Bolivia's rightwing interim president withdraws from election race

Jeanine Anez says she wants to avoid splitting the vote for others running against socialist Luis Arce of Evo Morales's MAS party

Bolivia's conservative interim president, Jeanine Anez, has pulled out of next month's general election, saying she wanted to avoid splitting the vote for other candidates running against the frontrunning socialist party of ex-leader Evo Morales.

In a video message late on Thursday, she sought to unify those opposing the candidate for the party of Morales, who resigned last year after an election sparked widespread protests. Anez, a former senator, took office in the power vacuum that followed Morales' departure.