MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolivian Indian leader proclaimed presidential candidate

Bolivian Indian leader Evo Morales is the official candidate of his party Movement Toward Socialism, MAS, for the coming presidential election of December 4.

Evo, as he's known in Bolivia was proclaimed candidate over the weekend in the city of Cochabamba, region of Chapare and his stronghold, and from where most of the protest movements that have caused political turmoil, --including the ousting of two presidents-- in Bolivia in the last few years were born.

"This is a decision from the popular movement, from the social movements, from those sectors and citizens' organizations committed to progress, from businessmen who love our country and the intellectuals who favour structural changes in Bolivia", said Mr. Morales in his acceptance speech.

So far two other candidates have announced they would be running, former president Jorge Quiroga, and businessman Samuel Doria Medina.

According to an opinion poll published over the weekend in La Paz, Mr. Quiroga leads in vote intention with 21%, followed by Mr. Doria Medina 16% and finally Mr. Morales with 15%.

Actually Mr. Quiroga who was vice president and took office when former president Hugo Banzer died in 2001 has been leading opinion polls for several months.

The official campaign period begins October 2 and will extend for two months.

However Mr. Morales partner in the ticket remains vacant and Bolivia's two main historic parties, Nationalist Revolutionary Movement and the Revolutionary Left Movement have yet to announce whom they will support.

Bolivia is currently ruled, since last June, by caretaker president Eduardo Rodríguez, former head of the Supreme Court who accepted on condition a new Executive and Legislative was elected next December.

He replaced Carlos Mesa who as vice-president of ousted elected (June 2002) president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, took office in October 2003.

Mr. Sanchez de Lozada and Mr. Mesa were unable to solve two major issues which have divided Bolivian public opinion and paralyzed the country with street protests and road blockades for months: oil and gas policy, and regional autonomy.

The political agreement to advance elections has cooled tempers and generated a political truth on these major issues at least until next December.

But since if there's not a clear majority Congress votes in the new president, it could happen that popular vote is overrun by a coalition in the Legislative, which has happened before.