Erik Morón

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Erik Morón
Official photo of Substitute Senator Erik Morón, 2020
Substitute Senator for Santa Cruz
Assumed office
28 April 2021
Serving with Paola Fernández, William Torrez, and María Muñoz
SenatorCenta Rek
Preceded byZvonko Matkovic
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
from Santa Cruz
In office
18 January 2015 – 3 November 2020
SubstituteMaida Dominguez Zabala
ConstituencyPlurinominal
Personal details
Born
Erik Morón Osinaga

(1975-05-25) 25 May 1975 (age 48)
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
Political partyCreemos (2020–present)
Other political
affiliations
SpouseZarella Poma
Children3
RelativesMarioly Morón (sister)
Alma materFlorida Atlantic University (BA)
Florida International University College of Business (MBA)

Erik Morón Osinaga (born 25 May 1975) is a Bolivian economist and politician serving as

plurinominal member of the Chamber of Deputies from Santa Cruz from 2015 to 2020 on behalf of the Democratic Unity
coalition.

Early life and career

Erik Morón was born on 25 May 1975 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. He belongs to one of the branches of the Sandoval Morón family, a clan that was influential in the historical structure of the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR).[1] He studied abroad in the United States where he graduated with a degree in economics from Florida Atlantic University before later receiving a master's degree in international business at Florida International University.[2] Upon completing his education, he returned to settle in Bolivia where he dedicated himself to cattle ranching.[1]

Leader of the MNR

Assumption and election

Morón's entry into politics coincided with the decline of the MNR in the wake of the abortive second term of the party's national leader, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada. He served as the MNR's departmental leader in Santa Cruz, a region that, in the midst of the MNR's internal crisis, maintained a level of support for the party.[1] By 2010, Morón had risen to become the MNR's first national deputy leader. While in this position, on 1 February 2011, he was appointed as the national leader of the MNR following the death of his predecessor, Franklin "Panka" Anaya.[3]

In 2013, Morón sought to be elected to his own mandate as party leader. The selection process was fraught with controversy, with MNRistas from different departments coming to blows. Disputes ultimately culminated in the withdrawal of the delegates from Tarija, Oruro, and El Alto, resulting in just 105 of the 180 delegates from the nine departments participating in the election. After two hours of deliberations, Morón emerged as the winner with ninety-two votes in his favor.[4][5] The quarrel over the leadership election fostered a deep internal rupture within the MNR, with opponents of Morón disregarding him and proclaiming Johnny Torres as their leader. The two separately, mutually claimed to be the legitimate heads of the party, even after the Plurinational Electoral Organ certified Torres as the government's officially recognized leader on 18 March 2014.[6]

Removal and expulsion

On 15 August 2016, the

Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) detected that, while the Court had since disregarded Torres and certified Morón as leader of the MNR, he was not registered as a member of that party but rather as a member of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC). According to uncovered records, Morón would have been appearing on PDC membership lists since 2002. Morón's spokesman assured that the signature appearing on the PDC's roster was fraudulent, an argument accepted by the TSE, which gave him ninety days to rectify the discrepancy.[7] However, Morón failed to meet this deadline and his certification as leader of the MNR was consequently revoked by the TSE on 3 November.[8] His elected successor, Luis Eduardo Siles, subsequently denounced him for committing acts of political transfuge and failing to fulfill party functions.[9] On 31 October 2018, the TSE accepted the MNR's request to expel Morón from the party and remove him from its register of members.[10]

Chamber of Deputies

Elections

2005

Morón's first electoral campaign was in 2005, when he sought a seat in the Chamber of Deputies. The MNR presented him as a uninominal candidate in circumscription 51 (Santa Cruz de la Sierra). He ultimately came in fourth place, coming just shy of reaching ten percent of the vote.[1]

