Wayna Mallku
Santos Quispe
3rd Governor of La Paz
Assumed office
3 May 2021
Preceded byFélix Patzi
Personal details
Born
Santos Quispe Quispe

(1982-11-26) 26 November 1982
Achacachi, La Paz, Bolivia
Political partyForward United People (2014–present)
SpouseAna María Salgado
Parent
ResidenceEl Alto
Alma materHigher University of San Andrés
Latin American School of Medicine (MD)[lower-alpha 1]
Public University of El Alto
Occupation
  • Doctor
  • politician
Websitewaynamallku.com

Santos Quispe Quispe (born 26 November 1982), commonly known as Wayna Mallku,[lower-alpha 2] is a Bolivian doctor and politician serving as governor of La Paz since 2021. A member of Forward United People, of which he is the leader, Quispe was a relative unknown in politics until he replaced his late father, the renowned peasant leader Felipe Quispe, as Jallalla La Paz's candidate for the governorship of the La Paz Department. Shortly after winning the election, Quispe terminated his party's pact with Jallalla, establishing a confrontational attitude with the Departmental Assembly for the duration of his term. In early 2022, he was sentenced to house arrest with the right to work after being discovered allegedly intoxicated at his office.

Early life and career

Santos Quispe was born on 26 November 1982 in Achacachi, La Paz, the youngest of seven siblings born to Felipe Quispe, "the Mallku", a renowned Aymara peasant leader.[1][2] Quispe was raised in the Aymara community of Chilijaya in the Achacachi municipality, where he resided for the majority of his life. In 2004, he enrolled as a student of sociology at the Higher University of San Andrés and from 2015 was a member of the student body of the Public University of El Alto, where he studied educational sciences. Prior to becoming governor, Quispe was still enrolled in these institutions, carrying out his sixth and third semester, respectively.[3][4] He studied abroad in Cuba at the Latin American School of Medicine, graduating with a bachelor's degree in medicine in 2012. Upon returning to Bolivia, he joined the Association of Doctors Graduated Abroad and, in 2016, was appointed as part of the administrative support staff of the Departmental Health Service of La Paz (SEDES).[4]

Governor of La Paz

Election

In 2014, together with his father, Quispe participated in the formation of Forward United People (APU), a political party which, by 2021, lacked legal status with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to participate in elections.[5] As a result, for the departmental elections in La Paz, Quispe secured an alliance for APU with the civic group Jallalla La Paz of Leopoldo Chui.[3] On 15 December 2020, the two fronts presented Quispe's father, Felipe Quispe, as Jallalla's candidate for the governorship of the La Paz Department.[6]

However, just over a month later, on 19 January 2021, the Mallku unexpectedly died of cardiac arrest in the midst of the campaign.[7] His demise immediately put into question the electoral future of Jallalla, which was forced to seek an alternative candidate. A day after the Mallku's death, the leadership of APU announced that it had decided that Santos Quispe would replace his father on the ballot.[8] Quispe characterized himself as the only candidate capable of fulfilling his father's legacy and stated that, if Jallalla failed to choose him, it would constitute a "betrayal" of the Mallku. He further outlined that he already carried the support of Jallalla's mayoral candidates, including the popular ex-senator Eva Copa, who stated that "out of ethics, out of respect for the memory of our brother Felipe […], his successor is his son, Santos".[9][10]

After a seven-day mourning period,[8] on 2 February, Jallalla proclaimed Quispe as its replacement nominee. The decision was reached through consensus between representatives from all seventy-eight municipalities in which the organization had a presence. Upon assuming the candidacy, Quispe pledged to "sacrifice my life for humble people, for my father's ideals" and accused those calling him an "inheritor" of tarnishing his late father's image.[11]

The results of the first round of voting on 7 March were close. Exit polls indicated that Franklin Flores, the candidate for the Movement for Socialism, had reached thirty-nine percent of the vote, one point less than what was necessary to achieve a large enough plurality to avoid a runoff and win in the first round.[lower-alpha 3][13] Because of this, Quispe denounced the possibility of electoral fraud and led his supporters in a vigil outside the headquarters of the Departmental Electoral Tribunal (TED).[12] Ultimately, the final tally revealed that Flores had failed to reach forty percent, pushing the two candidates into a second round.[14] On 14 April, Quispe was declared the virtual winner of the election, defeating Flores with fifty-five percent of the votes.[15]

