Credit:  oas.org/en/    Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro (left) with President of Bolivia, Evo Morales (center) at signing agreement for October elections in La Paz, Bolivia May 17, 2019. 

DIPLOMATIC TIMES  STAFF

The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of Bolivia Friday signed an agreement for the deployment of an Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) to the general elections in the country on October 20, 2019, during a ceremony in the palace of government in La Paz. 

During the signing ceremony, the President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, highlighted that “this agreement to guarantee observers for the elections of October 20 is a way to be transparent. Wherever the observers are from, we have nothing to hide, nothing to divert, nothing to distort.”

The Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, highlighted that “the signing of this agreement on the immunities and priveleges of the observers of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission will generate the greatest guarantees of independence for the work our team in will carry out throughout the territory of Bolivia. The OAS will be very vigorous in the defense of each vote cast.”

Credit: OAS /  May 17, 2019  La Paz.    OAS and the Government of Bolivia signed an agreement for  deployment of an Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) to Oct. 20, 2019  general elections

Credit: OAS / President Morales  Government of Bolivia and OAS confirm agreement with handshake after signing May 17, 2019 in La  Paz. 

This will be the 18th Electoral Observation Mission that the OAS has sent to Bolivia since the first in 1966.

In October, Bolivia will hold a presidential election. It will be one of the most controversial in the country’s history. First elected in 2006, current President Morales — the first indigenous candidate to hold the country’s highest office— will be running for his fourth term.

Credit: foreignbrief.com / Bolivian President Evo Morales

“Morales has been relatively successful in office, bringing political and economic stability. Since he assumed the presidency, Bolivia has averaged about 4.6% annual growth, more than twice the rate for the rest of Latin America. Likewise, the poverty rate dropped from 60% in 2006 to 37% as of last year. His supporters argue that now is not the time to stop such a productive presidency, while his detractors claim he is anti-democratic and running against the wishes of the people.” –  Foreign Brief.