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Bolivians Block Roads in Protest as Morales Election Win Splits Nation

Reuters

   LA PAZ - Bolivians blocked streets in La Paz on Friday demanding an
   audit of a controversial election count that handed President Evo
   Morales a outright win and with it a fourth consecutive term that would
   extend his rule to nearly two decades.

   Morales, 59, who swept to power in 2006 as the country's first
   indigenous leader, claimed victory in the Sunday vote and railed
   against the opposition who he accused of leading a coup d'etat with
   foreign backing.

   Anti-government protests had begun on Sunday, when an official vote
   count was suspended for almost a day. A confident Morales said then his
   socialist party MAS would get an outright win, despite an official
   rapid count data showing the left-wing leader heading to a second round
   against rival Carlos Mesa.

   The final official count showed Morales with an over 10-point over Mesa
   on Thursday night, which meant he would avoid a risky second round
   head-to-head - even as the election monitors, the opposition and
   foreign governments criticized the count.

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