Bolivian President Ratified in Post, Three Prefects Lose Vote

Written by Various Media

Sunday, 10 August 2008 12:57

The President and Vicepresident of Bolivia, Evo Morales and Alvaro Garcia, respectively, were ratified in their posts, according to preliminary results of the referendum held today.
The first results obtained after a quick count broadcast by local media, confer the current government leaders a support of more than 60 percent of the votes, way above what was needed to keep their functions.
According to that source, five of eight prefects subject to the voting, were also confirmed in their posts, while three will have to step down from their responsibilities.
Reports sustain that Mario Virreina, of Potosí, Ruben Costas of Santa Cruz, Ernesto Suarez of Beni, Mario Cossio of Tarija and Leopoldo Fernandez of Pando will continue in their current jobs.
Meanwhile, Manfred Reyes of Cochabamba, Jose Luis Paredes of La Paz and Alberto Luis Aguilar of Oruro, did not receive the necessary support from the voters.
Paredes assured he will accept defeat and step down from his post, but Reyes maintains a negative stand denying to assume defeat.
In the departments where the governors where ratified, the population celebrates victory at the polls, while the same happens with the followers of the current administration.

From BBC:

"What the Bolivian people have expressed with their votes today is the consolidation of change," Mr Morales told thousands of cheering supporters in La Paz.
"We're here to move forward with the recovery of our natural resources, the consolidation of nationalisation, and the state takeover of companies," he told the crowd from the balcony of the presidential palace.

From NY Times

Signaling how the referendum may reignite tensions, the governor of Cochabamba, Manfred Reyes, said the referendum itself was unconstitutional. "I go on being prefect of Cochabamba," said Mr. Reyes on Sunday night.

Preliminary unofficial percentage results from Bolivia Indymedia

	PREFECTOS				PRESIDENTE
Fuente	TVB		ATB		PAT		UNITEL
	Si	No	Si	No	Si	No	Si	No
Santa Cruz	66	34	67,2	32,8	35	65	39	61
Beni	65	35	61,1	38,9	37	63	43	57
Pando	61	39	58,7	41,3	43	57	49	51
Tarija	61	39	64,4	35,6	38	62	47	53
Cochabamba	42	58	40,5	59,5	64	36	71	29
Chuquisaca					41	59	46	54
Potosi	64	36	75,5	24,5	79	21	79	21
Oruro	39	61	44,9	55,1	79	21	81	19
La Paz	41	59	44	56	80	20	81	19

Please stay tuned for more Upside Down World reports from Bolivia on the recall vote and aftermath.

Also see: Optimism and Uncertainty Follow Bolivian Recall Vote