Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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109. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he accepts that the Organisation of American States submitted a false report on the recent election in Bolivia and that the report has been proven by subsequent events and by a number of independent observers to have been false; if he will request that the OAS outline the reason it produced a false report; if he will review Ireland's commitment to the OAS in view of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2024/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, Bolivia conducted a repeat round of general elections on 18 October 2020 after the previous elections of 20 October 2019 were annulled due to irregularities detected during the preliminary results transmission and the subsequent tabulation of results.

These irregularities raised suspicions and led to an audit conducted by the Organisation of American States (OAS) which indicated that intentional manipulations had taken place. Ireland supported EU statements which called for a new Electoral Court to be appointed that could offer a guarantee of transparent elections, and a return to constitutional normality so that the rule of law, democratic principles and civil rights in Bolivia would be respected. This position was supported at the time, among others, by the UN Secretary-General.

A fresh round of elections was initially scheduled for 3 May 2020 and subsequently postponed to 6 September 2020, until the repeat vote ultimately took place on 18 October 2020. These postponements were largely to due public health concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The EU sent an Election Expert Mission (EEM) to Bolivia to monitor the 2020 general elections. Ireland supported this Mission, whose mandate was to assess the conduct of the electoral process in accordance with Bolivia’s national and international commitments on democratic elections. The EEM found that the repeat general elections were credible and reflected the free will of the people and that the elections granted a much-needed legitimacy to a new Government and Legislative Assembly.

Luis Arce of the MAS party won the vote in the first round of elections and an EU statement, released on 23 October 2020, congratulated President Arce on his successful election. Likewise, the OAS also recognised the legitimacy of these subsequent elections and, in particular, noted the civic attitude demonstrated by the Bolivian people in exercising their right to vote and having done so despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ireland welcomes the peaceful transfer of power in Bolivia and is committed to working with President Arce and his Government. The President issued a letter of congratulations to President Arce on his election.