Evo Morales’ party claims victory in re-run Bolivian presidential election

Evo Morales’ party has claimed victory in Bolivia’ s presidential election as results trickled in from the re-run of last year's annulled ballot that saw the leftist leader resign and flee the country.

More than nine hours after polls closed, barely 6 per cent of all ballot boxes had been counted and they showed Mr Morales’ handpicked successor, Luis Arce, trailing conservative rival Carlos Mesa.

However, with a private quick count of sampled polling stations favouring Mr Arce by a wide margin, even interim president Jeanine Anez – an arch-rival of Mr Morales – recognised that the socialist movement looked set to return to power in what looked to be a major jolt to South America’s beleaguered left.

“I congratulate the winners and I ask them to govern thinking in Bolivia and in our democracy,” Ms Anez said on Twitter.

Bolivians have long been accustomed to quick preliminar y results in presidential elections. But after alle - gations of fraud and days of unrest marred last year’s ballot, newly installed electoral authorities had been appealing for patience, reminding voters that they have up to five days to declare a winner.

While voting was peaceful, the long wait on Sunday night for results fuelled speculation that something was awry.

Adding to the intrigue, the publication of two exit polls was also withheld after private pollsters said they did not trust their own survey results.

Mr Morales broke the tense silence by declaring Mr Arce the winner.

Later, two pollsters said a quick count of official tally sheets at select polling stations showed Mr Arce had garnered more than 50 per cent of the votes, compared to 31 per cent for former president Mr Mesa, the top finisher of four rival candidates. “We’ve recovered our democracy,” Mr Morales said in brief remarks from exile in Argentina. “Lucho will be our president.”

Appearing a few minutes later, Mr Arce took a less strident tone and appealed for calm, saying he would seek to form a government of national unity.

“I think the Bolivian people want to re take the path we were on,” Mr Arce declared around midnight surrounded by a small group of supporters, some of them in traditional Andean dress in honour of the country’s Indigenous roots.

The early official results favoured Mr Mesa, a former journalist and historian, with 49 per cent compared to 33 per cent for Mr Arce.

Prior to voting, polls showed Mr Arc ea head but lacking enough votes to avoid a November run-off, where conser vative voters would have probably rallied behind Mr Mesa. To win in the first round, a candidate needs more than 50 per cent of the vote, or 40 per cent with a lead of at least 10 percentage points over the second-placed candidate.

Mr Arce, whoover saw a surge in grow th and reduction in poverty as Mr Morales’ economy minister for more than a decade, would face an up hill battle trying to jumpstart growth this time.

The coronavirus, which led authorities to postpone Sunday’ selection twice, has hit the impoverished, landlocked Bolivia harder than almost any other country.