BOLIVIA: Victory by Default

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Even before the voters headed for the polls this week, it was a sure thing that Government Candidate Hernán Siles Zuazo would be elected as Bolivia's new President. Reason: three days before the balloting, his only opposition, the Socialist Falange Party, withdrew all its candidates.

Falange Presidential Candidate Oscar Unzaga de la Vega charged that President Victor Paz Estenssoro's National Revolutionary Movement (M.N.R.) had rigged election lists, confiscated Falange ballots and hindered the Falange campaign. Retorted the M.N.R. weekly Combate: Unzaga gave up simply because he realized he could not win. To be on the safe side, the government moved 3,000 militiamen into La Paz before election day, just in case the opposition tried to turn default into revolt.