Historic victory for Evo

Yesterday was election day in Bolivia. As always, the polls were completely wrong, predicting a small majority for Evo Morales, the left-wing leader of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) over his neo-liberal US educated rival Tuto Quiroga, which would have meant Congress having to choose a President. It is almost certain that Evo has obtained 51%, meaning for the first time in the country´s history, they will have directly elected their leader. It is doubly historic, because he is also Bolivia´s first indigenous leader, of Aymara ascent.

It was very exciting watching the election results come in yesterday evening on TV. The tension had been building up all week what with the alcohol ban for 3 and a half days, lorry loads of soldiers driving around the city and from midnight on saturday no private or public transport permitted for 24 hours. On the plus side, it meant we had the opportunity to cycle unhindered around the city and play football in the street.

The US Administration and many other observers around the world have been watching closely: Evo´s left wing brand of politics is more Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro than Tony Blair and there are some who suggest he will end the coca eradication programme, nationalise gas and oil industries and seize land from the rich. Conspiracy theorists are even predicting a US invasion (see earlier posting about American base on Paraguay-Bolivia border). On the other hand, he make take the more moderate approach of Lula in Brazil (hopefully minus the corruption).

Personally I was very happy with the result: Bolivia has followed US and IMF policies for 20 years with little benefit to the majority of the population, in fact poverty has got worse and therefore I think that a radical change in policy may provide an opportunity to try something else that may improve the lot for the majority. There are however a large minority, mainly from the middle classes, who genuinely fear what Evo´s victory will mean for the country. It was very revealing watching events unfold with my girlfriend´s family as they all voted for his main rival and are very worried. The truth is no one knows what will happen... vamos a ver.