Bolivia Awaits Results as Presidential Runoff Concludes
Polling stationsโค acrossโ Bolivia closed atโค 4:00 โฃPM localโข time today, marking the end of โฃa closely watched presidentialโ runoff election between Rodrigo Paz โand Jorge โฃTuto Quiroga.Vote counting is now underway, with initial results expected from the Electoral Tribunal as early as 8:00โ PM.
Both candidatesโฃ spent election day actively โคparticipating in the โdemocratic process. Rodrigo Paz, representing โthe Christian Democratic Party (PDC), castโ hisโ ballot in โTarija, the southern โขcityโฃ where he previously served โas โmayor. He โacknowledged theโข challenging economic climate facing the nation – โcharacterized by high inflation, dollarโ shortages, and fuel scarcity – butโค expressed optimism, stating, “These areโ very difficult times, โคbut Bolivia has great opportunities to โmove โฃforward.” Paz indicated he had already begun โขdiscussions with parliamentary parties toโ secure a governing coalitionโ should he win, emphasizing his partyS potential to form a majority alliance with various politicalโ forces.
Jorge Tuto โขQuiroga, simultaneously occurring, voted in Cochabamba, the city of his birth, accompaniedโ by his 92-year-old father.He urged citizensโ to participate, framing the election as a crucial opportunity to reverseโฃ what he described as “20 years [of policies] thatโฃ were destructive” andโข usherโ in “a bright future.”โค He then travelled to La Paz to await the results.
Throughoutโ theโ campaign, polling data suggested a regional divide in voter support. Paz appearedโ toโฃ have strong backing โin the western, Andean regions, populated largely by Aymara andโข Quechua communities. Quiroga,โ conversely, enjoyed significant support โคin the eastern lowlandsโค and jungle areas, where โขa Creole population with tiesโข to the agro-export industry predominates.
Election day itself โwas remarkably peaceful.A nationwide ban on vehicular traffic led to โขunusually quiet cities, underscoring Bolivia’s tradition โof calm during elections.Withโ only two candidates โin the race, a swift recount is anticipated, and both paz andโข Quiroga have pledged to respect โขtheโ outcome.
A dissenting โคvoice emerged from former President โขEvo Morales, who isโ currently residing inโ the coca-growing region of Chapare due to โฃconstitutional โrestrictions preventingโฃ his re-election and facing an arrest warrantโ related to allegations of sexual abuse of minors. Despite these circumstances,Moralesโค castโ his vote and asserted that neither Paz nor Quiroga representโ the interests of the Bolivian people or its indigenous communities,claiming that roleโค for himself.
