President Evo Morales led in early returns from the first round of Sunday’s presidential election, but he appeared to have failed to get enough votes to avoid a runoff in the tightest political race of his life. Morales voted early in the coca-growing region of El Chapare, where residents threw flower petals at him and he said he remained confident of his chances. “I’m thinking of a real change because I think that Evo Morales has done what he had to do and should leave by the front door,” said Nicolas Choque, a car washer. That is the principal reason that I’m not going to vote for Evo Morales.”Bolivians were also electing all 166 congressional seats. “It would break with the myth that it’s hard to beat Evo Morales.”

Source: Los Angeles Times October 21, 2019 03:56 UTC