The Romance Between the Fake Opposition and the Officialdom Is Over.

The tensions between Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga and Samuel Doria Medina have fractured any attempt at unity of the opposition functional to masismo, and the cross accusations have made it clear that the fight for the presidential candidacy has displaced any true project of the questioned bloc.

Meanwhile, the accusations by Deputy José Ormachea against the Cochabamba mayor Manfred Reyes Villa have raised questions among the population. According to Ormachea, the mayor's sworn statement of assets contains serious inconsistencies, including a negative net worth in Bolivia while his family allegedly manages million-dollar fortunes in the United States. Manfred, far from responding with concrete data, dismissed the accusations and labeled them as "dirty war."

Reyes Villa, visibly upset, suggested that in any case, the fortune of Samuel Doria Medina should be investigated. "Where did he get such a hotel from? How did he sell a cement company for 300 million dollars?" questioned the mayor. This way, he hinted at alleged illicit enrichment of the supposed opposition businessman.

Doria Medina did not remain silent. In his effort to consolidate himself as the strongest figure of the opposition, he distanced himself from Reyes Villa and also from Tuto Quiroga. "I don't come to Bolivia on vacation because I've been working here for 20 years," he emphasized, clearly targeting his rivals. He wanted to position himself as the only opponent with a solid business trajectory compared to others who, according to him, only live off the state or have dubious backgrounds.

In this context, Quiroga replied harshly to Doria Medina when he suggested that he could offer him the position of Chancellor if he became president. "The unity bloc is to save the economy, so it's not for distributing jobs," Tuto replied. With this statement, he made clear his annoyance at the insinuation that he could negotiate a position in a potential Doria Medina government.

The differences between the two had already been escalating. The former cement businessman claimed that Tuto "has been living off his lifetime pension for 23 years" and has done nothing significant in the country. Meanwhile, Doria Medina pointed out that the former president "has only dedicated himself to forming alliances to be a candidate." These exchanges have further weakened the image of a cohesive opposition.

Were they never interested in a true alternative?

As the elections approach, the definition of a single candidate for the upcoming presidential elections has caused the false opponents to reveal their true intentions. Although the supposed opposition bloc had agreed to conduct surveys in March and April to determine the most competitive candidate, the growing hostility among its members threatens to derail the process.

In recent days, Tuto Quiroga's stance has been criticized as he tries to position himself as the leader of the bloc and presents himself as a staunch opponent of the regime, while at the same time opening the possibility of debating with Evo Morales, the one accused of pedophilia hiding in the Chapare. This way, his statements have been used by the acolytes of the coca leader, who claim that Tuto has accepted that Morales is eligible. The population's criticisms have not been long in coming, pointing out that with this, Quiroga is doing a great favor to the former dictator.

Manfred Reyes Villa, who also aspires to the presidency, tries to project himself as the best option. However, the accusations against him have placed him in a delicate position. Ormachea claimed that the mayor has properties in Miami, as well as top-level vehicles and million-dollar movements abroad, which do not match the sworn statement he presented in Bolivia.

Manfred himself (close to Luis Arce) insisted that it is all about political attacks and that he will respond with legal actions. "This is the same thing they did to me in 2002 because now the people know it's all a lie," he assured without specifying the exact amounts of his fortune abroad.

Meanwhile, the dispute between Doria Medina and Quiroga continues to escalate. Quiroga insinuated that Doria Medina might abandon the alliance to explore other electoral options, which left open the possibility that he might seek an agreement with other sectors. "He's opening a gateway," warned the former president.

This confrontation has caused discontent within the false opposition bloc. The former leader of the bloc, Carlos Mesa, has called for "mutual respect" and urged that differences be solved internally. However, the attacks continue, and the possibility of a unified opposition seems increasingly remote.

Those who projected themselves as a united front against the officialdom have started a battle among their own members. This way, the false opposition wobbles (as it has for twenty years), and with it, the hope of a supposed political project alternative to the Movement for Socialism. Amid the accusations, the electorate deceived by these nefarious characters observes with skepticism a scenario where more than concrete proposals, internal fights and personal ambition prevail.