Bolivia's Interim President Anez Agrees To Hold General Election On September 6

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd June, 2020) Bolivia's interim President Jeanine Anez said on Monday she would sign the legislation scheduling the general election for September 6 under pressure from other candidates, refuting accusations of stalling the process for the sake of retaining power.

"The country is plagued by the pandemic, but many politicians and other people keep calling for holding the election as soon as possible. Dear citizens, I am going to sign the law on holding the election on September 6," Anez said in a video address that she posted on Twitter.

Anez, who has already proposed postponing the vote, rejected her opponents' claims of stalling the electoral process, once again pointing to the dangers stemming from mass gatherings.

The interim president called on key candidates � ex-President Evo Morales, Luis Arce from Morales' Movement for Socialism, and ex-President Carlos Mesa � to assume the responsibility for holding the general election amid the pandemic.

Anez stressed she had not received any scientific rationale proving that the vote may be held.

On the night into May 1, the upper house of the Bolivian parliament passed a bill, under which the election should be held no later than August 2. However, Anez � opposition deputy speaker of the lower house, who assumed power after Morales and other top politicians resigned under pressure from the military � refused to sign the legislation into law, stressing that the vote could put the Bolivian people's health at risk. In early June, Bolivia's Electoral Court ordered that the election be delayed to September 6 due to the pandemic, which claimed over 700 lives in the country.