Bolivians headed to the polls Sunday to choose between two pro-business candidates in presidential elections, ending two decades of socialist rule that have left the beleaguered South American nation deep in economic crisis.

With dollars and fuel in short supply and annual inflation at more than 20 percent, weary voters snubbed the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party founded by former president Evo Morales in a first electoral round in August.

Polling stations began opening at 8:00 am local time (1200 GMT), according to AFP journalists on the ground. They will close at 4:00 pm. Nearly eight million voters are eligible to cast ballots and voting is mandatory.

The election pits economist and senator Rodrigo Paz, 58, against former interim president Jorge Quiroga, 65, an engineer by trai

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