Two right -wing candidates qualify for the second round

Two right -wing candidates will compete in the second round of the presidential election in Bolivia, according to a rapid count of the electoral authorities, marking the end of two decades of left governments in a country plunged into a serious economic crisis.

To everyone’s surprise, the center-right senator Rodrigo Paz, son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora (1998-1993), came first with 32.1% of the votes, according to the results communicated by the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE).

Former right-wing president Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga (2001-2002) follows him closely with 26.8%, according to the same estimates. The Millionaire Samuel Doria Medina, favorite in all polls until a week ago, is however relegated to third place with 19.8% of the votes.

The ballot took place in a context of a serious economic crisis marked by a chronic shortage of dollars and fuel, while annual inflation is around 25%, an unprecedented level for 17 years.

Lied responsible for the debacle, the outgoing president Luis Arce, formerly supported by former President Evo Morales (2006-2019), but now in conflict with him, has given up a second term. Andronico Rodriguez, the president of the Senate also from the left, and the candidate of the movement towards socialism (Mas) in power since 2006, Eduardo del Castillo, have failed to convince.

The right -wing candidates promised to break with the state model established by Morales. Under its presidency, poverty has retreated and tripled GDP, but the fall in revenues since 2017 plunged the country into the crisis.

“This is the end of a cycle,” said Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, after voting at La Paz. This engineer, who had provided an interim at the head of the country for a year (2001-2002), promises “a radical change” in the event of a victory.

“Bolivia needs stability, governability and an economic model turned towards the people rather than the state,” said Rodrigo Paz after voting at Tarija, in the south of the country. The two winners will compete in a second round on October 19, inflicting on the left its heaviest backhand since the coming to power of Evo Morales.

The former 65 -year -old head of state hoped to run for a fourth presidential term, but justice, by limiting them to two, dismissed him from the race. Aimed by an arrest warrant in a minor milking case that he disputes, the former unionist of Coca planters lives entrenched in his stronghold in the center of the country.

By voting, shot down of sandals, Evo Morales denounced a “without legitimacy” election, claiming that the void, that he encouraged during the campaign, was going to prevail, while his supporters formed a cord around him, AFP noted. No police presence was visible around.

Despite his eviction, the first Bolivian head of state of native origin keeps solid supports in certain rural and indigenous bastions. But his conflict with Luis Arce fractured the MAS, and even those who have long benefited from social policies have been disenchanted.