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Bolivia is set to turn the page on nearly two decades of socialist rule, as preliminary results from Sunday's general election confirmed that two non-leftist candidates will compete in a presidential run-off.
Centrist senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira, of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), emerged as the unexpected frontrunner, securing 32.8% of the vote with over 90% of ballots counted. He will face conservative former interim president Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga of the Alianza Libre coalition, who captured 26.4%. The decisive second round is scheduled for October 19.
Paz Pereira's strong showing surprised observers, as pre-election polls had placed him far behind wealthy businessman Samuel Doria Medina. His campaign, anchored on anti-corruption promises and decentralizing government funds, resonated with voters eager for change. He has also pledged to cut red tape, ease import restrictions, and promote foreign investment in Bolivia's untapped lithium reserves, seen as vital for the global electric vehicle industry.
Quiroga, who briefly governed between 2001 and 2002, campaigned on restoring international confidence and strengthening ties with the United States, a sharp departure from the leftist governments of Evo Morales and his successor Luis Arce, who cultivated alliances with China, Russia, and Iran.
The vote marks a historic setback for the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party, which has dominated Bolivian politics since Morales first took office in 2006. The party, fractured by infighting and weighed down by an economic crisis, failed to mount a serious challenge. Outgoing President Arce, deeply unpopular, declined to run, while other left-wing candidates faced hostility at polling stations, including stone-throwing and protests.
Bolivia's broader crisis, characterized by inflation nearing 25%, shortages of fuel and foreign currency, and growing debt, was a central theme throughout the campaign. Many voters viewed the election as a referendum on the MAS era, during which earlier economic gains from gas nationalization have largely evaporated.
