MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Bolivians have signaled they want a sharp retreat from nearly two decades of socialism. Voters there overwhelmingly rejected leftist candidates, including the ruling party, in yesterday's presidential elections. Now, the country's economy has been in a tailspin, but in a surprise last-minute surge, a centrist candidate emerged as the front-runner in what will eventually be a two-man runoff election later this year. NPR's Carrie Kahn reports.
CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE: Bolivians might have voted for a big change yesterday, but today, Luis Miguel Loyaza Rivero is doing what he does at least twice a month - waiting in a long, very long, gas line that snakes through blocks of this residential neighborhood near the center of La Paz.
LUIS MIGUEL LOYAZA RIVERO: (Speaking Spanish).
KAHN: "I got here at 9 this morning. We thought we were going to get some around 11, but I've already been waiting five hours and nothing," he says.
Loyaza is 23. He sells a snack food on the streets called sonso, made up of fried yuca and cheese. He says prices for all the ingredients he uses have tripled. There was no way he was going to vote for the ruling MAS socialist party or any of the leftists.
LOYAZA RIVERO: (Speaking Spanish).
KAHN: "I used to sell a lot and would earn a good living. Now, I just barely make enough to survive," he says.
Bolivia's economy is crumbling. Once flush with revenues from the country's vast natural gas reserves which helped alleviate poverty, its reserves have greatly shrunk. There's been no new exploration and a lot of state mismanagement and corruption. Inflation is soaring and dollar reserves are so low there is scarcely any imported gasoline and basic goods, says Eduardo Gamarra, a Bolivia expert at Florida International University.
EDUARDO GAMARRA: So there was a sense that there was a real need for a dramatic change in Bolivia.
KAHN: In a surprise, however, Gamarra says voters didn't completely swing far right. The front-runner in yesterday's election is a centrist who has a long political career, Rodrigo Paz Pereira. He garnered about 32% of yesterday's vote, says Gamarra.
GAMARRA: He was able to bring in a large group of people who had abandoned the MAS - the ruling party - disgusted by the economic performance, disgusted by the direction of the country.
KAHN: But not so angry they wanted total change and decided to give Paz's moderate platform a chance.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
RODRIGO PAZ PEREIRA: Bolivia, Bolivia, Bolivia, Bolivia.
(CHEERING)
KAHN: Speaking to supporters late last night, Paz, who comes from a well-known political family, told the impromptu crowd that he will reenergize the economy and reunite the country.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PAZ PEREIRA: (Speaking Spanish).
KAHN: "No more insults, offensive comments or hate," said Paz. His kinder style also appealed to voters.
Coming second with about 27% of the vote was Jorge Quiroga. He's vowed to swiftly dismantle Bolivia's socialist-run economy and imprison former socialist leader Evo Morales. He's wanted on statutory rape charges that he denies. Barred from running, Morales urged his supporters to spoil their votes, something nearly 20% of voters did, keeping him relevant and a potential spoiler in the upcoming runoff.
(SOUNDBITE OF GAS PUMP CLICKING)
KAHN: Five hours after he first lined up for gas, 23-year-old Luis Miguel Loyaza Rivero finally gets to fill up his tank.
LOYAZA RIVERO: (Speaking Spanish).
KAHN: "We just hope things get better," he says. And that the next government, which will be decided in the October 19 runoff, does away with these long gas lines.
Carrie Kahn, NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF TIWA SAVAGE SONG, "LOST TIME") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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