On Wednesday, Bolivia’s Deber newspaper reported about this TSE decision, citing sources in the Movement for Socialism party of Morales.
“Over the failure to comply with the permanent residency requirement, the court decided to reject the bid for the Senate of Evo Morales from the Cochabamba state”, Romero said at a press conference on late Thursday.
Former Foreign Minister Diego Pary Rodriguez was also banned from running for the Senate.
Mira el pronunciamiento de la Sala Plena del TSE. pic.twitter.com/8iabcxU94r
— TSE Bolivia (@TSEBolivia) February 21, 2020
The new presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 3, with Morales being already barred from running for the top office.
Morales quit his post and fled the country in November after the opposition challenged his victory in the October election, which was to launch his fourth consecutive presidential term. Afterward, the country’s entire top leadership resigned as well. The senate second vice speaker, opposition lawmaker Jeanine Anez declared herself interim president. Morales has characterised the situation as a coup and said he wanted to return to the country.
