In a hotly contested election, dividing Bolivians along ideological, ethnic and social lines, a new president, vice- president, Senate and Chamber of Deputies will be chosen on December 18.
Polling had to be brought forward by two years because of widespread rioting last June which ended with the resignation of then president, Carlos Mesa. Mesa was replaced temporarily by the head of the Supreme Court, Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé, who made it clear that he would stand down in January when a newly elected president would take office. Rodríguez Veltzé is Bolivia’s fifth president in as many years.
