Bolivia to head for presidential election runoff with centrist, right-wing ex-leader
(MENAFN) Bolivia is headed for a runoff presidential election as centrist Senator Rodrigo Paz and right-wing former President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga emerged as the top contenders, defying pre-election polls. With 90% of ballots counted, the National Electoral Council (CNE) reported Paz leading with 31% and Quiroga in second with 27%.
Paz, 57, of the Christian Democratic Party, surprised observers as a frontrunner. He is the son of former President Jaime Paz Zamora (1989–1993) and spent part of his early life in exile in Spain. He began his political career as a lawmaker in 2002 and later served as mayor and governor of Tarija, gradually gaining recognition during the campaign.
Quiroga, 65, representing the Alianza Libre coalition, will face Paz in the runoff. Having served as president from 2001 to 2002 after completing Hugo Banzer’s term, Quiroga has unsuccessfully sought the presidency three times before. “Bolivia told the world that we want to live in a free nation. It’s a historic night,” he said following the preliminary results.
Center-right businessman Samuel Doria Medina, previously expected to advance to the runoff, finished third, while leftist Andronico Rodriguez and other candidates trailed behind.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