Tenure

Quispe was sworn in as governor of the La Paz Department on 3 May 2021. In his inaugural address, he promised to "always work for the unity of all Paceños" and notably announced that he was "removing my political color, I am not going to work for a political [party]".[16] On 28 April, on the same day the TED accredited him as governor, Quispe had publicly broken his pact with Jallalla and revealed his intent to move forward under the APU acronym.[17][18] In retaliation, just a week after Quispe took office, on 10 May, Jallalla expelled him from its organization, naming him a "traitor". The group's leader, Leopoldo Chui, went on to announce that Jallalla had already begun to process of seeking support for a recall referendum against the governor.[19] Quispe responded by affirming that Jallalla could not expel him because, as the leader of APU, he was never even a member of that group.[20]

Apart from the break with Jallalla, Quispe was involved in a further six separate controversies within his first month in office. Two of these were recorded on his first day, stemming from the revelation that his wife, Ana María Salgado, had been elected as an assemblywoman, and his irritated response to a journalist who asked him about it. Three days later, on 6 May, it was noted that Quispe had declared Bs0 in his affidavit of assets, despite the fact that he was a salaried worker at SEDES before being elected.[21]

Vehicle collision case

On 18 June 2021, Assemblyman Leopoldo Chui filed a criminal complaint with the Prosecutor's Office after the Governor's Office failed to deliver a report on the collision of a government vehicle on 13th Street in Calacoto on 13 June. The victim of the accident, Jaime Jiménez Tórrez, alleged that Quispe was in the vehicle at the time of the crash, a claim denied by his office.[22][23] On 26 August, the Prosecutor's Office issued an arrest warrant against Quispe on charges of improper use of public goods and services and dangerous driving, though it was ultimately not executed upon appeal.[24][25] That same day, he testified that the legal processes against him were purely political and affirmed that he was not present during the accident.[26] On 22 December, Prosecutor Gustavo Balderrama reported that an investigation had determined that both Quispe and his driver were intoxicated when his official vehicle was involved in the traffic accident. Quispe denounced political persecution and decried a plot by his opponents to remove him from office. Departmental Secretary of Legal Affairs Mario Flores announced that his office would request an audit of the investigation due to irregularities in its findings. He pointed to the fact that the date of the accident had been changed from 12 to 13 June and asserted that "there is not even a breathalyzer test" as evidence.[27]

Detention and house arrest

On the night of 1 February 2022, in a live video broadcast on Facebook, departmental assemblyman Israel Alanoca recorded himself confronting Quispe in his office. The video showed the governor in an inebriated state with a bag of empty beer cans at his feet. Quispe admitted to drinking, but assured that had not been doing so in his office.[28] According to Alanoca, at around 9 p.m., government officials had called to inform him that Quispe and members of his staff were in a drunken state at his office. Upon arriving, he recalled hearing "loud music" and stated that the secretaries accompanying the governor had locked themselves in another room.[29] Quispe denied the allegations against him and claimed that the beer cans had been planted there by the opposition. Shortly thereafter, police arrived on the scene and the governor was detained by officers of the Special Crime Fighting Force (FELCC).[30]

After spending the night in a police cell, and notably refusing to submit a breathalyzer test, the Prosecutor's Office charged Quispe with the crimes of improper use of public property and obstruction of justice, for which they requested three months of preventative detention.[31][32] Instead, an anti-corruption judge in La Paz determined to sentence Quispe to mandatory house arrest with the authorization to be absent from his home between 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday to Saturday in order to carry out his official duties. Additionally, Quispe was required to post Bs70,000 bail, comply with mandated sobriety, was barred from entering establishments where alcoholic beverages are sold or from leaving the country, and was prohibited from meeting with the nine individuals alleged to have accompanied him on the night he was arrested, or with any of the complainants in his case.[33] Quispe thanked the judge for his decision and affirmed his continued innocence. He also confirmed that he had no intentions of resigning from office.[34] In response, assemblymen from the opposition assured that they would appeal the decision.[35]

