called for a "final battle" and a blockade of the capital, La Paz.
In recent weeks, it sometimes seemed as if the approaching election date was acting as an accelerant for the country's long-simmering political conflicts. At the same time, the prospect of an early election is currently the only hope for many in their economic misery. Despite all the protests against the fuel shortages, high food prices, and discontent with the government, there is a general mood of "holding on until the election date," as people hope that in a few weeks their vote will initiate a change of course and (co-)determine new government leaders. A temporary suspension or postponement of the elections due to the multiple crises the country is currently facing is therefore not an option, despite the diverse obstacles.
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