Bolivian general election, 2009
Encyclopedia
The Bolivian general election, 2009 was held on 6 December, 2009, following a constitutional referendum held on 25 January 2009. Voters elected:
The five departments which had not already done so all voted to have departmental autonomy. Eleven municipalities voted to have indigenous autonomy, out of twelve holding such referendums. One province voted to have regional autonomy.
enjoyed a 55% approval rating, as well as an 18 point lead over his closest challenger Manfred Reyes Villa
. As Morales was expected to cruise to reelection, the local press is reporting that Villa has already purchased an airplane ticket to the United States for the 7th (the day after the election).
won a convincing victory, with 64.22% of the vote. His party, Movement for Socialism
, also won a two-thirds majority in both the Chamber of Deputies
and the Senate
.
in Tarija held a referendum on regional autonomy, which was approved by 80.4% of voters.
voted on whether to become autonomous municipalities according to the Indigenous Originary Campesino Autonomy provisions of the 2009 Constitution
. Eleven voted yes:
One municipality voted no:
- PresidentPresident of BoliviaThe President of Bolivia is head of state and head of government of Bolivia. According to the current Constitution, the president is elected by popular vote to a five year term, renewable once...
and Vice PresidentVice President of BoliviaThis is a list of Vice Presidents of Bolivia, the second highest political position in Bolivia. There are several gaps in the list, caused by intermittent political turmoil. The names of Vice Presidents who also were President at one time or another are given in bold text...
of the Republic. - 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies.
- 36 members of the Senate.
The five departments which had not already done so all voted to have departmental autonomy. Eleven municipalities voted to have indigenous autonomy, out of twelve holding such referendums. One province voted to have regional autonomy.
Presidential election
Under the new constitution all previous terms will not be considered for term limits and if any candidate fails to win over 50% of the vote and another candidate is within 10%, a second round will be held. It will be the first time that an incumbent President will run for reelection.Candidates
The presidential candidates are:- Evo MoralesEvo MoralesJuan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
(Movement for SocialismMovement for Socialism (Bolivia)The Movement for Socialism-Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples , alternately referred to as "Movement Toward Socialism" or "Movement to Socialism", is a left-wing, socialist, Bolivian political organization led by Evo Morales, founded in 1995...
): incumbent president. - Manfred Reyes VillaManfred Reyes VillaManfred Reyes Villa is a Bolivian politician, who was mayor of Cochabamba four times and ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 2002 and 2009 against Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada and Evo Morales Ayma. He founded and led the Nueva Fuerza Republicana political party...
(Plan Progreso para Bolivia - Convergencia Nacional): former prefect of the Cochabamba DepartmentCochabamba DepartmentCochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the "granary" of the country because of its variety of agricultural products due to Cochabamba's geographical position. It has an area of 55,631 km². Its population, in the 2007 census, was 1,750,000...
. - René Joaquino (Social AllianceSocial AllianceThe Social Alliance is a Bolivian political party founded on 9 October 2005. The party grew out of the successful 2004 campaign of leader René Joaquino Cabrera for mayor of Potosí.-External links:**...
): Mayor of PotosíPotosíPotosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia... - Samuel Doria Medina (Frente de Unidad Nacional)
- Alejo VélizAlejo VélizAlejo Véliz Lazo is a Bolivian politician and activist. He is a member of the ASP party. Véliz is a former executive secretary of the Federación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Cochabamba , and former Secretary General of the Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de...
(Pueblos por la Libertad y Soberanía) - Ana María Flores (Movimiento de Unidad Social Patriótica)
- Remi Choquehuanca (Bolivia Social Demócrata)
- Román Loayza (Gente)
Opinion polling
Polling prior to the election indicated that incumbent Evo MoralesEvo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
enjoyed a 55% approval rating, as well as an 18 point lead over his closest challenger Manfred Reyes Villa
Manfred Reyes Villa
Manfred Reyes Villa is a Bolivian politician, who was mayor of Cochabamba four times and ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 2002 and 2009 against Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada and Evo Morales Ayma. He founded and led the Nueva Fuerza Republicana political party...
. As Morales was expected to cruise to reelection, the local press is reporting that Villa has already purchased an airplane ticket to the United States for the 7th (the day after the election).
