Centrist Returns as Bolivia’s President

Bolivia’s Congress on Sunday elected Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada--a U.S.-educated, pro-market former president--to lead the nation for the next five years as it confronts economic malaise and growing social unrest.

Sanchez de Lozada, who opened up Bolivia to foreign investment during his 1993-97 presidency, won by an 84-43 margin over Evo Morales, an Aymara Indian and a leading opponent of U.S.-backed efforts to eliminate the farming of coca leaves, from which cocaine is derived.

Carlos Mesa, a 53-year-old journalist and political newcomer who shared Sanchez de Lozada’s ticket, was elected vice president during the 24-hour legislature session. Congress had yet to release the final official tally, but it confirmed that Sanchez de Lozada received enough votes to win.

Sanchez de Lozada finished first in a June 30 vote--the closest presidential election in Bolivia’s history--but fell short of the majority needed for an outright victory. The newly elected Congress had to choose between him and Morales, the runner-up.

Following the vote, Sanchez de Lozada called for the country’s fractious political parties to work together. “We can’t be fighting each other and misunderstanding each other, because the country is in crisis,” he told reporters in his front yard.

Sanchez de Lozada, who will be sworn in Tuesday, aims to revive Bolivia’s stagnant economy. About 60% of the nation’s 8 million people live in poverty. The budget deficit is 6.9% of the gross domestic product, and the International Monetary Fund has said it wants spending cuts.