Rodrigo Paz Wins Bolivia’s Presidential Runoff, Ending Leftist Rule

LA PAZ, Bolivia, Oct 19 (Reuters) – Centrist Rodrigo Paz won Bolivia’s presidential runoff election on Sunday, defeating conservative Jorge ‘Tuto’ Quiroga. Paz, a senator from the Christian Democratic Party, received 54.5% of the vote, while Quiroga garnered 45.5%, according to early results from Bolivia’s electoral tribunal.

Paz’s victory ends nearly two decades of rule by the leftist Movement to Socialism (MAS) party, which had faced a drop in support amid the country’s severe economic crisis. The new president will take office on November 8.

‘We must open Bolivia to the world,’ said Paz during his victory speech in La Paz, shortly after Quiroga conceded defeat.

The 58-year-old’s moderate platform resonated with voters disillusioned by the MAS while wary of Quiroga’s proposed austerity measures. He is the third member of his extended family to become president of Bolivia, a landlocked nation with a historical political shift underway.

An analyst for the International Crisis Group, Glaeldys Gonzalez Calanche, commented, ‘This election marks a political turning point. Bolivia is heading in a new direction.’

Both candidates pledged to restore relations with Washington, strained since 2009, and seek U.S.-backed support to stabilize Bolivia’s faltering economy. In late September, Paz laid out plans for a $1.5 billion economic cooperation deal with U.S. officials to secure fuel supplies.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that both candidates aim to improve ties with the United States after years of hostilities.

The key issue during the campaign was Bolivia’s struggling economy, with inflation soaring to a 40-year high and fuel shortages underway. Economic policies from the MAS era drew criticism, and many voters expressed hope for alternatives.

Both candidates focused on reforms but differed in approach. While Paz called for gradual changes, Quiroga proposed more sweeping cuts and an International Monetary Fund bailout.

‘We’re going for a new stage of Bolivian democracy in the 21st century,’ Paz told Reuters. ‘We’re going to try to build an economy for the people.’

Despite his victory, some voters remained skeptical. A resident from La Paz questioned Paz’s independence from the outgoing government.

Paz’s campaign gained momentum with his running mate, Edman Lara, whose popularity on social media attracted younger voters.

The new government will face immediate challenges, including coalition-building in a fragmented legislature. Paz’s PDC won 49 of 130 seats in the lower house and 16 of 36 in the Senate.

Outgoing hydrocarbons minister Alejandro Gallardo warned last week that securing fuel supplies will be a pressing issue for the new administration. Paz plans to address this through deferred payment agreements with suppliers after he takes office.

‘The market will have to adjust prices, but there are sectors that will have government support until the economy is reactivated,’ he said.

Bolivia’s main labor union, the Central Obrera Boliviana, has previously warned it will resist any threats to the social gains achieved during the MAS administration, indicating the challenges ahead for Paz’s government.