LA PAZ: Bolivians are set to close the chapter on two decades of left-wing governance in Sunday’s presidential election.
Two right-wing frontrunners are promising sweeping reforms to tackle the country’s severe economic crisis.
Nearly 20 years after Evo Morales rose to power on a socialist platform, Bolivia faces dire shortages of dollars, fuel, and basic goods.
Polls suggest a crushing defeat for the ruling Movement towards Socialism (MAS), once a dominant force in Latin America’s “Pink Tide.”
Even longtime left-wing supporters like 70-year-old Carlos Tavera are turning to opposition candidates for change.
“Anyone else would be better than this,“ Tavera told AFP in La Paz.
In Santa Cruz, a conservative stronghold, engineer Freddy Millan framed the vote as a rejection of socialism.
“A vast majority wants change,“ Millan said, describing Bolivia as having hit “rock bottom.”
Business tycoon Samuel Doria Medina and ex-president Jorge Quiroga lead the race with around 20% support each.
Both candidates vow to cut subsidies, privatise failing state firms, and attract foreign investment.
They also plan to distance Bolivia from leftist allies like Venezuela and Cuba while strengthening US ties.
With no clear majority expected, a runoff between the top two contenders is likely on October 19.
The MAS candidate and a leftist senator trail far behind, polling in single digits.
“The government simply has no one else to blame,“ said researcher Pablo Calderon Martinez.
Morales’s era saw Bolivia prosper from gas revenues, funding social programs that reduced poverty.
But dwindling gas income, now at $1.6 billion, has left the country struggling to afford imports.
Inflation surged to 24.8% in July, the highest in over 15 years.
Outgoing President Luis Arce warned of possible debt default without international aid.
Many young voters in La Paz believe only Doria Medina or Quiroga can revive the economy.
Morales, barred from running, remains influential but faces legal troubles over alleged misconduct.
From hiding, he has urged supporters to spoil ballots, raising fears of post-election unrest.
Analyst Glaeldys Gonzalez notes Bolivians may accept tough reforms given the crisis.
“The gravity of the crisis has made many people more open to these changes,“ she said. – AFP