Background and Context
After two decades of socialist governments in Bolivia, an unprecedented runoff election took place on Sunday, featuring two right-wing candidates. In the initial round, the population rejected the ruling Movement Towards Socialism, which secured only 3% of the votes.
The Candidates
Rodrigo Paz, a 58-year-old centrist economist, emerged victorious in the runoff with 54.5% of the votes against former hard-right ex-president Jorge Quiroga, according to a preliminary official tally.
Protests and Allegations
On Monday, hundreds of people protested in La Paz against Rodrigo Paz’s presidential election, accusing the official vote count of unproven irregularities and demanding a recount.
- Protesters attempted to enter the main square, home to the government palace and congress, waving Bolivian flags and shouting “fraud.”
- They later headed to the offices of the Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE) to voice their complaints.
- The protesters, mostly young individuals, also chanted slogans against Paz and his vice-president Edmand Lara’s campaign promises, saying “we don’t want handouts, we want jobs!“
- However, they emphasized that the protest was not in support of Quiroga.
- “We are demanding a recount so that the entire voting process can be verified,” said Rahel Gandarillas, a 25-year-old dentist.
The protesters referenced alleged proof of irregularities circulating on social media, though their authenticity remains unverified.
Official Response
Óscar Hassenteufel, president of the electoral court, anticipated the protests by urging the public to dismiss any notion of vote rigging.
“In the view of the TSE, the word ‘fraud’ should be eradicated from Bolivia; there is no possibility of it,” Hassenteufel declared.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the candidates? Rodrigo Paz, a centrist economist, and Jorge Quiroga, a former hard-right ex-president.
- What happened in the election? After 20 years of socialist governments, a runoff election took place between two right-wing candidates. Paz won with 54.5% of the votes.
- Why are people protesting? Protesters allege unproven irregularities in the official vote count and demand a recount.
- What is the official stance? The Tribunal Supremo Electoral and its president, Óscar Hassenteufel, have dismissed claims of vote rigging.
