Government hails Arce’s win as Bolivian election returns a regional ally
Argentina’s government celebrated Luis Arce’s victory in Bolivia’s presidential election this week, with President Alberto Fernández even congratulating ousted former leader Evo Morales on his party’s win in person.
President Fernández and his vice-president, former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, were among the first local leaders to congratulate the Bolivian president-elect, even ahead of official confirmation of his victory in last Sunday’s elections.
“The victory of @Bomerecemas in Bolivia is not only good news for those of us who defend democracy in Latin America; it’s also an act of justice for the aggression suffered by the Bolivian people. Congratulations, @Luchoxbolivia!” Argentina’s president wrote in a post on Twitter.
Fernández de Kirchner likewise said: “Good Monday, everybody. Congratulations to Lucho Arce and David Choquehuanca who, together with Evo [Morales], have constructed a great popular triumph in Bolivia. The Patria Grande [“Great Fatherland”] happy.”
Foreign Minister Felipe Solá also celebrated the triumph, while criticising the Mauricio Macri administration for “recognising illegitimate authorities,” a reference to the right-wing interim government now exiting office.
The strong favourable reaction to the sweeping win by the Movimiento al Socialismo (Movement to Socialism, MAS) candidate is a callback to the previously strong ideological ties between the Kirchner administrations and Morales, who led Bolivia for well over a decade.
As president-elect, Fernández last year helped Morales to leave Bolivia for Mexico following his resignation upon losing the support of the Armed Forces in the midst of denunciations of electoral fraud when seeking his fourth consecutive term.
Morales has been in Argentina since December 12, when he was granted political asylum by the government, just two days after Fernández took office.
On Monday evening, the president welcomed the Bolivian leader to the Olivos presidential residence for dinner on Monday evening, with the duo posing for a photograph without face masks beforehand. Also in attendance were CTA workers union Secretary General Hugo Vasky and the president of the lower house’s Foreign Relations Commission, Eduardo Valdés.
According to official sources, Fernández congratulated Morales, who in turn thanked his host for “the support of the president, the State and the people of Argentina.” The MAS leader also had kind words for Fernández de Krichner and her late husband, former president Néstor Kirchner.