Monday, December 7th, 2009

By J.R. Claeys

The streets filled with Morales supporters around 5:30 p.m. local time. The streets filled with Morales supporters around 5:30 p.m. local time.

Voter ID and registration security were effective at preventing several types of fraud on election day in Bolivia. Only scattered reports of attempted double-voting occurred and very few people were turned away for lack of appropriate documentation.

The people of this country, and many others like it, have faced fraudulent, sham elections for decades. Any time a people has their vote robbed en masse, like the people of Bolivia have for two centuries, the ruler is a de facto dictator. Believing that Morales or Chavez or Castro is a legitimate leader, is like believing Saddam Hussein really earned 100% of the vote every time an election rolled around in Iraq.

As observers we witness the process. And the process inside the polls may be fine, but the process outside, consisting of pressure, intimidation and rumors that the voter identification system would be used to punish those who voted against the sitting president, are enough to call the results of this election into question.

A woman stands in front of the presidential palace to see Morales speak. A woman stands in front of the presidential palace to see Morales speak.

I've met plenty of people who are happily voting for Morales. I've also met a few who were afraid that they couldn't vote for anyone else, so they were voting for Morales for safety. Issues aren't the biggest campaign theme. Regionalism, cronyism, and intimidation have more of an impact than the issues facing this country.

We will report the results of our mission, stating that the process worked at the polling stations and that the voter registration systems worked. Regardless, I fear that a socialist dictator has taken the reigns for life in this South American country.

» Photo Gallery: Elections Observation Mission