Assembly for the Sovereignty of the Peoples
Encyclopedia
The Assembly for the Sovereignty of the Peoples (ASP) was a political organization in Bolivia
. It was formed as a "political instrument" of the popular movements of the country. Alejo Véliz
was the national president of ASP.
in 1995 titled 'Land, Territory and Political Instrument'. Present at the congress were CSUTCB, CSCB, the Bartolina Sisa National Federation of Peasant Women of Bolivia and CIDOB. The congress had been convened by CSUTCB following a decision at its congress in 1994. The Cochabamba
peasant leader Alejo Véliz became the main leader of ASP with Evo Morales
in second position.
. Veliz was candidate for presidency and for parliament (on the proportional representation
list). However, many trade unions decided not to support Veliz's candidature, accusing him of having manipulated the candidate lists of the United Left. Four ASP members of the Chamber of Deputies
were elected from the Chapare province
(the entire United Left group); Evo Morales, Román Loayza Caero
, Félix Sanchéz Veizaga and Néstor Guzmán Villarroel
.
After the 1997 elections a split occurred in ASP, and Evo Morales was expelled from the organization. In 1998 the supporters of Evo Morales founded the Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples
(IPSP). Notably, the majority of the grassroots supporters of ASP sided with Morales in the split. One of the prominent ASP leaders who sided with Morales was Román Loayza Caero, leader of CSUTCB.
, ASP had still not obtained any registration. Contested the elections on the lists of the Communist Party of Bolivia
(PCB). In Cochabamba
Alejo Veliz ran for the post of mayor and received 1.1% of the votes in the city.
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. It was formed as a "political instrument" of the popular movements of the country. Alejo Véliz
Alejo Véliz
Alejo Véliz Lazo is a Bolivian politician and activist. He is a member of the ASP party. Véliz is a former executive secretary of the Federación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Cochabamba , and former Secretary General of the Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de...
was the national president of ASP.
History
ASP was founded at a congress in Santa Cruz de la SierraSanta Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...
in 1995 titled 'Land, Territory and Political Instrument'. Present at the congress were CSUTCB, CSCB, the Bartolina Sisa National Federation of Peasant Women of Bolivia and CIDOB. The congress had been convened by CSUTCB following a decision at its congress in 1994. The Cochabamba
Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the "granary" of the country because of its variety of agricultural products due to Cochabamba's geographical position. It has an area of 55,631 km². Its population, in the 2007 census, was 1,750,000...
peasant leader Alejo Véliz became the main leader of ASP with Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
in second position.
Internal conflict
From 1996 onwards, Evo Morales began to rise as a prominent leader inside ASP. Soon he became a competitor of Veliz. Internal conflict emerged between the followers of Morales and Veliz, evistas and alejistas, surged. ASP wanted to contest the 1997 national elections, but never obtained the registration of a political party at the National Electoral Court. Instead the group contested the election of the lists of the United LeftUnited Left (Bolivia)
The United Left was a political coalition in Bolivia. IU was launched ahead of the 1989 national elections, as a successor of the United People's Front...
. Veliz was candidate for presidency and for parliament (on the proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
list). However, many trade unions decided not to support Veliz's candidature, accusing him of having manipulated the candidate lists of the United Left. Four ASP members of the Chamber of Deputies
National Congress of Bolivia
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly also known as the National Congress is the national legislature of Bolivia, based in the nation's de facto capital, La Paz....
were elected from the Chapare province
Chapare Province
Chapare, also called The Chapare and is pronounced Cha-pa-reh, is a rural province in the northern region of Cochabamba Department in central Bolivia. The majority of the territory consists of valley rainforests that surround the area's main waterway, the Chapare River, which is also a tributary of...
(the entire United Left group); Evo Morales, Román Loayza Caero
Román Loayza Caero
Román Loayza Caero is a Bolivian politician and farmer. He was a prominent leader in the farmers' trade union movement and one of the founders of the Movement for Socialism ....
, Félix Sanchéz Veizaga and Néstor Guzmán Villarroel
Néstor Guzmán Villarroel
Néstor Guzman Villarroel is a Bolivian politician and trade unionist. A tailor and farmer by profession, he became the press and propaganda secretary of the trade union in Chaguarmayu in 1984, then becoming the relations secretary of the Chaguarmayu trade union the following year...
.
After the 1997 elections a split occurred in ASP, and Evo Morales was expelled from the organization. In 1998 the supporters of Evo Morales founded the Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples
Movement for Socialism (Bolivia)
The Movement for Socialism-Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples , alternately referred to as "Movement Toward Socialism" or "Movement to Socialism", is a left-wing, socialist, Bolivian political organization led by Evo Morales, founded in 1995...
(IPSP). Notably, the majority of the grassroots supporters of ASP sided with Morales in the split. One of the prominent ASP leaders who sided with Morales was Román Loayza Caero, leader of CSUTCB.
1999 elections
Ahead of the 1999 municipal electionsBolivian municipal election, 1999
Municipal elections were held in Bolivia, on December 5, 1999, in all 311 municipalities across the country. The elections marked a milestone in the continuous deterioration of the political influence of the traditional parties...
, ASP had still not obtained any registration. Contested the elections on the lists of the Communist Party of Bolivia
Communist Party of Bolivia
The Communist Party of Bolivia is a communist party in Bolivia. It was founded in 1950 by Raúl Ruiz González and other former members of the Revolutionary Left Party . It remained small and did not hold its first national party congress until 1959....
(PCB). In Cochabamba
Cochabamba
Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a valley bearing the same name in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and is the fourth largest city in Bolivia with an urban population of 608,276 and a metropolitan population of more than 1,000,000 people...
Alejo Veliz ran for the post of mayor and received 1.1% of the votes in the city.