Bolivians bang on pots and pans in fifth day of protest at President Evo Morales’ election win
- Bolivians are protesting against Morales claimed a fourth consecutive election victory, extending his rule to nearly two decades
- Election monitors, the opposition and some foreign governments have criticised the poll for lacking transparency
Bolivians banged on pots and pans from windows and rooftops in the capital La Paz on Friday, protesting a controversial election count handing President Evo Morales a fourth consecutive term that would extend his rule to nearly two decades.
Morales, 59, who swept to power in 2006 as the country’s first indigenous leader, hailed the official result of Sunday’s vote as another historic triumph for his leftist movement and accused the opposition, without evidence, of trying to stage a coup d’etat with foreign backing.
Morales faced a fifth day of street protests in La Paz and other cities that began after an official quick count of votes was suddenly suspended on Sunday when it revealed Morales heading to a riskier run-off election against rival Carlos Mesa.
A confident Morales said then his socialist party MAS would get an outright win as rural votes trickled in.
The tabulation of ballots at 100 per cent on Friday confirmed his prediction, giving him a 10.57-point lead over Mesa, less than a point above what he needed to avoid a second-round vote.