Political positions

Santos Quispe has been described as "a true unknown".[36] His campaign failed to deliver a government program to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, although it should have been submitted in January. After securing his gubernatorial candidacy, Quispe's media presence dropped considerably and attempts by outlets to secure interviews with him were met by claims that his campaign schedule prevented him from finding the time to answer questions regarding his policy proposals. At campaign events, Quispe's rhetoric often appealed to an ideal of fulfilling his father's legacy,[3] but was characterized as lacking clear ideas, not even tangential to the Mallku's indigenismo ideology.[37]

Electoral history

Year Office Party Alliance First round Second round Result Ref.
Total  % P. Total  % P.
2021 Governor Forward United People Jallalla La Paz 392,132 25.18% 2nd 831,816 55.23% 1st Won [38][39]
Source: Plurinational Electoral Organ | Electoral Atlas

References

Notes

  1. ↑ In Bolivia, this degree was recognized by the Ministry of Education as "Bachelor of Medicine".[1]
  2. ↑ English: Young prince or leader.
  3. ↑ In Bolivia, a second round is avoided by one candidate either reaching 50% of the vote or achieving a plurality with 10% more votes than the next closest competitor.[12]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 "El elegido por Evo y el heredero de El Mallku, en duelo final por la Gobernación paceña". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 4 April 2021. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Gobernador de La Paz, Santos Quispe". eabolivia.com (in Spanish). 2021. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Chuquimia, Leny (21 February 2021). "Ajeno a los medios y con El Mallku como gancho, Santos Quispe no presenta plan". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 "¿Quién es Santos Quispe, el médico cubano que se inscribió como candidato a gobernador sin renunciar como funcionario público?". Radio Lider 97 (in Spanish). El Alto. 18 February 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "Biografía de Santos Quispe". waynamallku.com (in Spanish). La Paz. 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  6. ↑ "El Mallku es candidato a gobernador de La Paz". Opinión (in Spanish). Cochabamba. 16 December 2020. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  7. ↑ Romano, Gabriel (20 January 2021). Written at La Paz. "Muere Felipe Quispe, el líder indígena que quiso ser presidente de Bolivia". Swissinfo (in Spanish). Bern. EFE. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Perfilan a Santos Quispe como candidato sucesor de El Mallku". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 21 January 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  9. ↑ Written at La Paz. "Hijo de 'El Mallku' dice que será una traición a su padre si Jallalla no lo elige como candidato". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 26 January 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  10. ↑ Tedesqui Vargas, Luis Marcelo (25 January 2021). "Copa dice que el hijo de El Mallku debe asumir la candidatura a la Gobernación de La Paz". El Deber (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022. 'Por ética, por respeto a la memoria de nuestro hermano Felipe [Quispe], El Mallku, quien debiera ser su sucesor es su hijo Santos, que estuvo en momentos muy duros con su padre. […]', dijo la candidata [Eva Copa].
  11. ↑ "El hijo de 'El Mallku' es proclamado como candidato para la gobernación de La Paz". Agencia de Noticias Fides (in Spanish). La Paz. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022. 'Yo voy a sacrificar mi vida por la gente humilde, por los ideales de mi padre', sostuvo Quispe.
  12. 1 2 "Santos Quispe teme fraude en el cómputo en La Paz y mantiene vigilia en el TED". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 10 March 2021. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2022. La Ley de Régimen Electoral establece que se proclama ganador al postulante que logra más del 50% de votos válidos o al candidato que logra 40%, con una diferencia de al menos 10% en la relación a la segunda candidatura más votada.
  13. ↑ "Agrupación Jallalla hace vigilia en el cómputo y Santos Quispe pide al TED que no haya 'mano sucia'". Opinión (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Erbol. 10 March 2021. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  14. ↑ "Franklin Flores y Santos Quispe van a la segunda vuelta por la Gobernación de La Paz". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. 15 March 2021. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  15. ↑ "Santos Quispe es el virtual ganador de las elecciones en La Paz". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Sucre. 14 April 2021. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  16. ↑ "Santos Quispe asume como gobernador de La Paz y dice que trabajará 'sin un color político'". UNITEL (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 3 May 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022. '[…] este candidato […] siempre va a trabajar por la unidad de todos los paceños', dijo en sus primeras palabras como gobernador. Luego añadió que […] 'me estoy sacando el color político, yo no voy a trabajar por un color político', señaló.
