Evo Morales and his connection to the protests in Peru: “If I were, I would be welcomed by the people as a cheer”

Out of the Bolivian government for more than three years, in what he and his supporters like to call a “coup d’état”, Evo Morales he was thrown from a height into the mud in November 2019 after trying to perpetuate himself in power into a fourth term and rigging the 2019 presidential vote, the OAS found.

Now the former president travels to the region with the project of a Plurinational America of Peoples, the RUNASUR. And Peru, plunged into its own crisis, seems to be fodder for the Bolivian’s plans.

With the same project under his arm, he visited Buenos Aires for the CELAC summit.

In early January, the Peruvian government barred entry to Evo and eight other Bolivian nationals, accused of having committed “proselytizing activity of a political nature” which affected “the national security of the country”.

As the Peruvian Ministry of the Interior explained at the time, in recent months foreign citizens of Bolivian nationality had been identified who “entered the country carry out proselytizing activities of a political nature”.

This, according to the ministry, “constitutes a clear impact on our legislation on immigration, national security and the internal order of Peru”.

While he did not provide details on what kind of specific activities these Bolivian nationals engaged in, all of them, including Morales, were barred from entering Peru through all immigration checkpoints.

For Boluarte it was clear that Evo was intervening in Peru’s internal affairs, where since the dismissal of Pedro Castillo, who was also kicked out after he attempted to close down Congress, there has been a situation of growing violence, with a balance of fifty dead.

As early as November 2021, Evo had been declared persona non grata in Peru “for his negative political activism in Peru and his obvious interference and meddling in the agenda of Castillo’s government”.

Also in January, the Peruvian prosecutor’s office received a complaint from an ultra-conservative deputy against Morales, of whom he accuses alleged commission of crimes against national security and treason, in the mode of “attack on national integrity”.

Morales is accused of instigate protests who is calling for the resignation of Dina Boluarte, the closure of the Congress, the calling of elections and even the convening of a constituent assembly?

The protests began in southern Peru, lands loyal to Castillo and bordering Bolivia, before progressing as far as Lima last week to take center stage.

Evo applauded by the masses

Evo Morales is convinced that if he sets foot in Peru he will be hailed as a hero. Defiantly, he said this Sunday that if he came to see him, he would be received by the “true people” as in a “proclamation” of candidacy, that is, massively, and considering that the “small groups” are those who do not want it in that country.

In a Kawsachun Coca radio program, Morales referred to the issue when speaking of his party, the Movement for Socialism (MAS), which, he underlined, has made “a lot of history” and for this reason is recognized worldwide Countries like Argentina and Peru.

“Some small groups taking advantage of the press (go) declaring me persona non grata, (they say that) Evo shouldn’t enter Peru, but the real people, people, what would it be like if he entered Peru? Can you imagine right now? It would be a cheer, like a proclamation,” he said.

Evo admitted having contacts with the Peasant Confederation of Peru (PCC), the National Agrarian Confederation (CNA), the General Confederation of Workers of Peru (CGTP) or trade unions in areas such as Quillabamba.

The former Bolivian president argued an active presence in Peru, especially in the southern regions of the country, during the Castillo government (2021-2022) with the aim of encourage the integration of regions like Puno to the Runasur project, the international platform of social and indigenous movements it promotes.

According to Morales, some Peruvians told him, “We rise up like you, that’s what they say, especially in western Peru, the ignored people.”

And he added that Peruvians are looking for him to share “combat experiences” for social claims and also for “public management” because the MAS government “is known and recognized all over the world”.

Outside of Peru, access networks

Morales will not be able to enter Peru, but he continues to throw fuel on the fire from social media. He tweeted about the crisis in the neighboring country and defended those mobilized against the government by Dina Boluarte, who “lead the peaceful fight against the genocide in Peru” and “do not call for guerrilla warfare or civil war”.

“They are calling for a peaceful solution to the historic problems of exclusion and exploitation of their natural resources through a Constituent Assembly,” he said.

“We reiterate our call to the international community, human rights organizations and friendly countries to join their voices in demanding a stop to inhuman repression against our Peruvian brothers. May the sacred right to life be preserved,” he added.

Clarin Editorial

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