Bolivia's President, Critics Support Recall Election

By Los Angeles Times
May 13, 2008

LA PAZ, Bolivia — In a rare point of concurrence, Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, and his critics have agreed to support a recall election for Mr. Morales and all eight sitting state governors approved yesterday.

The referendum, scheduled for August 10, will mark the third national vote in less than three years in this deeply divided Andean nation of 9 million people.

The two sides are gambling that the election will bloody their respective foes. But few experts view it as likely to oust the leftist Mr. Morales, a vocal U.S. critic, or temper the country's political polarization.

"The referendum won't provide an exit from the crisis," a political analyst, Juan Antonio de Chazal, told the La Paz daily La Razon. "It's more like a taking stock of forces to see who has more legitimacy."

Mr. Morales said: "Personally I don't fear the people. ... Let the people judge elected officials."

Mr. Morales and his opponents both see potential benefits in the balloting, which was approved by Congress last week and Mr. Morales yesterday. The president, almost halfway through his five-year term, is looking for a new majority to re-invigorate his leadership. Conservative critics envision a chance to weaken his mandate. The strategy involves risks for both sides.