Ex-Dictator Leads in Bolivian Voting
- Share via
LA PAZ, Bolivia — Former dictator Hugo Banzer, who campaigned on helping the poor, emerged Monday as the top vote-getter in Bolivia’s presidential election.
But Banzer, of the Nationalist Democratic Action party, needs to win a majority and faces a congressional vote to decide the race. Congress chooses between the top two vote-getters if no candidate wins a majority.
The jockeying for a congressional majority is likely to pit Banzer against Juan Carlos Duran of the ruling centrist Nationalist Revolutionary Movement. Duran’s campaign stressed free-market reforms.
Banzer, who ruled Bolivia with an iron hand until 1978, promised to fight poverty and improve services for the population.
He led the field of 10 candidates with 22% of the vote in Sunday’s election. The results were compiled by local media after 88% of the votes had been counted.
Duran had 18%, and former President Jaime Paz Zamora 17%.
All top candidates promised to continue free-market reforms.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.