La Paz, July 26 (RHC)-- Bolivian electoral officials Francisco Vargas and Daniel Atahuachi expressed their disagreement with the decision by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) to postpone the general elections until October 18th.
The authorities sent a letter to the Plurinational Legislative Assembly suggesting that a law be drafted establishing that voting day must be held until the day it was announced.
"Yesterday's decision by the Plenary Chamber of @TSEBolivia did not have the desired consensus. I expressed my dissent for not sending a bill to the PFA that modifies Law 1304 (Current Law) that establishes a maximum range of dates up to 6/9 for the holding of elections," Vargas wrote on his Twitter account.
The announcement of the members came when the Bolivian Workers' Central (COB), the Unity Pact, and the six coca growers' federations of Trópico de Cochabamba demanded that the elections be held on September 6th, announcing a march from the city of El Alto.
The Deputy Minister of Citizen Security, Wilson Santamaría, reported that the de-facto government is analyzing criminal actions for the "threats" made by organizations related to the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) that, despite the pandemic, announced mobilizations against the postponement of the general elections for October 18th.
Another member, Daniel Atahuichi, also disagreed with the way the date was changed. Both sent a letter to Senator Eva Copa, the incumbent of the Legislative Assembly, asking for the modification of the 2020 General Election Postponement Act 1304 to validate October 18 as the date for the vote.
"What we are looking for is a law that modifies Law 1304 that is currently in force. That is the central point of our disagreement. Not the election date," Vargas told La Razón.
"We are not going to allow the suspension of the September 6th elections. We demand respect for the law approved by the Legislative Assembly so that the elections promulgated by the executive branch on September 6th can be carried out," assured Juan Carlos Huarachi, the head of the Bolivian Workers' Central (COB).
The COB called for a march on Tuesday against what it called a "blow to democracy. The caravan will leave Senkata and head to El Alto. The Single Departmental Federation of Peasant Workers of La Paz, Tupac Katari, and the Bartolinas demanded that the TSE ratify the election date for September 6. "The patience of the Bolivian people has limits," they said from the first organization.
