Ruth Nina issued a direct threat to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) during a meeting of pro-Evo sectors held this past weekend. The leader stated that on August 17 "instead of counting votes, they're going to count the dead".
The statements were made while the pro-Evo movement demanded that the Pan-Bol party be allowed to register Evo Morales. Nina justified her position by stating that the social organizations are willing to give their lives to fulfill the whim of the pedophile.
The threat was echoed by several legislators aligned with the pro-Evo movement. Senator Leonardo Loza and deputies Gladis Quispe and Renán Cabezas demanded that their bases prevent the elections from taking place.
They also proposed a "state of uprising" if Morales's candidacy is not reinstated. The warnings included calls for mobilization and for forcibly halting the elections. The meeting was held in Lauca Ñ, the former president's stronghold.
Renán Cabezas, deputy from El Alto, said that they have the right to rise up against the current legal system. He claimed that the Constitution is being used to benefit foreign interests.
In his speech he proposed massive mobilizations throughout the country. Gladis Quispe supported the idea and urged blocking state contracts with foreign companies. According to her, the government should not be allowed to move forward without Evo Morales as a candidate.
Pro-Evo groups called for mobilizations
Leonardo Loza also spoke during the meeting. He said that there will be no elections without the indigenous peasant movement. He called on attendees to declare a state of emergency and organize a national mobilization.
The attendees applauded the speeches filled with threats and warnings. The pressure on the TSE became evident in that setting.
At the same event, Ruth Nina reaffirmed her loyalty to the pro-Evo movement. She maintained that Evo Morales is the country's only legitimate leader. She asserted that "the people" elected him and that there can't be elections without his participation.
She also recalled that Pan-Bol was born in the Yungas and represents the working class. She concluded that they are willing to die rather than accept "right-wing candidates."
The opposition denounced the threats
Reactions from the opposition were swift. Deputy Luisa Nayar announced a criminal complaint against Nina. She stated that her remarks represent a direct threat to life and democracy.
She accused her of inciting violence and destabilizing the electoral process. "This can't go unpunished," she stated on social media.
