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Morales Gains, Quiroga Drops in Bolivia
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Indigenous leader Evo Morales is the top presidential hopeful in Bolivia, according to a poll by Apoyo, Opinión y Mercado published in La Razón. 28 per cent of respondents would vote for the Movement to Socialism (MAS) candidate in this year's election.
Former head of state Jorge Quiroga of We Can (Podemos) is second with 22 per cent, followed by Samuel Doria Medina of the National Unity Front (FUN) with 19 per cent.
Support is lower for Michiaki Nagatani of the Nationalist Revolutionary Movement (MNR), Gildo Angulo of the New Republican Force (NFR) and Felipe Quispe of the Indigenous Pachakuti Movement (MIP). Néstor García of the Bolivian Workers Social Union (USTB) and Eliseo Rodríguez of the Bolivian Farming Patriotic Front (FREPAB) are also contending.
In June, a series of demonstrations calling for the nationalization of the hydrocarbon industry and constitutional amendments forced the resignation of interim president Carlos Mesa. Former chief justice of the Supreme Court Eduardo Rodríguez became the country's head of state, promising to hold a presidential election before the end of the year.
In July, Rodríguez signed a decree to schedule a presidential and legislative ballot for Dec. 4, following the passage of the electoral timetable by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. A constituent assembly and a referendum on the current division of powers would take place in July 2006.
Morales has named Álvaro García Linera as his running mate. 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.
Yesterday, Morales ruled out any post-election pact with Doria Medina, adding, "It is not our intention to enter any type of alliance with neo-liberal parties."
Polling Data
If these candidates ran for president, which one would you support?
Sept. 2005 | Aug. 2005 | Jul. 2005 | |
Evo Morales (MAS) | 28% | 21% | 15% |
Jorge Quiroga (Podemos) | 22% | 22% | 22% |
Samuel Doria Medina (FUN) | 19% | 14% | 16% |
Michiaki Nagatani (MNR) | 2% | -- | -- |
Gildo Angulo (NFR) | 1% | -- | -- |
Felipe Quispe (MIP) | 1% | -- | -- |
Source: Apoyo, Opinión y Mercado / La Razón
Methodology: Interviews to 2,150 adult Bolivians in the cities of La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, and in the rural areas of Guaqui, Clisa and Porongo, conducted from Sept. 9 to Sept. 15, 2005. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.