2014

The MNR entered the 2014 elections in the midst of an internal crisis and facing the possibility of losing its legal status if it did not achieve three percent of the vote. Though both Morón and Torres initially agreed to seal an alliance with the National Unity Front (UN), the decision of its leader, Samuel Doria Medina, to form the Democratic Unity (UD) coalition with the Social Democratic Movement without first consulting the MNR led the two competing leaders to once again split.[11] While Torres' faction rejected UD and endorsed the Christian Democratic Party,[12] Morón's faction maintained its support for Doria Medina.[13]

Tenure

The split in the MNR ultimately resulted in the party's failure to present itself in the 2014 elections. Nonetheless, its members penetrated the electoral lists of both the PDC and UD, including Morón, who was elected as a deputy under the UD acronym. Shortly after taking office, Morón announced that the MNR's five elected deputies from UD and two elected deputies from the PDC had decided to split from their respective groups and form a singular caucus. He stated that he and his colleagues "will not obey [other leaders], we have a party line, that of the MNR". In this way, the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement managed to once again attain national representation through

Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP), was elected to positions on four bodies, including the third secretariat of the Chamber of Deputies, which was granted to Morón. As a result, the opposition accused the MNR of forming an alliance with the MAS in order to attain higher positions in the legislature.[16]

Chamber of Senators

Election

For the 2020 general election, the newly formed Creemos alliance postulated Morón as its candidate for third substitute senator for Santa Cruz alongside Gaby Peña.[17] Though Creemos won the Santa Cruz Department, it only obtained a forty-five percent plurality of the vote, allowing it to win just two senators, thus leaving Peña and Morón unelected.[18]

Appointment

On 21 January 2021, Zvonko Matkovic, first substitute senator for Santa Cruz alongside Centa Rek, submitted his resignation is order to present himself as a candidate for departmental assemblyman in the upcoming regional elections.[19] As a result, José Antonio Chávez, Creemos' delegate before the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, requested that the TSE authorize and accredit Morón to fill the vacancy. Creemos considered that Morón, as the third on its list of candidates for substitute senator, was next in line to occupy the post. However, this was quickly challenged by Morón's former running mate, Peña, who asserted that, as she was a candidate for titular senator rather than substitute, she took priority over him.[20] Though Peña filed an appeal with the TSE, it was noted that Morón already began exercising legislative functions prior to its ruling, as evidenced by attendance sheets from the Santa Cruz Parliamentary Brigade, which indicated his presence as early as its fourth session held on 19 February. The TSE ultimately ruled in favor of Morón on 26 March, though the resolution was not made public until almost a month later.[21] Morón was officially sworn in on 28 April 2021.[22]

Tenure

Shortly after officially assuming office, Morón issued a letter to President of the Senate Andrónico Rodríguez requesting the convocation of a meeting between the minister of justice and the nine departmental governors with the aim of modifying Law N° 348 in order to combat rising cases of femicide in the country.[22] On 28 September 2021, Morón introduced a bill that would impose harsher punishments on those found guilty of violent crimes such as murder or rape. It stipulated life imprisonment in cases of parricide, mariticide/uxoricide, or when the victim is a descendant or domestic partner of the accused. Additionally, it proposed chemical castration in cases of rape of minors under fourteen years of age.[23]

Electoral history

Year Office Party Alliance Votes Result Ref
Total % P.
2005 Deputy Revolutionary Nationalist Movement None 4,177 9.16% 4th Lost [24]
2011 Leader Revolutionary Nationalist Movement None 92 87.62%[a] 1st Won [4]
2014 Deputy Revolutionary Nationalist Movement Democratic Unity 506,704 39.82% 2nd[b] Won [25]
2020 Alt. Senator Independent Creemos 717,742 45.07% 1st[b] Lost [26]
Source: Plurinational Electoral Organ | Electoral Atlas

References

Notes

  1. ^ Of the 105 delegates present and voting. Seventy-five delegates abstained.[4]
  2. ^ a b Presented on an electoral list. The data shown represents the share of the vote the entire party/alliance received in that constituency.

