Exterior of the Electoral Tribunal building in Santa Cruz, Bolivia which was set alight by demonstrators
LA PAZ, Oct 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — Bolivian President Evo Morales warned that a right-wing coup was in progress with foreign backing as protesters contested the results of Sunday’s general elections.
“I am denouncing to the people and the world that a coup d’etat is in progress with international support,” Morales said at a press conference following the outbreak of protests by far right groups.
“I want the whole world to know, we have patiently withstood (the unrest), we have not resorted to violence,” said Morales, who ran for reelection for a fourth term in the closely-watched general elections.
Morales said the official results from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) will confirm that most voters chose to reelect him. The TSE was expected to make an announcement later in the day.
A rapid count late Sunday showed that Morales won but not by enough to avoid a runoff on Dec 15. Morales’ political party, Movement To Socialism (MAS), also won a majority in the legislature, preliminary results show.
To win outright, Bolivian law requires a candidate to get more than 50 percent of the vote or more than 40 percent of the vote with a 10-percent lead over his or her closest rival.
Due to the protests, Morales declared a nationwide state of emergency.
Asked about the indefinite strikes announced in the cities of Santa Cruz, Potosi and Tarija, Morales said the “political strikes only cause economic damage” to the regions.
Morales blamed the unrest on the leaders of the conservative opposition, saying they want to dismiss the vote of his largely rural and indigenous base. — NNN-XINHUA
