By Satyaki Chakraborty
After two-decade-long rule by the left-wing Movement for Socialism (MAS) party, Bolivia elected the centre-right candidate Rodrigo Paz as the new President in the run-off elections held on October 19. Son of a former president, Paz promises “capitalism for all” and has announced his programme of having good relations with the United States and collaboration with the Trump administration.
With 97 percent of ballots counted, Paz had won 54.5 percent of the vote in Sunday’s run-off race, well ahead of right-wing former interim President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, with 45.4 percent of the vote, according to the country’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE).
Paz, 58, followed his father, former left-wing President Jaime Zamora, into politics. After studying economics in the United States, Paz returned home to Bolivia, where he went on to become a city councillor and mayor of the southern city of Tarija, before becoming a senator for the region in 2020.
He has pledged a “capitalism for all” approach, promising tax cuts, tariff reductions, and the decentralisation of the national government. After the results were announced, Paz’s vice-presidential running mate, Edmand Lara, made a call for “unity and reconciliation”.
“We must ensure the supply of diesel and gasoline. People are suffering. We need to stabilise the prices of the basic food basket, and we must put an end to corruption,” Lara said.
Sunday’s run-off came after the incumbent MAS party suffered a major defeat in August’s preliminary election, after former left-wing President Evo Morales was barred from running and outgoing President Luis Arce, who had fallen out with Morales, opted out of the race. Courts had ruled against Morales’s candidacy over term limits and technicalities related to party affiliation. Luis Arce, the incumbent President, a former Morales loyalist did not contest the elections after the MAS was split and his popularity dipped a very low level as a result of deep economic crisis in the country.
The MAS was vertically split between the Morales supporters and his rival group led by Luis Arce. The Presidential candidates of MAS factions fared so badly in the first phase of elections in August this year that the run off on October 19 was limited to two right candidates. This was something unprecedented in the history of Bolivia as even when the Left lost the elections in the last century, they were very much in the reckoning. Before this 2025 Presidential elections, in all other Presidential polls since 2006, MAS won in the first round requiring no need for run off.
But Evo Morales, President for most of the years under MAS rule, did not show any sign of defeatism. He told newsmen after the election results were out that the winning candidate Rodrigo Paz does not represent the interests of the Bolivian people- he said that the people including the indigenous movement would soon launch agitations focusing on their demands to the new government. Morales talked of offering stiff opposition to the new government in the coming days.
For the Trump administration, the outcome of the presidential elections in Bolivia is a good beginning since Trump is now focusing his attention on Latin America. Earlier, there were problems in relations with the MAS government, but now, with a friendly President in office., the USA is expected to offer more economic aid and other assistance to the Paz regime. Only last week, Trump sanctioned US$ 20 billion urgent economic aid to its friendly regime Argentina in tiding over the country’s serious economic crisis.
Bolivia also has been struggling through an economic crisis, including annual inflation of almost 25 percent and critical shortages of US dollars and fuel. Bolivians took to the streets to protest high prices and hours-long waits for fuel, bread and other basics in the lead-up to the August 17 general election. Apart from split within MAS, the high rise of the essential commodities including fuel led to the anger of the voters which was reflected in this round of presidential polls.
Bolivia had enjoyed more than a decade of strong growth and Indigenous upliftment under Morales, who nationalised the gas sector an channelized the proceeds into social programmes that halved extreme poverty during his stint in power between 2006 and 2019.
But after Morales, chose not to expand the country’s gas sector, energy revenues fell from a peak of $6.1bn in 2013 to $1.6bn in 2024. The advantage of oil revenues was lost and the MAS govt of Arce had to face the wrath of the people. Now the new Government of Paz is also facing the dilemma of whether they will continue with the fuel subsidy given to the consumers by Arce govt or this will be withdrawn to show a healthy budget of the govt. Morales is waiting for the next steps of this Paz government to work on future actions. New President Rodrigo Paz will take oath on November 8 this year. (IPA Service)
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