Evo Morales attacks the opposition
The Bolivian president said that "to ignore the vote of the people, especially the ones of the countryside, country sellers and coup perpetrators have joined".
Evo Morales at a press conference. / Photo: Bolivia Presidency
LatinAmerican Post | Marcela Peñaloza
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Leer en español: Evo Morales arremete contra la oposición
The presidential elections in Bolivia have generated skepticism about the truthfulness of the vote count. After Sunday, October 20, the bulletins on the scrutinized tables were suspended, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal of Bolivia informed on Monday, October 21 that Evo Morales won the presidential elections with 46.03%. According to the results issued by the TSE, the opponent Carlos Mesa obtained 37.35% of the votes.
The difference of more than 10 points between both candidates gives Morales the victory, which has raised the alarm about possible corruption in the voting. This is because at the time of the suspension the advantage was only 7 points, which would have involved a second round. The opposition, led by Mesa, and the Democracy Defense Coordinator, made up of representatives of democratic political parties, civic committees and the National Committee for the Defense of Democracy (CONADE), have denounced that the elections were a fraud .
Hoy creamos la Coordinadora de Defensa de la Democracia. pic.twitter.com/WmCfp8MDwD
— Carlos D. Mesa Gisbert (@carlosdmesag) 24 de octubre de 2019
Mesa, in fact, met with European Union ambassadors and election observers and explained their arguments about the questionable results.
Me reuní con los embajadores de la Unión Europea (Alemania, Reino Unido, Francia, Dinamarca, Italia y España) y los enviados como observadores para las elecciones del pasado domingo, les compartí mis argumentos sobre el fraude ejecutado por el @TSEBolivia pic.twitter.com/ETlnhBcWsG
— Carlos D. Mesa Gisbert (@carlosdmesag) 22 de octubre de 2019
Also read: Evo Morales announces a coup
For the moment, Mesa has announced that peaceful demonstrations will be maintained to demand the execution of the second round. The opponent asks that it be carried out impartially and independently.
La Coordinadora de Defensa de la Democracia exige la convocatoria inmediata a segunda vuelta, administrada de manera idónea, independiente e imparcial.
Nos mantendremos en movilizaciones pacíficas hasta lograr el respeto de la voluntad popular. pic.twitter.com/fZ4G6SJFYY
— Carlos D. Mesa Gisbert (@carlosdmesag) 24 de octubre de 2019
Given the opposition's complaints, Morales has accused the Coordinator of Defense of Democracy and the opponents of being allies of dictators and of joining with vendepatrias and coup plotters.
Para desconocer el voto del pueblo, especialmente del campo, se han juntado vendepatrias y golpistas. Son aliados de dictadores que ayer saquearon #Bolivia con la privatización y excluyeron a los indígenas con la discriminación. El golpismo no pasará. pic.twitter.com/btY8P69lzf
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) 24 de octubre de 2019
In addition, also through his Twitter account, Evo Morales has said this is "the fourth consecutive election we won democratically." However, not all the people agree with Morales, so they have taken the streets of Bolivia to express their discontent.
Saludamos y agradecemos a nuestro pueblo y a los sectores sociales por este nuevo triunfo del MAS-IPSP. Es la cuarta elección consecutiva que ganamos democráticamente. Nos impusimos con más de medio millón de votos al segundo y tenemos mayoría absoluta en diputados y senadores. pic.twitter.com/mCtLriMse4
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) 23 de octubre de 2019
The denunciations and the interruption of the results have caused the OAS to audit the elections in order to verify whether or not there was a fraud.
La OEA hará una auditoría a las Elecciones Generales https://t.co/knTkZ99FxN
— TSE Bolivia (@TSEBolivia) 23 de octubre de 2019
At the moment there is no certainty about whether the second round will be held.
