Bolivia's Pivotal Presidential Vote: A Nation at a Crossroads
Early results in Bolivia's presidential race show centrist Rodrigo Paz leading. Conservative Jorge Quiroga follows, with a potential runoff. The MAS party faces heftiest defeat in years. High inflation influences voters, many shifting away from MAS. Economic woes and the absence of Evo Morales shape the historic election.
In a landmark election, early official results from Bolivia indicate a lead for centrist Rodrigo Paz of the Christian Democratic Party, receiving 32.04% of the vote, according to the electoral tribunal. Heading into a likely second round, conservative former president Jorge Quiroga of the Alianza Libre coalition is in second place.
The ruling Movement for Socialism (MAS) party braced for its greatest electoral loss in a generation. With their candidate and other leftist options trailing behind the center-right, a runoff on October 19 is expected unless a candidate garners more than 40% support with a 10 percentage point lead.
Inflation, at a striking four-decade high, along with the absence of former president Evo Morales, who is banned from the race, overshadowed Sunday's vote. Despite calls for a boycott, international observers reported a largely uninterrupted electoral process.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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