Morales addressing supporters via video conference during the celebration. — AFP
IN a remote Bolivian town, within a compound owned by a radio station catering to coca growers, former president Evo Morales is holed up, shielded by thousands of loyalists armed with sticks.
Facing charges of human trafficking and statutory rape, he risks arrest the moment he steps outside.
Yet, Morales remains defiant, plotting a comeback despite a court ruling barring him from running in August’s election.
The former leftist leader, once hailed for overseeing Bolivia’s economic boom, is now confined to a few buildings in Lauca N, Cochabamba.
A US$1mil bounty for his capture has done little to deter him, nor have taunts from Bolivia’s elite.
Supporters of Morales celebrating the 16th anniversary of the Plurinational State of Bolivia in Cochabamba, Bolivia. — AFP
With inflation rising and economic hardship mounting, nostalgia for his leadership is growing, particularly among the poor.
During his presidency from 2006 to 2019, Bolivia’s economy flourished, growing at 5% annually – almost double the regional average.
Morales nationalised the gas industry, championed indigenous rights and mingled with leftist icons like Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez.
His tenure ended in controversy amid election fraud allegations, and he fled to Mexico before returning in 2020.
Today, Morales lives within the walled compound of Radio Kawsachun Coca.
His supporters have blockaded roads and erected checkpoints to prevent police intervention.
Every morning, about 2,000 followers parade around the bunker, brandishing sticks in a show of force.
One security team member, dressed in camouflage, likened himself to “John Connor” from Terminator and warned, “Anyone entering to arrest Morales won’t come out alive.”
Few outsiders have seen Morales since a judge ordered his arrest in January over allegations that he fathered a child with an underage girl in 2016. He denies the accusations, calling them politically motivated.
President Luis Arce – once Morales’ right-hand man – has publicly stated that Morales has a history of pursuing underage girls, deepening their political rift.
Arce, who controls the Movement to Socialism party once led by Morales, is expected to seek re-election.
Meanwhile, Morales is scrambling to secure a new political platform.
One of Bolivia’s wealthiest businessmen, Marcelo Claure, has vowed to fund a candidate capable of defeating both Morales and Arce.
Claure, a former SoftBank executive, has openly called Morales a “paedophile” and posted a wanted poster of him online.
Despite the controversy, Morales’ supporters remain steadfast.
“We don’t have enough money anymore,” said Maria Luz Ticlla, a 46-year-old farmer camping outside his compound.
“With his government, we had everything; with this one, we have nothing.”
A visit to Morales’ stronghold reveals the challenge police face in arresting him.
Bolivia’s police chief has confirmed an outstanding warrant but is wary of inciting violence.
The country has a history of dramatic arrests – ex-president Jeanine Anez was found hiding under a bed in 2021, while Luis Fernando Camacho, then governor of Santa Cruz, was forcibly taken from his motorcade in 2022.
Morales’ compound is heavily fortified. Visitors must pass three checkpoints manned by guards, some stationed in an observation tower under a banner declaring the area the “People’s Great State”.
Inside, security teams search belongings before allowing access to the bunker, where Morales spends his days orchestrating his next political move.
Aides say he rises at 4am for exercise before holding meetings to plan his campaign.
But his situation has soured even his enthusiasm for football – his favourite club, Bolivar, is owned by Claure, now his most vocal critic.
Polls commissioned by Claure omit Morales, obscuring his actual support. But Morales remains convinced he can win if allowed to run.
“There is no Plan B,” he told reporters before abruptly ending an interview after just 10 minutes. “It’s homeland or death. We have to be allowed to run.”
As the journalists departed, Morales watched from a window – trapped, but still scheming. — Bloomberg
