Bolivia’s president Arce vows to ‘rebuild’ country as landslide socialist win confirmed

Bolivia’s president-elect Luis Arce pledged on Friday to “rebuild” the Andean country after a tumultuous year thanks to political turmoil and the pandemic, as the official vote count confirmed a landslide win for his socialist party.

The final tally showed Mr Arce won just over 55 per cent of the vote, sweeping the socialists back into power just a year after the party’s leftist leader Evo Morales was ousted amid protests.

The win draws the curtain on a painful period for Bolivia after an election late last year was dogged by disputed allegations of fraud, sparking violent protests, looting, and blockades, and eventually prompting Mr Morales to resign.

“Now our great challenge is to rebuild our homeland in peace, to regain joy, stability and hope for a better tomorrow for all Bolivians,” Mr Arce said on social media in response to the final result, with a video of his support around the country.

“We won’t let down the trust that people have placed in us.”

The count put Mr Arce, a pragmatic economist who is credited with fostering Bolivia’s boom years from the mid-2000s, more than 26 points ahead of centrist runner-up Carlos Mesa, who had just shy of 29 per cent – a far larger gap than had been expected.

Mr Arce, who was economy minister under Mr Morales, was seen as a moderating voice in his government. Earlier this week, he said Mr Morales would have no role in his administration.

Mr Morales is living in exile in Argentina, but remains the president of Mr Arce’s party, the Movement Toward Socialism, and played a key role in picking Mr Arce as the party’s candidate.

With the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and an economic slide, the vote was a body blow for Bolivia’s centrist and conservative parties, which played only a bit-part role in Mr Morales’ near 14-year administration.

Caretaker president Jeanine Anez, who took over in the midst of a power vacuum last year, withdrew from the race in the election build-up, while Mr Mesa led a muted campaign. Third place runner Luis Camacho was limited to a small conservative base.

Mr Mesa, who also placed second in the since-voided 2019 vote, congratulated Mr Arce on Twitter, though he already conceded defeat at the start of the week when rapid counts showed a big Arce win.

“We will remain vigilant in the democratic opposition fulfilling the mandate of the people,” Mr Mesa said.

Governments and observers have widely heralded the election for being peaceful and transparent – in contrast to the 2019 vote which led to running street battles between party supporters and security forces, and the deaths of over 30 people.

Salvador Romero, the head of Bolivia’s electoral authority, said in a press conference late on Friday that Bolivia could celebrate “the closing of the count”, adding there had been huge voter turnout despite the pandemic.

“With 88 per cent participation, Bolivians set the second highest record in our history and one of the highest in Latin America in the 21st century,” he told reporters.

“This affirms how people want to live in peace and with institutions that fulfill their mission, and rejected the ominous predictions of confrontation and violence.”

Reuters