Luis Arce, on October 19, 2020, candidate of the left in Bolivia, won the presidential election in the first round.

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AFP

In Bolivia, Luis Arce, the candidate of the left and dolphin of the former head of state Evo Morales, won the presidential election in the first round on Sunday with more than 52% of the vote, according to several exit polls.

Bolivia "has returned to democracy" welcomed the winner during a press conference with its vice-president David Choquehuanca.

"We are going to work for all all Bolivians, we are going to set up a government of national unity," he added.

Muy agradecidos con el apoyo y confianza del pueblo boliviano.

Recuperamos la democracia y retomaremos la estabilidad y la paz social.

Unidos, con dignidad y soberanía #VamosASalirAdelante pic.twitter.com/vFO9Mr1o44

- Luis Arce Catacora (Lucho Arce) (@LuchoXBolivia) October 19, 2020

A victory recognized by the interim president

The former Minister of the Economy, 57, is more than 20 points ahead of his main rival, the centrist Carlos Mesa, and ensures the return to power of the Movement towards Socialism (MAS) after the resignation in November 2019 of Evo Morales, accused by the opposition of electoral fraud.

Acting President Jeanine Añez congratulated Luis Arce on his victory: "We do not yet have an official tally, but according to the data we have, Mr. Arce and Mr. Choquehuanca won the elections", she said on Twitter.

According to a poll broadcast by the private channel Unitel, Luis Arce obtained 52.4% of the vote, against 31.5% for the former president Carlos Mesa (2003-2005), 67 years old.

Another poll released by the Jubileo Catholic Foundation credits the left-wing candidate with 53% of the vote, against 30.8% for his rival.

At the same time, more than seven hours after the closing of the polling stations, the official results were only known for 6% of them.

" This takes time "

From Argentina, where he is a refugee, Evo Morales claimed victory for his party: “The MAS largely won the elections, including in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.

Arce is the president of Bolivia, ”he told reporters in Buenos Aires where he lives.

Since the end of the voting operations, which took place in peace, calls for "patience" from Bolivians have multiplied in the face of the extreme slowness of the disclosure of official results.

While welcoming the good conduct of the ballot, "a successful day for Bolivian democracy", declared the president of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), Salvador Romero recalled "that the official count is done with the arrival of the minutes "In departmental electoral courts and that" it takes time. "

For the first time in 20 years, Evo Morales, emblematic leader of the South American left, was not a candidate for the presidency.

On November 10, 2019, he resigned in the midst of a political crisis, accused of fraud by the opposition, while he was running for a fourth term.

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  • Presidential election

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