2019 Bolivian protests

2019 Bolivian protests
DateBefore Morales resignation
21 October – 10 November 2019
After Morales resignation
11–21 November 2019
Location
Caused byBefore Morales resignation

After Morales resignation

  • Opposition to acting president Jeanine Áñez and support for Morales and Movement for Socialism
MethodsProtests, rioting, civil resistance, unrest, and strike actions
Resulted in
Parties
Lead figures

Evo Morales
(President of Bolivia until 10 November 2019)

Jeanine Áñez
(President of Bolivia from 10 November 2019)

Casualties
Death(s)33 (as of 27 November 2019)[2]
Injuries804 (as of 27 November 2019)[2]
Arrested1511 (as of 27 November 2019)[2]

The 2019 Bolivian protests, also known as the Pitita Revolution (Spanish: la Revolución de las Pititas),[3] were protests and marches from 21 October 2019 until late November of that year in Bolivia, in response to claims of electoral fraud in the 2019 general election of 20 October. After 11 November 2019, there were protests by supporters of the outgoing government in response to Jeanine Áñez becoming the acting president of Bolivia. The claims of fraud were made after the suspension of the preliminary vote count, in which incumbent Evo Morales was not leading by a large enough margin (10%) to avoid a runoff, and the subsequent publication of the official count, in which Morales won by just over 10%. Some international observers expressed concern over the integrity of the elections.[4]

While the majority of the demonstrations were peaceful, there were also numerous acts of violence. Initial violence allegedly targeted opposition protesters, Pro-MAS supporters were bused into opposition areas, given weapons, and were told to clear blockades, resulting in death and injury of opposition protesters.[5][6][7] In the later weeks of the protests, senior members of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) and their families were victims of attacks, including vandalism and arson of their houses.[8][9]

Morales denied the allegations and invited international observers to audit the electoral processes, promising to hold a runoff if any fraud was found, although initially refusing to be bound by the results of an audit.[10][11] Opposition leaders rejected the OAS audit, saying they hadn't been party to the agreement.[12] Subsequently, an audit team from the Organization of American States (OAS), with access provided by Bolivian authorities, worked to verify the integrity and reliability of the results. Their preliminary report, released on 10 November 2019 questioned the integrity of the election results and recommended another "electoral process".[13]

Following the release of the OAS initial report, Morales announced the government would hold another full election (rather than a runoff).[14] However, later that day, the influential National Union of Workers requested Morales' resignation, followed 5 hours later by the commanders of the Armed Forces who suggested Morales resign during a live televised press conference, and almost immediately after, the national Police Commander also requested his resignation. Morales, together with his Vice President Álvaro García Linera, resigned the same day, on live television, both also delivered written resignations.[15][16][17] In Morales's case, he would later describe in his memoir Volveremos y seremos millones (We'll come back and we'll be millions) that he made the decision to resign the night before the requests.[18] Following his resignation and the resignations of the next two politicians in the line of succession, Jeanine Áñez, second vice-president of the Senate, was next in line for the presidency. On 12 November 2019, she formed an interim government.

Protests continued until the end of November, primarily by those that sought Morales' return. Under direction from Morales and his allies, and at times under coercion, protesters created blockades on inter-departmental highways, resulting in shortages of food and fuel.[19][20] The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concerns over massacres by the new government in response to armed protests at Senkata and Sacaba.[21][22][23][24] By 25 November 2019, the interim government had made agreements with most protest leaders to end blockades, and began to withdraw troops and to release arrested protesters.[25]

  1. ^ "Clashes Rock Bolivia as its New Interim Leader is Challenged | Time". Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Frances Jenner (27 November 2019). "Excessive police violence in protests cause deaths and thousands of injuries". Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  3. ^ embajadadebolivia, Autor entrada. "The "Pitita Revolution" in Bolivia – Embajada de Bolivia en Bélgica" (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Bolivia election: President Evo Morales poised to win reelection | DW | 22.10.2019". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  5. ^ Noticias, ATB Digital- (31 October 2019). "Grupos se trasladan rumbo al municipio de Montero tras los enfrentamientos". ATB Digital (in European Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Violencia en Montero deja dos fallecidos y seis heridos - Diario Pagina Siete". www.paginasiete.bo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Enfrentamientos en Montero dejan dos muertos por proyectil de arma de fuego y varios heridos". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). 30 October 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Bolivian governor's house set on fire as anti-Morales protests continue". www.efe.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  9. ^ Fitz-Gibbon, Jorge (7 November 2019). "Bolivian mayor beaten, dragged through streets". New York Post. Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  10. ^ "Bolivian President Morales agrees to audit of vote | DW | 26.10.2019". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Evo Morales says he'd welcome election audit in Bolivia". AP NEWS. 27 October 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  12. ^ de 2019, 10 de Noviembre (10 November 2019). "Evo Morales anunció nuevas elecciones en Bolivia". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "Electoral Integrity Analysis: General Elections in the Purinational State of Bolivia" (PDF). OAS. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  14. ^ "Bolivia's Morales to call fresh vote after audit". BBC News. 10 November 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  15. ^ "Bolivia: when democracy went awol | Latin America Bureau". 18 November 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  16. ^ Kurmanaev, Anatoly; Machicao, Mónica; Londoño, Ernesto (10 November 2019). "Military Calls on President to Step Down After Election Dispute in Bolivia". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  17. ^ de 2019, 10 de Noviembre (10 November 2019). "Las Fuerzas Armadas de Bolivia le pidieron la renuncia a Evo Morales". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "Evo señala en sus memorias que renunció un día antes de la "sugerencia" de las FFAA". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Desde el exterior, Evo llamó a la "guerra " al menos 3 veces - Diario Pagina Siete". www.paginasiete.bo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  20. ^ "Los vecinos de El Alto denuncian abusos para obligarlos a marchar | EL DEBER". eldeber.com.bo (in Spanish). 15 November 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  21. ^ "Levantan el bloqueo en Senkata y se reanuda la venta de carburantes - Diario Pagina Siete". www.paginasiete.bo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Repression, use of force risk worsening Bolivia crisis: UN human rights chief". UN News. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  23. ^ "Bolivia's leader accused of stoking divisions after Morales' exit". Financial Times. 19 November 2019.
  24. ^ "Five Killed as Political Violence Keeps Grip on Bolivia". The New York Times. 20 November 2019.
  25. ^ "Bolivia edges toward peace as torn country mourns its dead". Reuters. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2020.

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