The until now opposition senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira will be the new president of Boliviaby winning this Sunday in the second round of the elections in the South American country.
Paz Pereira, candidate of the Christian Democratic Party, defeated former right-wing president Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, of Alianza Libre, in the runoff, thus ending the 20 years in power of the Movement towards Socialism (MAS), except for the brief period in which Jeanine Áñez governed.
Defined as centrist or center-right in press reports, the new president obtained around 54.6% of the votes, according to preliminary reports – already considered irreversible – by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Bolivia, with more than 97% of the votes counted.
According to these reports, valid votes exceeded 94.5% and citizen participation was between 85 and 89%. according to review the agency EFE.
Furthermore, the TSE assured that the data transmission system worked “optimally” and denied that it suffered “any manipulation, problem with the power supply or interruptions in its transmission.”
#SegundaVueltaBolivia I With more than 97% of the electoral records transmitted, the TSE Sirepre shows the candidate of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Rodrigo Paz, as the winner of the second electoral round.#TSEBolivia #GeneralElections2025
https://t.co/mGg0PTLSQE— TSE Bolivia (@TSEBolivia) October 20, 2025
Peace: “open Bolivia to the world” and work with “everyone”
The president-elect, who is the son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora and had already given the surprise by leading the first roundwas already congratulated by his opponent, “Tuto” Quiroga, and by the outgoing ruler, the socialist Luis Arce.
In statements after learning of his victory, Paz Pereira assured that the electoral victory is not his, but Bolivia’s, and promised to “open” the country to the world again and work with “all sectors” that want to join in to “get ahead,” according to press reports.
“Today, since victory, we extend our hand to govern with all the men and women who love the country,” he noted in a speech to his followers. reviewed by cnn.
Furthermore, he stated that with his success “Bolivia is once again recovering its international stage step by step” and thanked the presidents of the region who had already called him to congratulate him. He also confirmed having communicated with US Undersecretary of State Christopher Landau, who called him on behalf of the Trump Administration.
Rodrigo Paz Pereira appreciates the support received to win the second presidential round in Bolivia and promises to “open” the country to the world again and work with all sectors that want to join to “get ahead” of the crisis.https://t.co/q20R9fi4Lj
— EFE News (@EFEnoticias) October 20, 2025
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Paz on x and noted that his election represents “a transformative opportunity for both nations” after “two decades of mismanagement,” in reference to the period governed by the MAS.
For his part, Luis Arce wished the new president success and said that his Government is ready to work on an “orderly transition” with the next authorities. His former ally and now enemy, former president Evo Morales, celebrated the defeat of those “who hate humble people,” in reference to Tuto Quiroga, and also attacked Arce, for supposedly supporting Quiroga.
Paz Pereira, a 58-year-old economist, will assume the presidency of a Bolivia involved in a political and economic crisis, marked by the strong internal division in the MAS and a significant setback in the economy, unlike what happened in the first periods of governments of the leftist formation.
His political proposal, with less radical turns than those defended by Quiroga, and a greater proximity to the people, won him the vote of the undecided and those dissatisfied with the management of the MAS, in the opinion of political analysts, who also highlight the role of his vice president, Edman Lara, a former police captain, famous on social networks and growing in popularity in the country.
