Luis Arce meets Evo Morales for first time since his return to Bolivia

The President of Bolivia, Luis Arce, received this Saturday the unanimous support of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) and met again with Evo Morales, for the first time since November 8th when he was sworn in.

Arce and the country's vice president, David Choquehuanca, attended the meeting, convened by Evo Morales, which is held in a convention center on the outskirts of the central city of Cochabamba. President Arce and Morales greeted each other with a handshake and a hug, amidst applause and cheers from the militants present in the hall.

Arce, who won the October national elections with 55.10% of the votes, participated in an emergency expansion in which guidelines were defined for the selection of MAS candidates for the nine governorships and 339 municipalities.

The meeting, which was attended by union, peasant, and indigenous leaders affiliated with the MAS, was organized to set out the lines of the government party for the regional elections of 2021.

In his speech, Arce assured that he was "happy" to be able to participate in the national meeting of the MAS, which "has generated great expectations," which, in his opinion, ratifies that this party is "the first force in the country.

"We listen to and analyze the proposals of social organizations. With your contribution, we will continue to deepen the Process of Change for the good of the Bolivian people," wrote Arce in his Twitter account after the meeting with Morales and MAS leaders.

When Arce arrived at the main auditorium of the Casa Campestre convention center in Cochabamba, leaders and representatives of the MAS bases chanted the phrase "we are the majority!" which was coined the same day the first results were known.

"One of the tasks we have is how to take care of Lucho Presidente. That requires a lot of effort and sacrifice.  Ideological and programmatic commitment," said Morales, who later lamented the state of public finances after 11 months of de facto government.

"Unfortunately, they left us with a shattered economy.  I heard some words from Brother Lucho.  We are not afraid, but we do need time.  It's a matter of time to get the national economy going again," said the former president.  Evo Morales recalled that in 2006, when he began his first term, the country's economic situation was not good. "But we have risen," he remarked.

Luis Arce was sworn in as president on November 8 and a day later, Evo Morales stepped on Bolivian soil again after a year of unjust persecutions motivated by political motives. The two leaders had not been able to meet since then, but this Saturday they were finally able to embrace each other.

Additionally, Arce made his first visit to Cochabamba this Saturday as president. He had breakfast in a market in the center of the city and received many expressions of affection.