He had sworn to stand outside the political arena, his opponents feared him in ambush; he confirmed their doubts. Barely three weeks after the resignation of Evo Morales in Bolivia on November 10, he who played a key role in the mobilizations that led to the departure of the former president has formalized his candidacy Friday evening, in a statement issued from his stronghold of Santa Cruz in the east of the country, historical bastion of the opposition to Morales. For that, Fernando Camacho had first to give up the presidency of the powerful civic committee of Santa Cruz, a kind of circle of notables and citizens.
"To preside over this institution (The Civic Committee of Santa Cruz) is the dream of all my life, those who know me since childhood, know that I worked for it and that I aspired to that, but I must abandon it for another dream, another aspiration even stronger to be president of the Republic of Bolivia and to be able from there to serve with all my strength to see my homeland prosperous, united and free ", writes Fernando Camacho in a letter broadcast on social networks.
Near the conservative right
This 40-year-old ultra-religious lawyer, from the white Cruzanian oligarchy and representing entrepreneurial elites, was still unknown to the majority of Bolivians a few weeks ago and did not aspire to any political role, he swore.
However, he is the man who calls for the "civil strike" unlimited, the evening of October 22, two days after a presidential election he denounced as fraudulent. Propelled to the forefront of the media scene, it arouses both rejection and admiration in his country.
Under the statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the strongholds of Santa Cruz, he galvanizes the crowds with a speech steeped in religion. Charismatic figure, this neopentecostal, brings together hundreds of thousands of people.
Close to the radical right, reactionary and conservative, he advances without partisan label, nor any elective office. He stands as a simple citizen defending "Democracy and freedom" and becomes the most visible face of protest.
"His values are God, religion, family"explains to World Romulo Calvo, close to Mr. Camacho and until then vice-president of the Civic Committee, which he took the lead Friday evening. "He is a person who has ethical and moral principles, he gives confidence because he knows what he wants, he had the strength to convince the population to hold a strike for 21 days, he has a great power of leadership and conviction »adds the doctor by profession, wearing a tattoo on his right forearm, a Christ in a doctor's coat.
