Bolivia is holding its Presidential Election on Sunday, amidst its worst economic crisis in twenty years.
By James Blears
Bolivia is currently suffering due to acute shortages of food, fuel, medicines and dwindling currency reserves.
Outgoing President Luis Arce, has declined to compete in this election. H has fallen out with former President Evo Morales who is banned from being a Candidate.
They are both leading members of the Movement for Socialism, known as MAS, which has ruled Bolivia for most of the time since 2006. Eduardo del Castillo is the MAS Candidate.
Andronico Rodriguez who leads the Senate, split from MAS and is an independent leftist Candidate.
Samuel Doria Medina a business mogul and the founder of the Right leaning National Unity front, has run three times before, trying to become President and has yet to succeed.
So has Jorge ”Tuto” Quiroga of the Libre Party. Yet, he was Vice President of Bolivia and briefly President after Hugo Banzer stepped down for health reasons.
There will simultaneously be Elections for the 130 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate numbering 36.
Seven million Bolivians are eligible to vote.
An outright winner in round one would have to gain at least forty percent of the vote with a ten percent lead over the nearest rival.
Whoever wins, either in the first or second round, which would be on October 19th, has a daunting stabilization task ahead, during the next five years.
