Bolivian vote likely to result in chaos, calls for succession
The conventional wisdom in Washington is that Sunday’s elections in Bolivia may result in a Venezuelan-backed radical leftist stronghold. But the more likely outcome will be political chaos, a powerless central government and growing calls for secession from the wealthy Santa Cruz region. Judging from what I heard in telephone interviews with foreign ambassadors, politicians and political analysts in Bolivia, the country is headed to an even greater political and geographic confrontation. Neither of the top two candidates is likely to clinch the election Sunday, much less get a mandate from voters. Full Story