Bolivians go to polls again

Press, 3 July 1979, Page 8

Bolivians go to polls again

NZPA-Reuter La Paz, Bolivia A former Bolivian President, Hernan Siles Suazo, has taken an early lead over another former President, General Hugo Banzer, according to early returns in the national election held at the week-end. Counting was slow, and th. official results will not be announced until July 27, but a computer prediction should indicate today who the winner will be. Mr Siles Suazo, leader of the Popular Democratic Unity Front was defeated by General Juan Pereda Asbun in last year’s Presidential election.

However, an Electoral Court annulled the voting because of widespread fraud. General Pereda then seized power in a coup d’etat, but he was in turn ousted last November by a group of young officers led by General David Padella — now the President — who promised to step down after democratic elections. No incidents were reported in the week-end voting and six hours after the polls opened more than 60

per cent of the 1,875,003 electorate had voted. There are eight Presidential candi. dates and 1200 contenders for Parliamentary seats. The election represents the latest effort to restore democracy to this landlocked country, which has seen 200 coups d’etat since it gained independence from Spain 154 years ago. The last elected President civilian, Victor Paz Estenssoro, the leader of the Cen t r e-Right Nationalist Revolutionary Movement, was expected to give Ms Siles Suazo a hard race. However, early returns from La Paz showed that General Banzer, who is sup. ported by a Right-wing nat, ionalist alliance, running a surprise second to Mr Siles Suazo. But Mr Paz Estens. soro was expected to do bet< ter when results came in from the provinces. The new President will face serious problems. Tin production, the country’s main source of foreign exchange, is stagnant, its oil reserves are dwindling, and last year Bolivia had a SUS23O million trade deficit.