International
Evo Morales assures that he is “the first electoral option” in Bolivia despite disqualification
The former president of Bolivia Evo Morales, between 2006 and 2019, said this Saturday that he is still “the first option” with a view to the general elections of 2025, despite the fact that he is not qualified to run again.
Morales thus reacted to a vote intention survey commissioned and disseminated by businessman Marcelo Claure that shows the former leader of the governmental Movement to Socialism (MAS) tied in first place with the opposition Manfred Reyes Villa, current mayor of the central city of Cochabamba.
“This is the reason why they try to steal the acronym, chase us with about twenty trials, try to disqualify us and try to kill us. We are first in all polls,” Morales said in X.
Evo Morales: “we are the first choice of the people”
“Despite the fact that they always minimize our support in the popular sectors and in the countryside, we are the first choice of the people to save Bolivia,” added the politician, who is distant from the Government of Luis Arce.
He also assured that he will continue to “fight to prevent” Bolivia from “continuing and falling into the hands of those who want to destroy it.”
The survey released by Claure was conducted by the company Panterra from November 2 to 15, with face-to-face interviews with people over 18 years of age in Bolivia and a margin of error of 2.2%.
Among other results, the consultation shows that Morales and Reyes Villa are tied with 18%, followed by the opposition businessman Samuel Doria Medina with 13%, and there are also 21% of respondents who do not know who they are going to vote for.
“Trusted information”
Claure indicated in X that she commissioned the survey to “provide Bolivians with reliable information to understand the political environment and make informed decisions” and justified Morales’ inclusion that “in Bolivia everything can change and nothing is certain.”
The Constitution and the law of Bolivia establish that to win in the first round you must obtain 50% plus one of the votes, or at least 40% with an advantage of ten percentage points over the second most voted.
The Magna Carta also allows only two presidential periods, but Morales was able to run for the 2014 elections in search of a third term and in 2019 in pursuit of the fourth with the endorsement of the Plurinational Constitutional Court (TCP).
Morales and his lawyers insist that he is qualified to run again in 2025, but the Government assures that it is not basing it on an advisory opinion of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (CorteIDH) on indefinite re-election, a ruling of the Bolivian TCP issued in 2023 and the Constitution itself.
Sentence against Evo Morales
Two TCP magistrates recently issued a sentence indicating that the elected authorities in the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches can only exercise for two periods, continuous or discontinuous, which affects Morales’ intentions to be a candidate again.
The same magistrates also endorsed a congress held by the MAS faction related to the Arce Government that elected the peasant leader Grover García as the new president of the party, stripping Morales of the official leadership after almost three decades.
Morales considers the resolutions of the TCP null and void because the current magistrates extended his mandate and that of the judges of other high courts of Bolivia, which was supposed to end at the beginning of 2024, in the absence of the judicial elections that could not be held in 2023.
Arce and Morales have been distanced since the end of 2021 due to differences in the state administration, the need to renew the direction of the MAS and the definition of the candidacy of the ruling party for 2025.
International
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
The Ukrainian government on Wednesday declared a nationwide energy state of emergency amid continued Russian military attacks and extreme winter weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius.
“The consequences of Russian attacks and worsening weather conditions are severe (…) Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement posted on social media following a meeting with senior officials.
Zelensky announced the creation of a “permanent coordination headquarters” to manage the crisis in the capital, Kyiv, and tasked former defence minister and current energy chief Denys Shmyhal with overseeing support efforts for affected individuals and communities, including addressing power outages, heating shortages and other “practical issues.”
“There are many problems that require urgent solutions,” the president said, noting that repair crews, energy companies, municipal services and the State Emergency Service are working “around the clock” to restore electricity supplies. Kyiv has been particularly affected after Russian strikes last Friday disabled key parts of the power grid, as daytime temperatures hover around minus 12 degrees Celsius and plunge to minus 18 at night.
Zelensky added that public authorities will “maximize efforts with partners to obtain the necessary equipment and additional support,” while the government will ensure “maximum deregulation of all processes” to speed up the connection of backup power equipment to the grid. He also confirmed that work is underway to significantly increase electricity imports into Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader further instructed his Cabinet to review curfew regulations in light of the extreme cold, arguing that citizens must have the greatest possible access to assistance centers, while businesses should be given flexibility to plan their operations according to the state of the energy system.
International
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in the early hours of Thursday (Wednesday afternoon in El Salvador) that France will take part in “Operation Arctic Resistance,” after Denmark announced it would expand its military presence in Greenland amid rising tensions with the United States over Washington’s stated ambitions regarding the semi-autonomous territory.
“At Denmark’s request, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland, ‘Operation Arctic Resistance,’” Macron said in a brief message posted on social media at 5:18 p.m.
The French president added that “the first French military elements are already on their way, with others to follow,” though he did not specify the number of troops being deployed or the scale of France’s planned contribution.
The governments of Sweden, Norway and Germany have also confirmed the deployment of military contingents to Greenland. Germany’s armed forces will send a 13-member reconnaissance team to the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk, to take part in a mission scheduled to run from Thursday through Saturday, according to the German Ministry of Defence.
Denmark’s announcement came shortly before a Danish delegation met at the White House with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss Washington’s plans regarding Greenland. Copenhagen said the military activities would be carried out “in close cooperation with NATO allies.”
International
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
Iranian authorities closed the country’s airspace in the early hours of Thursday, according to data from flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, amid growing threats of a possible U.S. attack as protests across the country continue and have reportedly left thousands dead.
According to FlightRadar24, the Iranian government suspended all flights to and from the country, except for international flights that have received special authorization. The notice was initially issued for a duration of just over two hours.
The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump in recent days threatened to strike Iran if its security forces failed to halt the deaths linked to weeks-long protests that began in Tehran and later spread to other Iranian cities. Despite the threats, the White House said diplomacy remains Trump’s preferred option.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump claimed that “the deaths in Iran have stopped” and said there would be no executions of protesters following his warnings to Tehran. He added that his administration would seek to verify those claims.
“I’ve been told the deaths in Iran are stopping. They’ve stopped, and that there are no plans for executions,” Trump told reporters, cautioning that the United States would be “very upset” if those assurances proved to be untrue.
The statements contrast with reports from rights groups. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) said on Wednesday that more than 3,400 people have been killed since the protests erupted. Meanwhile, Kurdish-Iranian rights group Hengaw reported this week that a 26-year-old Iranian man, Erfan Soltani, was facing execution as of Wednesday.
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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