LA PAZ: Violent clashes broke out in Bolivian cities late Monday after the main opposition candidate rejected results of a presidential election that seemed set to hand victory to long-time incumbent Evo Morales. Carlos Mesa, a former president who came a close second to Morales in Sunday's polls -- forcing a run-off, according to preliminary results -- denounced revised results released by election authorities as a "fraud." Election monitors from the Organization of American States earlier expressed "deep concern" at sudden changes to the election count that showed Morales closing in on an outright victory in the first round. Preliminary results released late Sunday showed neither Morales, 59, nor 66-year-old Mesa with a majority and "clearly indicated a second round," the OAS mission said. Morales, Latin America's longest-serving president, is controversially seeking a fourth term.

Source: New Strait Times October 22, 2019 04:07 UTC