Bolivia: Mixed results in local elections

In a country where political, economic, and social divisions run deep Bolivians went to the voting booths in yesterday’s local elections.

The country’s ruling MAS party made some critical gains according to exit polls; MAS candidates are expected to easily win six of Bolivia’s nine provinces and they also captured the posts of mayor in three major cities. “This is an important leap for MAS,” said Bolivian President Evo Morales today while official results will be announced later this month.

The opposition was not shut out, however, and was able to consolidate their power in three eastern provinces. Surprisingly the MAS lost the mayor’s race in the capital city of La Paz against a candidate who accused them of running a “dirty war” during campaigning.

Both Morales and the opposition are trying to spin the electoral results in their favor. Yet as Baldwin Montero wrote in Bolivia’s La Razon neither side convincingly won:

The MAS did not accomplish their hegemonic control of power nor did the opposition pushback against the MAS’ popularity in the polls. Bolivians voted yesterday in favor of political equilibrium. – [ed. Translated text]

Image- Irish Times
Online Sources- La Razon, Americas Quarterly, AP, BusinessWeek, BBC News, La Prensa