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LATIN AMERICA |
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Voters
See General Elections As Vital
To Bolivia's Future
LA PAZ - Most of the
Bolivian voters agreed that the general
elections held on Sunday in the South
American country are vital to their
country's future in the next 50 years,
according to a poll.
After polls opened at 7:00 a.m local time
(1100 GMT) at around 1,750 polling stations
across the country, Xinhua asked dozens of
voters at polling stations in La Paz, the
administrative capital and seat of the
Bolivian government, why they chose to
participate in the voting.
Most of the voters said the elections were
very important because the outcome would
decide their country's future for the coming
50 years.
And the same question also drew such answers
as because they "support the process of
change in the country," "we want Evo
(incumbent President Morales) to continue in
power," and "because we don't want
right-wing leaders."
After casting his vote, Juan Ramon Quintana,
minister of the Bolivian presidency, told
reporters at a news briefing that he agreed
that the elections would define the history
of Bolivia in the coming 50 years.
The elections were of special importance to
the country and the people, he said. "These
are not any elections, these elections will
leave a deep mark in the history of Bolivia
in the coming 50 years," Quintana said.
Most of the voters interviewed offered
similar views.
At a polling booth in Armando Escaona Uria
zone, La Paz, Juan Marca, a 54-year-old
baker, said he supported President Morales
because he "has done a good job in the past
four years."
"I hope this government will continue
leading the country and we cannot allow the
neo-liberal corrupt people to return to
power," he said.
Valeria Quispe, a 21-year-old university
student, said she voted for the present
government because she wants "to keep a
government that recognizes its people."
Silvia Cruz, a 39-year-old housewife, said
this was the first time she voted, because
it was the way to "thank a people's
administration."
Citing the financial help her relatives had
received from the government, she said: "How
can we miss the opportunity to support a
government which recognizes its people and
knows about its people's sufferings? With
Evo, we are going to be better."
Sebastian Colque, 29, told Xinhua that his
country had a lot of hope for such things as
justice, job opportunities and better
salaries.
"I think if the people vote for Evo, the
young people can have more opportunities,"
he said.
Rene Gutirerrez, a 48-year-old man who was
among those who voted against Morales,
saying that voting for the incumbent
president would mean allowing power abuses
continue unchecked.
More than half of Bolivia's 10 million
population registered for the Sunday
elections to choose a new president, whose
mandate will last for five years starting on
Jan. 22, 2010, a vice president, 130
deputies and 27 senators.
Eight candidates were competing for the
presidency. According to four latest polls,
President Morales of the Movement for
Socialism gained 55-60 percent of support,
followed by Manfred Reyes Villa, candidate
of the Progress Plan party, with 20-24
percent and Samuel Doria Medina of the
National Unity, who got 9-11 percent.
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