The president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office, to the dismay of opposition groups.

In response to this, protests were held across Bolivia on Wednesday the 21st August, one of the many that have been organised against the President over the past few years.

Why Are They Protesting?

President Morales was first elected in 2005 and then again in 2009 and 2014. Under Bolivia’s 2009 constitution, presidential terms are limited to two consecutive terms. He was able to run in 2014 under the premise that he did not complete his first five-year term because the country changed from a republic to a plurinational state in 2009.

In February 2016, Bolivia held a referendum asking voters if the constitution should be changed to remove presidential term limits, thus allowing President Morales to run in the 2019 election. 51% voted against it. Morales, however, defied the outcome of the referendum, clinging to his party’s unanimous nomination in December that year.

The matter was referred to the Constitutional Court, which overturned the referendum, allowing President Morales to run for re-election. Dissatisfaction with the ruling has since led to a growing number of protests.

Despite the opposition, President Morales has a good chance of winning, thanks to his success in transforming the country into one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.

Morning Star notes that “When he first took office in 2006, 60 per cent of the total population was living below the poverty line, but that figure has been slashed in half by his government. Extreme poverty has been cut from nearly 40 per cent to 17 per cent through a variety of state-funded social programs.”

The election is set to hold on the 20th of October, when the people of Bolivia will choose their president and vice president, as well as members of the bicameral parliament, for a five-year term starting in 2020.