Bolivia- December 2024

On 15 December, judicial elections were held for members of the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Agro-Environmental Tribunal, and the Council of Magistrates. However, only 19 out of the 26 judgeships were on the ballots. The election of the remaining offices was postponed, after the Fourth Chamber of the Constitutional Court granted injunctions in the selection process of candidates for certain judicial offices in response to legal actions initiated by individuals who wished to stand as candidates. The magistrates of the Fourth Chamber were widely criticized, given that the injunctions resulted in the indefinite extension of their mandates, as their own offices were among those affected by the injunctions. Opposition politicians have also called this an attempt to retain power to favour the ruling party and persecute opponents. Participation was close to 70 per cent (voting is mandatory), with a high percentage of spoiled and blank ballots at 37 per cent. Out of a total of 19 elected judges, nine are women.

Sources: Órgano Electoral Plurinacional, Infobae, El Pais