Evo Morales seeks the fourth term of elections crossed by polarization

Bolivians have started voting this Sunday on an election day during which they will decide whether to extend Evo Morales' tenure to power for 20 years until 2025 or to choose to change their first native leftist president.

In a vote that began nationwide at 8 am local time and lasted eight hours, Morales was elected favorite by a small margin ahead of his main rival, former president Carlos Mesa, according to polls.

Morales is preceded by its social and economic achievements, but also strewn with corruption scandals and accusations of authoritarian drift. Unlike the last three elections since 2006, this time a crushing victory is not sung for him in the first round.

After voting in his Chapare cocaine redoubt, the president expressed his "confidence" and optimism. "I just paid, as it should, and I take this opportunity to call the Bolivian people to participate in this democratic party," he added.

A study from the state university gives 32.3% of preferences to Morales and 27% to Mesa, which would require the president to have more time in office in Latin America to Go to an unpublished second round.

Mesa is the only candidate out of the eight opposition presidential candidates who can trip the president. And part of the opposition is calling voters to a "vote of punishment" against Morales, which in turn rests on the "safe vote" of its ranks.

From the center of the Centro Ciudadana (CC) party, Mesa met Saturday with observers from the Organization of American States (OAS) for their doubts about the transparency of the vote, accusing the electoral court of bias.

In a written questionnaire answered the AFPMesa also denounced the fact that there is in Bolivia "a party that controls all state organs, including electoral bodies" and that "does not respect, among other principles, the rules of democracy."

In addition, he added, "an electoral tribunal has shown an obvious bias in favor of the candidacy of MAS (official), so that it is very likely that we will try to 39; influence the outcome of the vote, especially in rural areas and in some cities abroad. "

But at the inauguration of the vote, the President of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), María Eugenia Choque, sought to give guarantees of transparency. "This (the population) can be calm, because the necessary steps have been taken to protect the vote"he said.

Morales' decision to seek a fourth term is strongly criticized by the opposition, which believes that the country could fall into autocracy.

In February 2016, Bolivians said "no" to Morales during a referendum to amend the constitution, which only allows two terms. However, a year later, this decision was overturned by a controversial decision of the Constitutional Court, which ruled that competition was his "human right".

Supporters of the Morales MAS and the opposition, which some sectors have called for "rebellion", have promised to withdraw in case of victory of the opposing side.

Morales has campaigned on its economic success, maintaining high growth, a marked reduction in poverty and a record level of international reserves, which has made Bolivia one of the countries with the best growth rate in the region.

But "the Bolivian economic model [basado en la explotación de materias primas], which has been running for years, is no longer viable, "warned Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue Expert Group in Washington.

In addition, the huge fires that devastated an area almost as large as Switzerland in August and September have provoked outrage among indigenous peoples who accuse Morales of sacrificing Pachamama (Mother Earth in Quechua), in order to expand the agricultural border and increase production. of meat destined for China.

Environmental activists are challenging a recent law authorizing an increase of 5 to 20 hectares in deforestation.
The 7.3 million Bolivian voters elect, besides the president and the vice-president, their 166 parliamentarians.