Coup of theater in Bolivia. A new count of the electoral commission published Monday, October 21 shows that the outgoing president, Evo Morales, has enough votes to win the presidential election in the first round. Results that his main opponent, Carlos Mesa, denounces.
Sunday evening, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) had interrupted the preliminary count of votes, while the latest published results showed that a second round was to be organized. This interruption has raised concerns from observers and foreign governments about possible electoral fraud.
According to the new count of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, covering 95% of the ballots, Evo Morales is credited with 46.85% of the vote, ahead of Carlos Mesa, at 36.73%.
Results "shameful", according to Carlos Mesa
Based on these results, Evo Morales should avoid a second round. A presidential candidate must obtain more than 40% of the votes cast and have at least ten points ahead of his nearest rival to be elected in the first round.
Carlos Mesa denounced Monday's results as "shameful" and said he would not recognize them. "We are convinced that the citizens will not accept this," he told reporters from the city of Santa Cruz. "This government has created an impossible situation, it does not care about the popular vote."
Evo Morales, 59, who has always been elected in the first round since coming to power in 2006, said Sunday he was confident of winning the vote in the first round by voting in rural areas.
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With Reuters