Polls for Bolivia’s presidential election have closed, with Luis Arce, the candidate from ousted former leader Evo Morales’ Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), claiming what appears to be a comfortable victory over his closest rival, Carlos Mesa.
Interim President Jeanine Áñez, who leads a coalition of the Democrat Social Movement party and four other parties, however, made a public plea for “patience” and peace, as the final tally has yet to be released. Given that the Electoral Tribune barred the use of the ‘rapid count’ due to concerns over accuracy, it is expected that the official results will take some time yet.
She said, “Patience, we must all be patient waiting for the results without generating any type of violence,” adding, “I assure you we will have credible results. Áñez herself pulled out from running after a poor showing in preliminary polls.
Right-wing Senator Áñez has, however, congratulated Arce and vice-presidential candidate David Choquehuanca for what she sees as their impending victory after looking at the data.
An unofficial ‘quick-count’ shows that the MAS’ Luis Arce has a comfortable lead over leading opposition candidate and former president Carlos Mesa, who ruled the country from 2003 to 2005.
Arce has garnered 52.4% of the votes against Mesa’s 31.5%. Meanwhile, the We Believe Alliances’ candidate, Luis Fernando Camacho, received 14.1% of the votes.
Both Arce and Mesa have voiced their disapproval of the decision to scrap the rapid count. If neither candidate is declared to have won enough votes—50% of the votes, or 40% with more than a 10% lead over the second-place candidate—then a run-off election will be scheduled next month.
Arce’s popularity s derived from his tenure as former president Evo Morales’ economy minister, when he oversaw considerable growth and poverty reduction. However, he walks into a drastically different economy now, particularly in light of the coronavirus pandemic, which has reduced the prices of Bolivia’s mineral exports, decreased wages across the country, and sent many into unemployment. In fact, opposition candidate Mesa hailed this election as a “fundamental moment in the history of our country”.
In the aftermath of the preliminary results, Morales, who is currently living in exile in Argentina, declared that he will return to Bolivia “sooner or later”. He also expressed his gratitude for the support of Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, and Cuba during “these months of democratic absence in the country”.
Morales led the nation from 2006 to 2019 and won three consecutive elections and ran for a fourth term in October 2019 prior to his resignation in November. This was in contravention of the three-term limit, a law that was reinforced by the fact that citizens voted against a constitutional amendment that would remove this limit in 2016.
Nevertheless, he contested the election, and was declared the winner. However, several irregularities prompted suggestions of vote-rigging, resulting in widespread protests, ultimately leading to his resignation on November 10 under military and public pressure.
Then, in September, he was barred from contesting his candidacy in this month’s Senate elections, with a court saying that he no longer meets the residency requirements as he now lives in Argentina.
In addition to existing charges such as terrorism, genocide, sedition, and corruption, in August, the justice ministry issued a complaint against Morales for statutory rape and human trafficking over an alleged relationship with a sixteen-year-old girl during his time in office.
This present election is the first in 20 years in which Evo Morales has not been in the running. Although leftist candidate Arce has a significantly different political outlook than centrist Mesa, the prospective winner has called for ‘national unity’, saying, “We will govern for all; we will redirect the change without hate.” MAS has also indicated that they will seek to punish those behind the “2019 coup”.
Morales Successor Arce Proclaims Comfortable Victory in Bolivian Presidential Election
An unofficial ‘quick-count’ shows that the MAS’ Luis Arce has a comfortable lead over leading opposition candidate and former president Carlos Mesa.
October 20, 2020
IMAGE SOURCE: RONALDO SCHEMIDT /AFP VIA GETTY IMAGESMovement Toward Socialism’s (MAS) presidential Candidate Luis Arce (C), who is presumed to have won Bolivia’s election.