Bolivian presidential election, 2005

The 2005 Bolivian presidential election was held on December 18, 2005. The two main candidates were Evo Morales of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) Party, and Jorge Quiroga, leader of the Democratic and Social Power (PODEMOS) Party and former head of the Acción Democrática Nacionalista (ADN) Party. Felipe Quispe, of the Pachakutik Indigenous Movement (MIP), also presented himself. Morales won the election with 54% of the vote, an absolute majority; Quiroga conceded defeat, and Morales was sworn in on January 22 2006, for a five-year term. Morales claimed his victory marks Bolivia's first election of an indigenous head of state, but this claim genered controversy, [cite news|url=http://www.bolpress.com/art.php?Cod=2006012217|publisher=Bolpress|date=2006-01-01|title=¿Evo indígena o mestizo?] however, due to the number of mestizo presidents who came before him, [ Mesa, José, Gisbert, Teresa, Mesa Gisbert, Carlos D. "Historia de Bolivia: Segunda Edición corregida y actualizada". Editorial Gisbert. La Paz, 1998.] and was challenged publicly by such figures as Mario Vargas Llosa, [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/latin_america/newsid_4633000/4633898.stm|publisher=BBC Mundo|date=2006-01-21|title=Vargas Llosa: "un nuevo racismo"] who accuse Evo of fomenting racial divisions in an increasingly mestizo Latin America.

Background

Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America and has one of the highest rates of poverty in the Western Hemisphere with nearly 70% living below the poverty line and 14.4% living on less than one U.S. dollar a day.

The total population is about 9.1 million with 3.7 million citizens registered to vote. About 30% of the electorate are Quechua-speaking and 25% are Aymara. Voting is compulsory for all Bolivians over the age of 18.

Bolivians abroad were not able to take part. Bolivia's ethnic distribution is estimated to be 33% Quechua and 30% Aymara Amerindians, 25% Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) and 12% European.

In the 2000s, there were high levels of political instability across the country, including five Presidents in four years. Much of the instability dates back to the economic reforms otherwise known as "shock therapy" implemented by President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada whereby many formerly public utilities were privatized.

These reforms ulitmately lead to the First Bolivian Gas War in October 2003 where protesters, many of them of indigenous descent, essentially forced the resignation of Sánchez de Lozada. Carlos Mesa temporarily served as interim President.

In his year in office, Mesa held a national referendum on the prospect of the nationalization of the hydrocarbons industry which he claimed to have won. Critics however said that the questions were vague and ambiguous with regard to outright nationalization of the hydrocarbons industry.

In May 2005 the Second Bolivian Gas War began after Congress agreed to raise taxes on foreign companies from 18% to 32%. The unions, led by Evo Morales, felt the law did not go far enough and effectively shut down the country, blockading major roads and cutting off the food supplies of several large cities.

In June 2005 the protests ultimately led to Mesa's resignation. Supreme Court Chief Justice Eduardo Rodríguez assumed the position of President of the Republic after the presidents of both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies declined the position and Rodríguez was fourth in line of succession.

Viewed as an apolitical figure, Rodríguez was welcomed by protesters and called for the presidential elections slated to take place in 2007 to be brought forward to December 2005.

Results

References

External links

* [http://www.cne.org.bo/ National Electoral Court of Bolivia (in Spanish)]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4539454.stm BBC "Crucial Choice for Bolivian Voters"]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4531446.stm BBC "Q&A: Bolivian Elections"]
* [http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/12/17/bolivia-election051217.html CBC "Left-wing candidate favoured to win Bolivian election"]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5060314 NPR's Weekend Edition: "Bolivians Vote for President"]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5058713 NPR's All Things Considered "Bolivia Prepares for Presidential Election"]
* [http://www.mas.org.bo/ MAS Official Campaign Site]