LA PAZ, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The general elections of Bolivia held on Sunday were transparent with a high rate of citizen participation, observers of the Organization of American States (OAS) and of the European Union (EU) stressed.
Horacio Serpa, chief of the OAS mission formed by 124 observers responsible for observing the electoral process, told the press that 93 percent of the voting centers observed by his organization had the indispensable conditions for holding the presidential vote. Meanwhile, almost all the voting centers were guarded by security forces.
Serpa added that 77 percent of the people had precise information about the voting location, although at the beginning of the voting there was some confusion, which was solved fast.
Jose De Gabriel, the EU mission chief said during a press conference that according to his first report "there were no registered violent events, the citizens attended the vote with tranquility, peace and in a celebrators climate. We are happy for that."
According to De Gabriel, he has received reports on 80 percent of the voting centers to the moment and the responses have been "very good," "good," or "regular."
"The criticism on some voting tables were due to technical and organization issues, like the lack of juries or signatures, but in general they are minor issues that do not affect the integral process," De Gabriel said.
According to the first opinion polls given by three local TV channels, Bolivian President Evo Morales was reelected with 62 to 65 percent of the votes for the term 2010-2015. His closest rivals Manfred Reyes of the Bolivian Project Plan won between 23 and 25 percent of the votes, and Samuel Doria of the National Unity Partygot 9 percent of the votes,.
More than 5.1 million Bolivians were registered to vote on Sunday for the elections that will produce a new president, a vice president, 130 deputies and 36 senators.
Elections begin in Bolivia, Electoral Court urges democratic voting
LA PAZ, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Bolivian National Electoral Court (CNE) inaugurated on Sunday the general elections at 07:15 a.m. (1115 GMT) and urged the people to show their democratic aptitudes.
The event was hosted at the CNE facilities, with the attendance of Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Farcia Libnera, Ministers, politicians, diplomats, observers and reporters. Full story
Bolivia kicks off general elections
LA PAZ, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia's National Electoral Court at 7:00 a.m. local time (1100 GMT) Sunday declared the opening of 1,750 voting stations across the country for the general elections.
The voting was scheduled to end at 16:00 (2000 GMT) and a non-official result will be released at 18:00 (2200 GMT) before the official preliminary results. Full story
