Bolivians protest results showing President Morales win

World Today

Bolivia’s President Evo Morales is facing stinging accusations of electoral fraud.

The official count from the presidential poll gave him enough of a lead to avoid a run-off, revising earlier results which showed a much tighter margin. It sparked chaos.

CGTN’s Dan Collyns reports.

Protesters chanted fraud in La Paz as Bolivia’s electoral authority updated its vote count showing an abrupt change in the voting trend.

After a 24-hour shutdown, Evo Morales emerged with a wider lead- just enough to win in the first round.

But on Sunday night, preliminary results showed the election headed for a second-round run-off.

His main rival Carlos Mesa has called the about-turn a scandalous fraud.

All this has generated disturbances and running battles between protesters decrying electoral fraud and Evo Morales supporters. The police have tried to separate the two groups.

Once hugely popular, Evo Morales has been Bolivia’s president for nearly 14 years. He is facing pushback over his controversial bid for a fourth term in office.

As the suspicion of electoral fraud sweeps Bolivia, the future looks turbulent for Morales if he assumes another five-year mandate.