Evo Morales Loses Leadership of MAS Amid Legal and Political Turmoil in Bolivia

Evo Morales has been officially removed from leadership of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) by a ruling from Bolivia's Plurinational Constitutional Court, marking the end of his nearly three-decade leadership of the party he founded. The court recognized Grover García, aligned with current President Luis Arce, as the new leader of MAS, following a congress held by the 'arcista' faction in El Alto. This ruling comes amid ongoing tensions between Morales and Arce, who was once considered Morales' political successor but has since become his adversary. Morales is currently facing legal challenges, including an arrest warrant related to allegations of sexual abuse, and he remains in hiding in Chapare, a coca-growing region of Bolivia. The political landscape in Bolivia is further complicated by the court's decision to suspend elections for the Constitutional Court, which has drawn criticism from various political parties and the Electoral Court.