Agosto 03, 2005
René Joaquino - The Third Option?
Up until now, it has seemed to be a two-man race with Tuto Quiroga vs. Evo Morales for the Presidential Elections in December. Even though Samuel Doria Medina will prove to be a formidable challenger, especially with betting it all with the Santa Cruz vote (having chosen Nacion Camba founder and former MIR cabinet member Carlos Dabdoub as his VP candidate), it is thought that there are two distinct visions for the country on the line.
It is rather simplistic to divide the Bolivian vote into two competing ideologies. However, a third alternative has emerged from the "Alcaldes" and their new Frente Amplio. This new Front has strongly professed itself as being "anti-neoliberal", a key in this year's election. One would naturally expect popular leftist La Paz mayor, Juan del Granado (MSM) to be the logical candidate for this new Front. Likely Granado is setting himself up for a future run in 2010 (or earlier as the trend has been). Perhaps it also had to do with del Granado only recently deciding once and for all in joining this new Front, instead of an earlier possible alliance with Evo and MAS.
Instead this new group, which includes Cochabamba mayor "Chaly" Terceros and other mayors from Oruro and Cobija, chose Potosi mayor René Joaquino. Back in January, the Santa Cruz daily El Deber ran a profile piece on this aspiring politician.
Why has he suddenly become important? He appeals to parts of the country that are mainly indigenous, because he is of quechua descent. His independent nature and transparent administrations have proven to be popular in his hometown. Now with the cementing of del Granado's support to the Frente, he can pile up votes in La Paz.
Even though he once participated in an alliance with NFR, and was once rumored as Goni's VP candidate in 2002 before Carlos Mesa emerged as a serious possibility, he doesn't carry the baggage of being of the old guard.
The Frente is also looking east to gain national legitimacy. Recently, the Frente Amplio, extended an invitation to sugar industrialist Mariano Aguilera from Santa Cruz to be his running mate. However, recently, he turned down the opportunity citing differences with Del Granado and his earlier flirtations with Evo Morales.
There's a strong possibility that Joaquino can appeal to many across the country, if he manages to get a VP candidate that appeals to Santa Cruz. The problem right now is that no one seems to know who he is. Bolivian politics loves big and well-known names, and Joaquino is still an unknown.
Posted by eduardo at Agosto 3, 2005 09:25 PM
Comments
Great posting!
So it seems like Granado has choosen Frente Amplio insteed of Evo and MAS. But I still wonder how mouch influence the "Alcaldes" might have in national politics. Its one thing to be king in your hometown. However they might be able to attract pepole on the centre-left. I also read your artcile regarding René Joaquino.You wrote that he is a former member of NFR, But I have read in La Razon that he was a member in PS
http://ea.gmcsa.net/2004/12-Diciembre/20041206/politica/Diciembre/pol041206x.html
By the way exaclty what was and is the NFR?
We have four candidates then. Evo on the leftwing, Joaquion on the centre-left, Medina on the centre-right and Quiroga on the right.
However, the most interesting thing is the election to the parliament. The election of president will take palce there. Remember that in 2002 MAS only got 12 % in the election to the parliament and Evo got 21 %. NFR got alsmot 27 % in the election to the parliament.
Posted by: Fredrik Lindqvist at Agosto 4, 2005 07:32 AM
You are right, in first entry I said he was a member of NFR, which should have read he formed an alliance with that party. I will make the correction.
Joaquino faces an uphill battle, as no one really knows who he is, especially outside of Potosi.
Posted by: eduardo at Agosto 5, 2005 04:51 PM
What about the incongruencies in to the Parliament itself? I`m thinking about all the mega-coalitiosn of the past...
Posted by: Mar at Agosto 6, 2005 02:49 PM