Youth vote in Bolivia election looks to social media for news

• Young Bolivians to influence outcome of general election
• Presidential candidate Doria Medina has strong social media presence
• More young Bolivians rely on social media for news

SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA, Bolivia - As Bolivians head to the polls on Sunday to elect a president, Samuel Doria Medina, a top contender, is hoping his appeal to young voters on social media will pay off in a victory.

The business magnate has stood out in the campaign field for his lively, entertaining online posts that seem to have struck a chord with the nation's youth.

"I don't know why, but I like him. I see other politicians who obviously look forced, and they don't do social media in the same way he does," said 19-year-old Verónica Mamani, a first-time voter.

With nearly half of Bolivia's electorate under age 35 - about 3.3 million voters - young voters could likely determine the outcome of the August 17 general election as the South American nation faces its worst economic crisis in decades.

"In general, most youth and voters are undecided," said social media expert Amples Regiani, adding many Bolivians are disillusioned with "dirty" politics.

Engaging voters will depend in large part on the ability to reach young people on social media, especially on TikTok, experts said.

In an interview, Doria Medina said he has taken that view to heart.

"For me, having millions of followers has allowed me not only to communicate, but also to listen to the concerns of young people and to establish a close relationship with people," Doria Medina told Context in Bolivia's second city of Santa Cruz at the luxury Hotel Los Tajibos he owns.

Heading up concerns of young voters are inflation at a four-decade high, a lack of job opportunities and fuel shortages.

Yet Doria Medina's foray into social media about five years ago began not as a political strategy but rather out of curiosity, he said.

"I started using Facebook even before my children did, and then I opened my Twitter and Instagram accounts. During the pandemic, TikTok emerged, and young people who understood the topic told me it was going to be the fastest-growing social network," he said.

Doria Medina, whose businesses include hotels, fast-food franchises and a cement firm, describes himself as a centrist and is the National Unity party's presidential candidate.

An August 10 poll by Ipsos-Ciesmori showed Doria Medina marginally ahead with 21.2%, followed by conservative contender Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, a former Bolivian president (2001-2002) and candidate for the Libre alliance, with 20%.

A victory by either candidate would mark a turn to the right and end two decades of leftist rule in Bolivia.

Trailing the field is Andronico Rodriguez, whose weak showing indicates declining support for candidates affiliated with the ruling Movement to Socialism (MAS) party, according to a July Ipsos-Ciesmori poll.

Bolivia's polarized political landscape has been marked by a power struggle that has fractured the incumbent MAS party. Polls show it winning only about 12% of the vote on Sunday.

If no candidate wins outright, a runoff would be held on October 19. To avert a runoff, a candidate must secure more than 40% of the vote and lead by at least 10 percentage points.

Pollsters predict a second round of voting, which would be a first in Bolivia's history.

Online business tips

Doria Medina's chatty, often humourous online content ranges from offering business advice to showcasing his diet and exercise plan alongside with campaign pledges.

Young voters often ask him how they too could become a millionaire.

"I've been following him since he started giving advice to entrepreneurs on TikTok because I like that he also speaks clearly to us so we know what to do with our money," said Marina Rivero, a 21-year-old business administration student who runs a cupcake business.

"What I like ... is that he's using his own money for his campaign, so he doesn't owe any political favours," she added.

His TikTok followers number 575,800, nearly triple that of "Tuto" Quiroga, who launched his TikTok account just before the campaign kicked off in December.

"Tuto" Quiroga's videos discuss his government plans, interspersed with some dancing and joking.

But his online presence pales in contrast with that of  Doria Medina, whose language and expressions resonate with young Bolivians, said Mamani and other youthful voters.

Some of his jokes and playful dance moves have even gone viral in the nation of 12.4 million people.

Bolivia's under-35 electorate has known no political era other than that shaped by Evo Morales, Bolivia's first Indigenous leader, and current President Luis Arce, Morales' MAS successor, who is not seeking reelection.

Morales, who founded the ruling MAS party, served three terms from 2006 to 2019. He is barred from seeking another term as president after a failed attempt to change the constitution to do so.

Saul Montaño, a Bolivian comedian and content creator, said Doria Medina learned to cultivate a presence on social media long before this campaign.

"It's not just about repeating a political discourse, but also about building a format and a coherent, present persona on social media and entering the collective imagination," Montaño said.

Doria Medina tends to laugh off criticism, which "humanizes him, takes him down from the pedestal of a serious businessman and politician," Montaño said.

Around the world, young people are turning to social media for information, while traditional news media has lost financial footing and been eclipsed by online personalities and influencers.

In the United States, more than half of people under age 35 rely on social media and video networks as their main source for news, according to  the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

In Bolivia, TikTok is the most popular platform, used by nearly half of young voters for their information.

It's a worrying trend because candidates are interviewed on online platforms without journalistic rigour and on superficial topics rather than with a deep look at issues, said journalism professor Vania Sandoval.

"Without a doubt, these elections will be marked by misinformation," said Sandoval, who teaches at the UPSA, a university in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

"Influencers don't always disseminate verified information, and this will be a democratic challenge," she said.

(Reporting by Nathalie Iriarte; Editing by Anastasia Moloney and Ellen Wulfhorst.)