Agosto 19, 2004
The Scarlet Letters
Unscramble these letters: R, M, I, A, N, F, D.
What does it spell? Group them together: MIR, MNR, ADN, NFR and it spells trouble for the political party system in Bolivia. Ever since President Carlos Mesa assumed the Presidency last October without respresenting, nor the explicit backing of one of the traditional political parties, it is now hip to be an independent. Even though the President is struggling to find consensus within the Congress, the general public's opinion of these parties continues to be at an all-time low.
With the municipal elections scheduled for December 5th, hundreds are taking advantage of the new law stating that one does not need to be affiliated with a political party in order to run for office. At the deadline, nearly 917 candidates have expressed an interest in becoming Alcalde (Mayor) of their respective municipality.
This new law specifically allows agrupaciones ciudadanas (citizen groups) and pueblos indigenas (indigenous communities) to join political parties as the only organizations that are allowed on the ballot. However, before being placed on the December ballot, those who have expressed interest must gather signatures from 2% of the eligible voters in their municipality. Due to the small size of some municipalities, this number often equals between 5 and 99 signatures. Additionally, interested groups must submit a name, symbol, and the colors of their new group; as well as other legal documentation.
Yet, as this law strives to open up democracy to include people outside of the political party system, the list of those who have registered as a representative of one of these new eligible "independent" groups, reads like a who's who from the political party scene. For example, Ivo Kuljis, the businessman from Santa Cruz, once ran as a Presidential candidate with the UCS and in 2002, ran as Vice-President with Manfred Reyes Villa (NFR). Kuljis is now posing as the leader of a citizen's group named the Movimiento Unidad y Progreso (MUP).
The Department of Cochabamba leads the way with approximately 136 groups that have registered for the upcoming election. These new groups have colorful names such as: Ciudadanos Unidos (CU), Primero Cochabamba (PC), and Cambio Total (CT).
Those politicians who want to gain control of their municipality already see the beneficial strategy in distancing themselves and even formally going as far as renouncing their old party.
However, one party that has not shied away from their recognition as a political party has been Evo Morales' Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS). As a frequent supporter of Carlos Mesa and a staunch defender of the Referendum process, he is gambling on this new-found perception that he wants to continue participating in the democratic system. Thanks to the extremism of Felipe Quispe and Jaime Solares, they make Evo seem like a level-headed moderate.
Whether or not this new perception that the MAS is much more than a cocalero movement and now a peaceful democratic institution, translates to the capture of major Alcaldias, remains to be seen. They have been the only major political party to announce their candidates before the September 7th deadline.
Perhaps the best chance to win one of the four major cities appears to be in Cochabamba. Gonzalo Lema, the Tarija-born writer, has gained a large curious following because he is not an insider politician. Pablo Sanchez has been named as the candidate in La Paz, and is expected to face stiff competition from the incumbent Juan del Granado. In Santz Cruz, Osvaldo Peredo, brother of current MAS leader Antonio, and the deceased guerrilla fighter "Inti" Peredo, faces an uphill battle in that city.
On the outside it looks promising to see so many people that want to participate in Bolivian democracy. However, seeing so many familiar former party members trying to shroud their identities behind the cover of these new groups, it is a bit disappointing. They will still try to work within the political party system. Support and votes will still be rewarded through the distribution of public sector jobs, favors and other patronage benefits.
The sheer number of candidates that may potentially be on the ballot will spread thin the available support and those groups (most likely the shamed political parties) that are the most organized and convey the perception that they have the best chance to win, will attract even more support. Those who are banking on aligning themselves with the eventual and likely winner, because of the possibility of these favors, will cancel out the true intentions of this new participation law.
Posted by eduardo at Agosto 19, 2004 08:32 PM