Bolivia's ruling party appoints minister as presidential candidate

LA PAZ: Bolivia's ruling party on Friday named interior minister Eduardo del Castillo as its presidential candidate in the country's August election, days after the current president said he would not seek re-election.President Luis Arce of the ruling movement towards socialism (MAS) announced on Tuesday that he would not seek another term, as a severe economic crisis in the Latin American nation has sparked protests and sent his poll numbers plummeting. Del Castillo, a 36-year-old lawyer who has led the interior ministry since Arce came to power in 2020, attended a MAS rally on Friday in the main square of the capital La Paz where party leader Grover Garcia announced Del Castillo's candidacy."After a process of consultation with our social organizations, we present comrade Eduardo del Castillo as our candidate for the presidency," Garcia said.Del Castillo has been in a fierce media fight with former president Evo Morales, who is wanted on charges of trafficking a minor.Morales, Bolivia's first Indigenous president, resigned in 2019 after seeking to extend his 13-year grip on power, a tumultuous exit that tainted his legacy.

The ex-leader, 65, accuses Del Castillo of being behind an effort to keep him out of politics.Morales, who remains popular among Bolivia's Indigenous communities, has been a wanted man since October when prosecutors issued a warrant for his arrest over a case alleging he had a relationship with a teenage girl while he was in power.Morales denies the charges and has also accused Arce, 61, of weaponizing the judiciary against him.Even though he is legally barred from running for a fourth term in office, Morales has vowed to file his candidacy for president in the August 17 election.Bolivia's right-wing and centrist opposition also has several candidates in the running.