Compounding crises: Bolivia in 2020

Abstract

Bolivia began 2020 in the midst of a political crisis, with an interim administration led by Jeanine Añez, who assumed power during the political crisis that ended the administration of Evo Morales in November 2019. On March 10th, the government identified Bolivia’s first COVID-19 case. The administration’s swift initial response was marred by corruption, a strained public health system, and resistance from citizens and politicians. This essay focuses on the unprecedented character of a double crisis in Bolivia: a health crisis preceded and aggravated by a political cri-sis. The crises put the Bolivian government under intense pressure. The thrice-re-scheduled presidential elections on October 18th returned the Movimiento al So-cialismo (MAS) to power with a decisive victory under the leadership of former finance minister Luis Arce Catacora and former foreign minister David Choque-huanca. We review the consequences of the year’s events on human and economic development and conclude by anticipating future challenges.