Evo Morales insists on presidential comeback despite legal and political obstacles

Bolivia’s former leader defies allegations and court rulings to reclaim political power ahead of 2025 election.

Former Bolivian president Evo Morales speaks during an interview with AFP in the coca-growing region of Lauca Ene, Bolivia, on April 28, 2025. Photo by Aizar Raldes/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

In a bold move that underscores his enduring influence, Evo Morales has declared he will not abandon his campaign to return to Bolivia’s presidency, despite facing allegations of misconduct involving a minor and a constitutional limit on his eligibility. Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous president who governed from 2006 to 2019, has positioned himself as the primary opposition force against current President Luis Arce, a former ally turned rival.

Speaking to AFP from his political stronghold in the central region of Cochabamba, Morales rejected the legitimacy of legal barriers that prevent him from running for a fourth term. The Evo Morales presidential comeback has sparked fierce political debate, both because of the unresolved allegations against him and because of his fraught history with Bolivia’s democratic institutions.

Allegations dropped, legal comeback cleared

On Wednesday, a judge in Santa Cruz dismissed the long-standing allegations that Morales had engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old girl during his presidency. The ruling declared that a prior investigation had cleared Morales, thereby invalidating the arrest warrant that had kept him largely confined to his home region since October.

“Justice has arrived,” Morales wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

However, the legal dispute is far from over. Manuel Baptista, president of Bolivia’s judicial council, announced an immediate review of the court’s decision. Meanwhile, Morales's lawyer Jorge Perez asserted that his client’s constitutional rights had been restored, giving Morales the green light to move freely and travel across the country.

Bolstered by the ruling, Morales is planning to register his presidential candidacy in La Paz next month for the upcoming August elections. “It’s going to be a big convoy,” he told AFP, hinting at a show of strength from his loyal base of supporters, especially within the coca growers’ unions.

Controversy and denial

The original accusations against Morales centered on claims that he fathered a child with a minor in 2015. Prosecutors alleged that the girl’s parents had agreed to the relationship in exchange for favors. However, Morales maintained his innocence, insisting there was no victim and therefore no crime.

“Neither the girl nor her family has ever filed a complaint,” Morales said in the interview, which was conducted before the charges were officially dismissed.

He further alleged that the case was politically motivated — part of a broader campaign orchestrated by President Arce to prevent his return to national politics. Morales accused government operatives of trying to kill him in October, sharing a video showing a truck he was traveling in riddled with bullets.

Despite the arrest warrant, Morales moved freely within the Cochabamba department, protected by dozens of Indigenous supporters carrying traditional weapons and operating makeshift checkpoints at the entrance of Lauca Ene, the rural town where Morales resides and maintains political command.

Constitutional hurdles and internal party rift

In addition to the criminal accusations, Morales faces a significant constitutional roadblock. Bolivia’s current law limits presidents to two terms, a restriction that Morales previously circumvented with a controversial court ruling in 2017 that allowed him to run a third time. However, the Constitutional Court later reaffirmed the two-term limit, barring his future candidacies.

Morales rejects the ruling outright, asserting, “There is no legal argument to disqualify me.”

The internal conflict within the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), the party Morales led for over two decades, further complicates the Evo Morales presidential comeback. On Monday, MAS formally nominated President Luis Arce as its candidate for the 2025 election, signaling a clear break between the former comrades.

Morales has not disclosed under which party he intends to run. Nevertheless, his influence over a large segment of Bolivia’s rural and Indigenous population remains potent. Many within his base view him as a transformative figure who lifted millions out of poverty and challenged elite dominance during his time in office.

Public sentiment and economic decline

The political face-off between Morales and Arce is unfolding amid growing public dissatisfaction. Arce, who once served as Morales’s finance minister, is grappling with a severe economic downturn marked by shortages of basic goods, soaring inflation, and an alarming decline in foreign reserves.

Opinion polls indicate that Arce is unlikely to secure reelection if economic conditions continue to worsen. Protests have erupted nationwide, with citizens demanding access to medicine, fuel, and food staples. In this climate of crisis, Morales seeks to reassert himself as a savior figure.

“Lucho Arce will go down as one of the worst presidents in our democratic history,” Morales said, using Arce’s nickname to underscore the personal animosity between them.

While Morales’s controversial return to the political arena raises numerous legal and ethical questions, it also reflects the enduring divisions within Bolivia’s left-wing movement. Whether Morales can overcome legal barriers and political opposition to reclaim the presidency remains uncertain, but his reemergence has already redefined the stakes of Bolivia’s 2025 election.

A long shadow over Bolivia’s future

The Evo Morales presidential comeback is shaping up to be one of the most polarizing developments in Bolivia’s recent political history. His legacy is a mix of admiration and controversy: a champion of the poor and Indigenous, yet a figure whose attempts to cling to power sparked mass protests and a constitutional crisis in 2019.

As Bolivia prepares for its next election cycle, the return of Morales could galvanize his base but also reignite social unrest. With the ruling MAS party divided and the economy in freefall, the political landscape remains fluid and fraught with uncertainty.

Morales, undeterred by scandals, court rulings, and party splits, is betting on his name recognition, grassroots support, and the failures of the current administration to stage an unlikely return. For better or worse, his comeback attempt promises to dominate headlines in the months to come.