Bolivia’s president agrees to fresh elections after damning audit, mass protests
- A damning report by the Organisation of American States found serious irregularities in an October 20 vote won by Morales, recommending it should be annulled
- It follows weeks of protests around the country, including the rebellion of an elite police tactical operations unit on Friday
Bolivian President Evo Morales agreed on Sunday to hold new presidential elections after a damning report from the Organisation of American States (OAS) found serious irregularities in an October 20 vote won by the leftist leader.
Morales’ victory last month sparked widespread protests around the country.
The OAS report, issued earlier on Sunday, said the October vote should be annulled after it had found “clear manipulations” of the voting system that meant it could not verify the result.
Morales, speaking at a press conference in La Paz, also said he would replace the country’s electoral body. The department has come under heavy criticism after an unexplained halt to the vote count sparked widespread allegations of fraud and prompted the OAS audit.
Morales came to power in 2006 as Bolivia’s first indigenous leader and has defended his election win but had said he would adhere to the findings of the OAS audit.