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Quiroga Leads in Bolivia, Only Without Mesa
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Former head of state Jorge Quiroga is the early frontrunner in Bolivia's presidential race, according to a poll by Apoyo, Opinión y Mercado published in La Razón. 17 per cent of respondents would vote for Quiroga.
A series of demonstrations calling for the nationalization of the hydrocarbon industry and constitutional amendments forced interim president Carlos Mesa to resign on Jun. 9. Former chief justice of the Supreme Court Eduardo Rodríguez became the country's head of state, promising to hold a presidential election within the next five months.
Quiroga acted as the South American country's president from August 2001 to August 2002, taking over after Hugo Banzer resigned due to health reasons.
Samuel Doria Medina of the National Unity Front (FUN) is second on the list of prospective candidates with 16 per cent, followed by indigenous leader Evo Morales of the Movement to Socialism (MAS) with 14 per cent. Support is lower for New Republican Force (NFR) leader Manfred Reyes, former president Jaime Paz Zamora and Juan Carlos Durán of the Nationalist Revolutionary Movement (MNR).
Mesa had originally taken over as president after the resignation of Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada in October 2003. The elected head of state was forced to step down after a series of violent protests over a controversial proposal to export natural gas. If a constitutional amendment allowed Mesa to become a candidate, he would hold a 13 per cent lead over Quiroga.
Polling Data
If these candidates ran for president, which one would you support?
Jorge Quiroga | 17% |
Samuel Doria Medina | 16% |
Evo Morales | 14% |
Manfred Reyes | 5% |
Jaime Paz Zamora | 3% |
Juan Carlos Durán | 3% |
If a constitutional amendment allowed Carlos Mesa to become a candidate, who would you support?
Carlos Mesa | 25% |
Jorge Quiroga | 12% |
Evo Morales | 11% |
Samuel Doria Medina | 11% |
Hormando Vaca Díez | 3% |
Manfred Reyes | 3% |
Juan Carlos Durán | 2% |
Jaime Paz Zamora | 2% |
Source: Apoyo, Opinión y Mercado / La Razón
Methodology: Interviews to 1,023 adult Bolivians in La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, conducted from Jun. 11 to Jun. 21, 2005. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.