Latinnews Archive
Latin American Weekly Report - 12 July 1985
POLITICS: Rural threat to elections;CSUTCB SAYS BARELY 50% OF RURAL VOTERS ARE REGISTERED
If general elections do take place on 14 July, which is still uncertain, they will probably go down as the most disorganised in history.
The chief culprits are strikes and regional 'upsets'. On the eve of the vote for President, Vice-President, 27 senators, 130 deputies and mayors, residents in the oil-producing town of Camiri shut off the gas line to Argentina -- jeopardising 50% of Bolivia's export revenues -- to demand a telephone link with the rest of the country
Worse still, the powerful Confederacion Sindical Unica de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia (CSUTCB) threatened to mount roadblocks on 8 July. The CSUTCB wants the elections postponed until 1986, claiming that less than 50% of rural dwellers are on the electoral register. Campesinos make up approximately 60% of the population.
The CSUTCB has challenged figures released by the national electoral court (CNE) which recently reported that 2m voters 65% of the potential electorate -- had been registered. The group says insufficient CNE staffing in rural areas has delayed registration in a deliberate ploy to benefit urbanbased candidates -- chiefly former President Hugo Banzer of Accion Democratica Nacionalista (ADN).
If the elections go ahead, Banzer seems assured of victory, despite the scandal over the credentials of his running mate, Eudoro Galindo (WR-85-26). In early July, Hoy claimed that Galindo had received his libreta militar -- one of the requisites of standing for office -- without having done military service in Bolivia.
The latest polls give Banzer over 40%, with Victor Paz Estenssoro of the MNR-H trailing far behind with 20%. Paz Estenssoro, who has been hurt by registration delays and cannot compete with Banzer in the towns, reportedly also wants to postpone the elections. The wily septuagenarian put brakes on his campaign several weeks ago (WR-85-26), fuelling rumours that he was having second thoughts about the polls.
Jaime Paz, the MIR's presidential candidate, garnered just 14% in the latest polls butthinks his chances are far higher and wants the elections to go ahead. Another man to watch is Roberto Jordan, who is standing for the ruling MNR-I. As the 'official' candidate he can count on 200,000 sure votes thanks to the interior ministry.
There was at least one good omen. A three-week strike at the central bank, which had starved the campaign of official funds, was called off in early July. Juan Lechin, general secretary of the Central Boliviana Obrera (COB) reasons that if elections go ahead amidst civil wars, then strikes should not be a deterrent. However, his organisation had yet to endorse the elections a mere five days before polling day, pending close study of the government's reply to its list of 88 demands.
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