  17. ↑ Luna, Pedro (28 April 2021). "Quispe rompe con Jallalla y lanza APU; Chui le conmina a cumplir el acuerdo político". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  18. ↑ "Santos Quispe rompe alianza con Jallalla La Paz". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Erbol. 28 April 2021. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  19. ↑ "Expulsan a Santos Quispe de Jallalla por 'traidor', anuncian acciones legales y revocatorio". Agencia de Noticias Fides (in Spanish). La Paz. 10 May 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  20. ↑ "Santos Quispe dice que no puede ser expulsado de Jallalla porque nunca fue militante". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Sucre. 10 May 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  21. ↑ Segales, Erika (27 May 2021). "En un mes, el gobernador Quispe estuvo envuelto en 7 polémicas". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  22. ↑ "Asambleísta denunció que vehículo de Gobernación provocó hecho de tránsito". El Diario (in Spanish). La Paz. 19 June 2021. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  23. ↑ "Imputan formalmente al gobernador de La Paz por un accidente de tránsito en un vehículo oficial". El Deber (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 22 December 2021. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  24. ↑ "Emiten orden de aprehensión contra el gobernador Santos Quispe acusado de uso indebido de bienes y servicios públicos y conducción peligrosa". ATB (in Spanish). La Paz. 26 August 2021. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  25. ↑ "Santos Quispe va a proceso por accidente y acusa a Evo" (in Spanish). Cochabamba. 23 December 2021. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022. […] se aceptó una Acción de Libertad y se presentó una queja al juez controlador de garantías constitucionales por lo que la orden de aprehensión no se ejecutó.
  26. ↑ "Santos Quispe se presenta a declarar a la Fiscalía y califica de político el proceso". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 26 August 2021. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  27. ↑ "Fiscalía dice que Santos Quispe estaba ebrio y éste denuncia persecución y golpe". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 22 December 2021. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  28. ↑ "Gobernador de La Paz es sorprendido ebrio y con latas de cerveza en su despacho". El Deber (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 2 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  29. ↑ Alvarado, Abel; Trucco, Florencia (3 February 2022). "Gobernador de La Paz fue aprehendido y será imputado por supuestamente consumir bebidas alcohólicas en su despacho". CN͠N (in Spanish). Atlanta. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  30. ↑ Cuiza, Paulo (2 February 2022). "Detienen a gobernador Santos Quispe por consumo de bebidas alcohólicas en su despacho". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  31. ↑ "Fiscalía imputa al gobernador Quispe por dos delitos y pide enviarlo a la cárcel de San Pedro". Erbol (in Spanish). 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  32. ↑ "El gobernador Santos Quispe será imputado por el delito de uso indebido de bienes". El Potosí (in Spanish). Agencia de Noticias Fides. 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  33. ↑ "Detención domiciliaria, arraigo y fianza de Bs 70 mil para el gobernador Santos Quispe". Correo del Sur (in Spanish). Sucre. 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  34. ↑ Rosales Melgar, Alvaro (4 February 2022). "Santos Quispe vuelve a su casa y reitera que el caso en su contra fue armado". El Deber (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  35. ↑ Diaz, Mauricio (4 February 2022). "Somos Pueblo dice que apelará la detención domiciliaria dictada a favor de Quispe". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  36. ↑ Souverein & Exeni Rodríguez 2022, p. 181
  37. ↑ Souverein & Exeni Rodríguez 2022, pp. 181–182
  38. ↑ "Elección de Gobernadores 2021 | Atlas Electoral". Plurinational Electoral Organ (in Spanish). La Paz. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  39. ↑ "Segunda Vuelta de Elección de Gobernadores 2021 | Atlas Electoral". Plurinational Electoral Organ (in Spanish). La Paz. Retrieved 25 January 2022.

Bibliography

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