Bolivia: A New Mandate

The grey clouds of South American winter hung low over La Paz as the blue, bulletproof Cadillac pulled up to the newly constructed grade school. Bolivia's President Victor Paz Estenssoro stepped out, strode into the crowded schoolyard and took his place in line. "We are here to vote," he said simply. After a 25-minute wait, Paz dropped his pink ballot into the box, dipped a finger into a cup of red ink to prove he had voted, then drove off to attend to other affairs of state.

So it went last week throughout Bolivia. In calm, peaceful balloting, the Andean...