Bolivian Senate Leader Rodríguez Reinstated as Morales Excluded from Presidential Race

Bolivia's political landscape ahead of the August 17, 2025, presidential elections is shaped by the exclusion of former President Evo Morales, who is constitutionally barred from running after serving three terms. Senate leader Andrónico Rodríguez, a 36-year-old leftist with roots in the coca-growing movement and a former ally of Morales, has been reinstated and cleared by the courts as a leading left-wing candidate, backed by his Third System party and support from current President Luis Arce. Rodríguez has distanced himself from both Morales and Arce, positioning himself as a fresh face capable of uniting progressive forces, amid internal divisions within the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party. Morales’ exclusion has sparked political tension, with protests and blockades by his supporters demanding his reinstatement, contributing to economic instability and social unrest. Analysts view Rodríguez as potentially marking a generational shift in Bolivian politics, with his candidacy seen as MAS's best chance to counter right-wing opposition candidates such as Samuel Doria Medina and Jorge Quiroga. Despite Morales’ calls for street protests and his continued influence among rural supporters, the constitutional court and electoral authorities have upheld the ban on his candidacy, urging citizens to pursue peaceful elections.