LA PAZ, Bolivia — Carlos Mesa, the Bolivian presidential candidate who appeared Sunday to have won enough votes to force a runoff with the incumbent Evo Morales, accused the ruling party of foul play on Monday as election officials stopped reporting vote-count updates. “This government is trying to block the path to a second round, which was clearly established yesterday,” Mr. Mesa told reporters. The Bolivian election authorities on Sunday night released preliminary election results based on about 83 percent of the votes cast. They showed Mr. Morales ahead with 45 percent, while Mr. Mesa was only seven points behind, with about 38 percent. To avoid a runoff, Mr. Morales, who was seeking a fourth term amid growing Bolivian discontent, needed a 10-point lead.

Source: New York Times October 21, 2019 18:45 UTC