Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Crucial choice for Bolivia voters
Bolivians are voting in a presidential election in which the front-runner says he could be "nightmare" for the US.
Left-winger Evo Morales has vowed to legalise the growing of coca, which has traditional uses but is also used in the production of cocaine.
His main rival, former President Jorge Quiroga draws support from the wealthy gas and oil producing east.
Bolivia, South America's poorest country, has had five presidents in the last four years.
It is currently governed by interim President Eduardo Rodriguez, who took office after Carlos Mesa was ousted amid popular protests.
US concern
Eight candidates are running in Sunday's election - which will also choose a new congress and new prefects, or governors, in all of the country's nine departments.
Polls suggest that Mr Morales - an Aymara Indian who is hoping to become the country's first indigenous head of state - has a slight lead over Mr Quiroga.
However, Mr Morales appears unlikely to obtain 50% of the vote - meaning that congress will have to choose a president between the two top candidates in January.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4539454.stm
His main rival, former President Jorge Quiroga draws support from the wealthy gas and oil producing east.
Bolivia, South America's poorest country, has had five presidents in the last four years.
It is currently governed by interim President Eduardo Rodriguez, who took office after Carlos Mesa was ousted amid popular protests.
US concern
Eight candidates are running in Sunday's election - which will also choose a new congress and new prefects, or governors, in all of the country's nine departments.
Polls suggest that Mr Morales - an Aymara Indian who is hoping to become the country's first indigenous head of state - has a slight lead over Mr Quiroga.
However, Mr Morales appears unlikely to obtain 50% of the vote - meaning that congress will have to choose a president between the two top candidates in January.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4539454.stm
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$135.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network
"I congratulate Evo Morales and (running mate) Alvaro Garcia Lineras for their electoral showing," he said on Monday after exit polls showed the leftist candidate garnered just over 50 percent of votes in Sunday's election.
"Bolivian democracy is ending one cycle and starting another," Quiroga said.
Two exit polls showed that Morales leading Quiroga by about 20 percentage points.
That puts him on course to be Bolivia's first indigenous leader in its history.
A third poll, published by ATB television, gave Morales a narrower lead, with 41 percent to Quiroga's 36 percent.
Morales has described himself as Washington's "nightmare" candidate over his plans to end a US-backed anti-drug campaign aimed at eradicating the crop used to make cocaine.
Bolivia is the third biggest cocaine-producing nation after Colombia and Peru.
More