LA PAZ (Reuters) – Bolivian presidential candidate Carlos Mesa conceded the election on Monday after fast counts of the vote showed a strong win for the socialist candidate Luis Arce ahead of the Comunidad Ciudadana centrist runner in a distant second place.
“The result of the quick count is very strong and very clear,” Mesa said at a press conference after the socialist party had claimed victory in the early hours of the morning, despite the official count still in its early stages.
“The difference between the first candidate and the Comunidad Ciudadana is wide and it is up to us, those of us who believe in democracy, to recognize that there has been a winner in this election.”
(Reporting by Daniel Ramos; Writing by Adam Jourdan)