Results
Evo MoralesEvo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
won a convincing victory, with 64.22% of the vote. His party, Movement for Socialism
Movement for Socialism (Bolivia)
The Movement for Socialism-Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples , alternately referred to as "Movement Toward Socialism" or "Movement to Socialism", is a left-wing, socialist, Bolivian political organization led by Evo Morales, founded in 1995...
, also won a two-thirds majority in both the Chamber of Deputies
National Congress of Bolivia
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly also known as the National Congress is the national legislature of Bolivia, based in the nation's de facto capital, La Paz....
and the Senate
National Congress of Bolivia
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly also known as the National Congress is the national legislature of Bolivia, based in the nation's de facto capital, La Paz....
.
Departments
The five departments which had not already done so all voted to become autonomous departments. Each will have to produce a statute of autonomy. They were:- Chuquisaca DepartmentChuquisaca DepartmentChuquisaca is a department of Bolivia located in the center south. It borders on the departments of Cochabamba, Tarija, Potosí, and Santa Cruz. The departmental capital is Sucre, which is also the constitutional capital of Bolivia.-Geography:...
-- 79% voting yes - Cochabamba DepartmentCochabamba DepartmentCochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the "granary" of the country because of its variety of agricultural products due to Cochabamba's geographical position. It has an area of 55,631 km². Its population, in the 2007 census, was 1,750,000...
-- 76.8% voting yes - La Paz Department -- 79.6% voting yes
- Oruro DepartmentOruro DepartmentOruro is a department in Bolivia, with an area of 53,588 km². Its capital is the city of Oruro. At the time of census 2001 it had a population of 391,870.- Provinces of Oruro :...
-- 73.1% voting yes - Potosí DepartmentPotosí DepartmentPotosí Department is a department in southwestern Bolivia. It comprises 118,218 km² with 709,013 inhabitants . The capital is the city of Potosí....
-- 73.9% voting yes
Regional autonomy
The Gran Chaco ProvinceGran Chaco Province
Gran Chaco is a province in the eastern parts of the Bolivian department Tarija. The province voted to become an autonomous region on 6 December 2009.-Location:Gran Chaco province is one of six provinces in the Tarija Department...
in Tarija held a referendum on regional autonomy, which was approved by 80.4% of voters.
Municipalities
The following municipalitiesMunicipalities of Bolivia
Municipalities in Bolivia are administrative divisions of the entire national territory governed by local elections. Municipalities are the third level of administrative divisions, below departments and provinces. Some of the provinces consist of only one municipality...
voted on whether to become autonomous municipalities according to the Indigenous Originary Campesino Autonomy provisions of the 2009 Constitution
Constitution of Bolivia
The current Constitution of Bolivia is the 17th constitution in the country's history; previous constitutions were enacted in 1826, 1831, 1834, 1839, 1843, 1851, 1861, 1868, 1871, 1878, 1880, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1961 and 1967. It came into effect on February 7, 2009, when it was promulgated by...
. Eleven voted yes:
- Huacaya Municipality (Chuquisaca Department) – 53.7% of voters in favor of autonomy
- Tarabuco MunicipalityTarabuco MunicipalityTarabuco Municipality is the first municipal section of the Yamparáez Province in the Chuquisaca Department, Bolivia. Its seat is Tarabuco. Its population is overwhelmingly indigenous: of 10,530 people 15 or older in the 2001 Census, 9,834 self-identified with an indigenous people; 9,779 to the...
(Chuquisaca Department) – 90.8% - Mojocoya Municipality (Chuquisaca Department) – 88.3%
- Charazani Municipality (La Paz Department) – 86.6%
- Jesús de Machaca MunicipalityJesús de Machaca MunicipalityJesús de Machaca Municipality is the sixth municipal section of the Ingavi Province in the La Paz Department in Bolivia. It was created by Law No. 2351 on May 7, 2002, during the presidency of Jorge Quiroga Ramírez...
(La Paz Department) – 56.1% - Pampa Aullagas Municipality (Oruro Department) – 83.7%
- San Pedro de Totora Municipality (Oruro Department) -- 74.5%
- Chipaya Municipality (Oruro Department) -- 91.9%
- Salinas de Garci Mendoza Municipality (Oruro Department) -- 75.1%
- Chayanta Municipality (Potosí Department) – 60%
- Charagua Municipality (Santa Cruz Department) – 55.7%
One municipality voted no:
- Curahuara de Carangas Municipality