Bolivian President Praises
Massive Participation In Regional Elections
LA PAZ - Bolivian President Evo Morales on
Sunday hailed the Bolivians' massive
participation in the regional elections as a
vital step to make the country a freer, more
democratic and sovereign state.
Bolivians voted on Sunday to elect the
governors of nine departments, 267 members
of departmental assembly (23 are
indigenous), and 337 mayors, advisors,
deputy governors and deputy mayors.
The voting began at 08:00 a.m. local time
(1200 GMT) and closed at 4:00 p.m. (2000
GMT).
More than 5 million Bolivians voted for
governors, and give continuity to the
indigenous, regional, municipal and
departmental autonomy in the country.
"Without doubt, these elections are historic
and they will show us the path of autonomy,
and we are also burying dictatorship,"
Morales said.
The president also praised the "democratic
discipline" of the Bolivian people during
the elections since the absence rate was
reduced to less than 5 percent from 25
percent five years ago.
The record-high voter turnout was "a proof
of the deepening of the Bolivian democracy,"
said Morales.
Noticeably, one of the voting centers was
installed in a jail in the town of Camarago
in Chuquisaca department, southeast of La
Paz, where 12 voters cast their votes.
According to Antonio Costas, president of
the National Electoral Court (CNE), the
elections were supervised by at least 100
international observers to guarantee
transparency.
The Organization of American States has sent
a 50-member mission, headed by Panamanian
President Aristides Royo, to monitor the
election process.
Meanwhile, the Office of UN High
Commissioner of Human Rights in Bolivia also
watched the elections, with UN officers
deployed in the departments of Beni,
Chuquisaca, La Paz, Pando, Tarija and Santa
Cruz.
The departmental and municipal elections in
Bolivia were conducted with political
enthusiasm and in normality, the CNE said.
"It is a tranquil election day, a day
without large incidents. The Bolivian people
love democracy. We are seeing a great number
of people at the voting centers," Costas
said.
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