Bolivian President Evo Morales was set to win the presidential election, according to electoral authorities on Monday, prompting a swift rejection from the opposition and widespread violence.

According to official results, Morales will likely avoid a runoff election by surpassing his closest rival by more than 10 percentage points. However, opposition groups and international observers grew suspicious of the results when the electoral authority abruptly stopped releasing counts.

The last numbers released before the halt showed Morales beating the eight other candidates but falling short of the count required to avoid a runoff election. Official results put him at 45.3%, compared with 38.2% for the closest competitor, former President Carlos Mesa.

However, authorities later announced Morales was close to winning an outright victory, allowing him to avoid a runoff election against a unified opposition.

"The people again imposed their will," Morales said.

Condemnation

The results were swiftly condemned by opposition groups and international observers.

"We are not going to recognize those results that are part of a shameful, consummated fraud, that is putting Bolivian society in a situation of unnecessary tension," said Mesa.

The US State Department accused Bolivian authorities of trying to subvert the vote, and an observer mission from the Organization of American States expressed concerns about the counting process.

"The OAS Mission expresses its deep concern and surprise at the drastic and hard-to-explain change in the trend of the preliminary results revealed after the closing of the polls," it said, calling on electoral officials "to firmly defend the will of the Bolivian citizenry."

The foreign ministries of Argentina, Brazil and Colombia also expressed their concerns.

Mesa, who led the country between 2001-2005, accused Morales of colluding with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) to tweak delayed results and avoid a runoff.

Read more: Morales' bid to extend term limits sparks mass protest

Widespread protests

Protesters set fire to regional offices of the electoral body in the southern cities of Sucre and Potosi late Monday, and a crowd burned ballots from Sunday's election in Tarija.

Rioting was reported in at least six of Bolivia's nine regions. In La Paz, police attempted to disperse protesters with tear gas.

Supporters of Morales clashed with his opponents in a number of places across the country, including the capital of La Paz.

Bolivian Interior Minister Carlos Romero blamed the opposition for causing unrest and said, "They have to take care of the violence they're generating."

Longest-serving president

In office for nearly 14 years, Morales is South America's longest-serving president. If his victory is confirmed, Morales' controversial fourth term as president comes after he overturned Bolivia's two-term limit.

In a 2016 referendum, Bolivian voters rejected Morales' proposal to scrap term limits. However, in 2018, the country's Supreme Court — seen by critics as being stacked with Morales loyalists — then overturned the decision and ruled that Morales had the right to run again.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out Playing for their future The school Paz y Bien is run by a Franciscan parish in San Ignacio de Velasco. Polish priest Adalberto Mazur explains music classes help the children to not only learn how to play an instrument, but also acquire social skills, discipline and how to set goals in life.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out Dreaming big Roman Arirepia practices cello at the music school in Urubicha. His dream is to become part of an international traveling orchestra.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out A musical refuge Urubicha, only accessible by unpaved roads, is a dusty Amazon village and home to one of Bolivia's largest and most famous music schools. The church provides the infrastructure, the government pays the teachers' salaries and the municipality gives donations.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out Songs in the key of life Olga Papu Claure, 9, is an extremely talented pianist from Urubicha. At a concert in Santa Cruz she met an American music teacher who, impressed by her talent, sent a piano from the US to Bolivia. Unfortunately, insects ate away at the wood, making it almost unplayable.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out Practice pays off The music school in Urubicha is highly regarded internationally. Many of the students who pass their exams become professional musicians or teachers in other music schools in the Chiquitania region.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out That's entertainment The school says 689 children are inscribed in the institution. For many children, becoming a musician is their dream. President Evo Morales has given his support and wants to commit more funds to arts, music and traditions. In the rural areas musical education is becoming increasingly recognized and valued.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out Take me to church All the villages also have several choirs and orchestras which play at local fiestas and tour the neighboring towns. This local orchestra is playing in the church of Concepcion.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out Keeping score The original 17th century musical scores are kept in the archive of Concepcion. There is only one original for public display. Even the researchers are only allowed to take digital copies.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out Taking a break Santa Ana, the smallest among the missions, also has it's own music school. At night you hear violins being played in the streets or in the houses, when the children are practicing their homework.

Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out Chipping away Samuel Cruz Tancara makes violins based on European models, using tropical woods that can withstand the moisture and heat in Concepcion. Originally from La Paz, he started his business six years ago. He learned by watching and experimenting: "The first violins sounded horrible," he told DW. Over time he was able to collect technical drawings and learn how to make the exact sizes. Author: Sanne Derks (Bolivia)



aw, wmr/cmk (AP, Reuters)

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