Rodrigo Paz Wins Bolivian Runoff, Ends MAS Rule

Rodrigo Paz, a 58-year-old centrist senator of the Christian Democratic Party and son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora, won Bolivia’s presidential runoff with about 54.5% of the vote, defeating Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga and ending nearly 20 years of rule by the Movement for Socialism (MAS). Voters punished MAS amid a deep economic crisis marked by fuel shortages, a scarcity of U.S. dollars, soaring inflation (around 23%) and collapsed natural-gas revenues. Paz campaigned on a “capitalism for all” platform promising to open the economy to private investment, phase out costly fuel subsidies, allow currency adjustment, curb wasteful spending and corruption while preserving core social protections and avoiding an immediate IMF shock. He says he will pursue gradual reforms to stabilize prices and credit access for small businesses and to restore investor confidence. Paz inherits a fragmented legislature, faces the risk of unrest from Morales loyalists, and is to take office on November 8, with international observers calling the vote orderly and the United States offering congratulations and cooperation.