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Rodrigo Paz Wins Bolivia’s Runoff, Ending Two Decades of MAS Rule

The president-elect lacks a legislative majority, prompting coalition talks.

Overview

  • The Supreme Electoral Tribunal reports Paz on about 54.5% to Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga’s roughly 45.4%, confirming the runoff result.
  • Quiroga conceded and international observers reported no major incidents during the vote.
  • Preliminary counts give Paz’s Christian Democratic Party 49 of 130 lower-house seats and 16 of 36 in the Senate, leaving it short of a majority.
  • Bolivia faces inflation near 23%, acute shortages of U.S. dollars and fuel, and collapsing natural-gas exports that have weakened the currency.
  • Paz promises gradual market reforms with social protections and a phased rollback of fuel subsidies, seeks closer U.S. ties, and is prioritizing fuel and dollar supplies ahead of his Nov. 8 inauguration.