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d Romero Ballivián 2018, p. 395
  2. ^ Martínez, Emilio (3 April 2014). "Diario Las Américas dice que Erik Morón podría ser 'el Capriles de Bolivia'". eju! (in Spanish). Diario Las Américas. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022. He studied at the Florid Atlantic University (U.S.), where he graduated in Economics, later he completed his Master's in International Business at FIU (Florida International University, U.S.).
  3. ^ Written at La Paz. "Morón es el nuevo jefe del MNR". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. 2 February 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Movimientistas eligen a su jefe en medio de peleas". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. 20 October 2013. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Erick Morón es el nuevo jefe nacional del MNR". Opinión (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 19 October 2013. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  6. ^ Ariñez, Rubén (9 April 2014). "MNR llega al 9 de abril dividido en dos frentes". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Jefe nacional del MNR figura como militante del PDC". Erbol | Archivo (in Spanish). 15 August 2016. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  8. ^ "TSE revoca del cargo de jefe nacional del MNR al diputado Erik Morón". Agencia de Noticias Fides (in Spanish). La Paz. 3 November 2016. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  9. ^ Written at La Paz. "Luis Siles asume la jefatura del MNR en reemplazo de Erick Morón". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 8 November 2016. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  10. ^ Pereyra, Omar (13 November 2018). "TSE acepta la expulsión del diputado Erick Morón del MNR". eju! (in Spanish). Gigavisión. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  11. ^ Mealla, Luis (4 July 2014). "MNR se aferra a lo que queda del Frente Amplio para seguir". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  12. ^ Pomacahua, Pamela (15 July 2014). "El TSE rechaza la alianza entre PDC y MNR, Tuto tendrá sólo apoyo moral de los rosados". Oxígeno.bo (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  13. ^ Mealla, Luis (11 July 2014). "El MNR no participará en comicios de octubre". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  14. ^ Aguilar Agramont, Ricardo (25 January 2015). "La 'bancada' del MNR penetra en dos fuerzas opositoras". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  15. ^ Tedesqui, Marcelo (30 January 2015). "El MNR surge en la Asamblea y divide más a la oposición". El Deber (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  16. ^ Vacaflor, Nancy (4 February 2015). "El MNR divide a la oposición y se desmarca de Unidad Demócrata". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Candidaturas habilitadas para las Elecciones Generales 2020 | Creemos" (PDF). oep.org.bo (in Spanish). La Paz: Plurinational Electoral Organ. 2020. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  18. ^ Zuazo, Aida (23 October 2020). "Creemos gana en seis de 15 provincias de Santa Cruz y domina la bancada cruceña". El Deber (in Spanish). Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Zvonko Matkovic presentó su renuncia al cargo de senador suplente". Erbol (in Spanish). 21 January 2021. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  20. ^ Written at La Paz. "En Creemos dos senadores disputan su habilitación; Peña denuncia violencia política". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). Cochabamba. Agencia de Noticias Fides. 2 May 2021. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Pugna por un curul de Creemos en el Senado puede llegar a instancias internacionales". Maggy Talavera (in Spanish). 20 April 2021. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  22. ^ a b Pereyra, Omar (28 April 2021). "Erik Morón jura como senador y pide declarar alerta por los feminicidios en el país". eju! (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Creemos presenta proyecto de ley para castración química a violadores". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. 28 September 2021. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  24. ^ "Elecciones Generales 2005 | Atlas Electoral". Plurinational Electoral Organ (in Spanish). La Paz. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  25. ^ "Elecciones Generales 2014 | Atlas Electoral". Plurinational Electoral Organ (in Spanish). La Paz. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  26. ^ "Elecciones Generales 2020 | Atlas Electoral". Plurinational Electoral Organ (in Spanish). La Paz. Retrieved 25 January 2022.

Bibliography

External links