Bolivia: Streets fill with protesters after presidentialelection result;demands foraudit of Rodrigo Paz’s win​

Hundreds of protesters marched through Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, on Monday, accusing the country’s election authorities of fraud. The demonstrations began a day after centrist economist Rodrigo Paz was declared the winner of the presidential run-off.

Crowds carrying flags and banners gathered near the government square demanding an independent audit of the vote. Police later dispersed them before they could reach the main plaza. No major clashes were reported. ​(Photo: AFP)

Rodrigo Paz, 58, secured 54.5% of the votes in Sunday’s election, defeating former right-wing president Jorge Quiroga. Paz’s win signals the end of two decades of left-wing rule in Bolivia, as the country faces its worst economic downturn in forty years. (Photo: AFP)

Despite conceding defeat, Quiroga said the election results would be reviewed following widespread allegations of irregularities on social media. He urged his supporters to stay calm but insisted that every vote must be verified. (Photo: AFP)

The supreme electoral tribunal dismissed all claims of wrongdoing. Its president, Oscar Hassenteufel, said there was no evidence of manipulation. (Photo: AFP)

Many young Bolivians joined the protests, saying they felt cheated. Student Pablo Perez, 23, said he could not accept the outcome. “What is outrageous is that there was fraud and the vote was not respected,” he said, as quoted by news agency AFP. (Photo: AFP)