He also thanked the voters who had supported him. Bolivia’s coronavirus cases surpass 100,000, with authorities predicting September peak. All

Published 21 October 2019. Morales called his ouster a coup and a non-elected conservative government has ruled ever since. I congratulate the winners," Añez said on Twitter. We Insist: A Timeline Of Protest Music In 2020. Schools are seeing a drop in virtual attendance as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect daily life in the US. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. He's a guy called Luis Arce. Bolivians voted for a new president on Sunday. .css-8h1dth-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-8h1dth-Link:hover,.css-8h1dth-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. Yesterday, they suddenly scrapped plans to put out a rolling tally of early results 'cause they're trying to avoid the turmoil of last year's election - when the rolling count showed that the election was going to a second round, then everything stopped for 24 hours, and when it resumed, Morales was heading for an outright victory.

CNN's Eleni Giokos caught up with Kobo360 CEO, Obi Ozor, to talk about technology's vital role in efficient operations, and his vision of being the first African logistics company on a global scale. His closest competitor was Mesa, who leads Bolivia's Citizen Community party. However, the official results have not yet been released. Snap general elections are scheduled to be held in Bolivia on 18 October 2020. But this seems to be based on the findings of a couple of exit pollsters. Here’s what’s going on, Anti-mask protesters descend on Vancouver for 2nd day of ‘mega freedom rally’, More RCMP sent to Nova Scotia over fishing conflict, Some Republican voters refuse to vote for Trump, Coronavirus: Concerns mount over violence in the workplace for front-line workers, ‘Freedom Rally’: hundreds protest pandemic protocols in Vancouver, Coronavirus: Trump comments on feelings toward Fauci following remarks during campaign staff call, Health Canada adds to growing list of recalled hand sanitizers, Bolivia awaits tense presidential election results amid coronavirus, Bolivia’s coronavirus cases surpass 100,000, with authorities predicting September peak. Arce also faces the challenge of emerging from the long shadow of his former boss, who remains polarizing but whose support enabled the low-key, UK-educated economist to mount a strong campaign. Here's one reason why, Tropical Depression Twenty-Seven forms in the Atlantic, How Dr. Fauci reacted to Trump's Covid-19 diagnosis, How smart traffic lights can save you time, New video appears to show Michigan suspects in training, Stelter addresses the media critique he hears most often, Sketchy origins of the NY Post's Hunter Biden story. VideoThe story of the blaze that destroyed Moria camp, Arctic Circle teens call for help to save their homes. And since then, Bolivia has been politically volatile and even more polarized. Many indigenous Bolivians continue to back him, saying Mr Mesa - who is running for the Civic Community (Comunidad Ciudadana) political alliance - embodies the white Bolivian elite and question his commitment to the poor.

A senior State Department official this week said the U.S. is ready to work with whomever Bolivians select in a free and fair vote. Nearly 8,400 of its 11.6 million people have died of COVID-19. He's 57. Goodman reported from Medellin, Colombia. We will make Bolivia proud," Mesa said on Twitter Monday morning. But if true, that would be a major development in Latin America, a sharp turn to the left that won't be welcomed in Washington.

REEVES: Yeah. Bolivia has been hard hit by COVID-19.

The Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) presidential candidate Luis Arce obtained 52.4 percent of the votes, the Citizen Community (CC) candidate Carlos Mesa got 31.5 percent, and the "We Believe Alliance" candidate Luis Fernando Camacho reached 14.1 percent of the votes. "We will have to lead the opposition. Arce, whom Morales handpicked as his successor, has previously served as the country's finance minister. However, they were postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Less than 20% of the votes have been officially counted, and it could take days before the election's winner is formally proclaimed. But his message of curtailing spending has not proven popular with poor voters who have seen steady improvements to their quality of life under President Morales.

Bolivia, once one of the most politically volatile countries in Latin America, experienced a rare period of stability under Morales, the country’s first Indigenous president. Although outrage with corruption fueled a resurgence in right-wing politics, notably in Brazil, Arce’s victory is bound to reenergize the left, whose anthem of economic justice has broad appeal in a region poverty is expected to surge to 37% this year, according to the United Nations. Results Are Pending In Bolivia's Presidential Election Bolivians voted for a new president on Sunday. According to Bolivia's electoral rules, a candidate needs at least 40% of the votes to win, and a lead of 10% ahead of his opponent to win during the first round. KING: OK. NPR's Philip Reeves covering this story from Brazil. But with a private quick count of sampled polling stations favouring Arce by a wide margin, even interim President Jeanine Áñez — an archrival of Morales — recognized that the socialist movement looked set to return to power in what looked to be a major jolt to South America’s beleaguered left. There is concern in Bolivia after the electoral authority stopped updating its website showing the preliminary results of the presidential election. According to Bolivia's electoral rules, a candidate needs at least 40% of the votes to win, and a lead of 10% ahead of his opponent to win during the first round. Unemployment has spiked since the pandemic began, the International Monetary Fund is predicting a nearly 8% drop in GDP this year, and last month, US credit ratings agency Moody's downgraded Bolivia's standing.

Morales, who turns 61 this month, said at a news conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Monday that he plans to return to Bolivia, though he did not say when.

KING: A question that is relevant to U.S. listeners' interests - you've got a really polarized country, right? Bolivians wore masks and socially distanced, and the authorities asked them to bring their own pens to the voting booths. Speaking with CNN, Morales said: "Sooner or later we will return to Bolivia," adding that his return was "just a matter of time. Copyright © 2020 NPR. The Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) presidential candidate Luis Arce obtained 52.4 percent of the votes, the Citizen Community (CC) candidate Carlos Mesa got 31.5 percent, and the "We Believe Alliance" candidate Luis Fernando Camacho reached 14.1 percent of the votes. The early counted votes appeared to be largely from urban areas rather than the rural heartlands that have been the base of support for Morales and his movement. He actually resigned after an election that wound up being annulled because of allegations of fraud. Unofficial exit polls suggest Arce has a strong enough lead to claim the presidency.

But he has been criticised over his environmental policies, after forest fires that destroyed four million hectares of land in eastern Bolivia.

Those postponements led to mass protests a couple of months ago, including a nationwide blockade, and that stoked up tensions along. The Socialist candidate Luis Arce is already receiving congratulatory messages. Añez herself contracted the virus, along with roughly a dozen members of her senior cabinet.

This couple from Canada wanted friends and family to be able to join in on their special day, despite the coronavirus pandemic and a border in the way. pic.twitter.com/mAWa4JlTud. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.