A balancing act in the Andes
An election in Bolivia expresses voter desire for a moderate approach to governing and a distaste for socialism鈥檚 mistakes.
Bolivian centrist presidential candidate Rodrigo Paz addressed supporters in the capital, La Paz, August 17, 2025, after early election results came in. A run-off vote will be held in October.
AP
Cyclical swings from far left to far right and back again seem to typify voting patterns in Latin America. And elections in the Andean nation of Bolivia 鈥� ruled for nearly 20 years by an increasingly unpopular far-left party 鈥� were expected to be no different.
Yet, on Sunday, voters upended predictions of a rightward swing. Centrist Rodrigo Paz Pereira won the most votes, putting him into an October runoff with a conservative former president, Jorge 鈥淭uto鈥� Quiroga.
Mr. Paz鈥檚 appeal points to a political maturing among voters for a more moderate path than the outgoing leftist government. Under the country鈥檚 first Indigenous leader, Evo Morales, poverty rates dropped from 63.5% to 33.1% between 2006 and 2018. A boom in gas and oil production supported social spending and subsidies. But Mr. Morales grew authoritarian and was ousted in 2019.
Since then, gas production has fallen and inflation has soared. Bolivians realize that reversing these trends will require sacrifice.
鈥淲e鈥檝e all been raised on politicians鈥� broken promises. I鈥檓 not sure who to trust,鈥� The Associated Press quoted one campaign rally participant as saying. On the other hand, one La Paz teacher, Carlos Blanco Casas, told Reuters: 鈥淭his election feels hopeful. We need a change of direction.鈥�
Mr. Paz鈥檚 candidacy is helped by his political outsider running mate, Edman Lara Monta帽o. The former police captain quit the force after publicly alleging corruption in the 鈥渉igh command.鈥� According to the web news source Red Uno, the social-media-savvy Mr. Lara helped Mr. Paz 鈥渃onnect with an electorate demanding renewal and transparency.鈥�
After Sunday鈥檚 poll, both Mr. Paz and Mr. Lara zeroed in on the ideals of transformation and trust. 鈥淏olivia is not just asking for a change in government, it鈥檚 asking for a change in the political system,鈥� Mr. Paz said.
Mr. Lara stressed that it鈥檚 鈥渢ime to clean house鈥� and have a direct connection with voters. He and Mr. Paz 鈥渨alked the neighborhoods ... [and] spoke to people without intermediaries,鈥� Mr. Lara said, distinguishing this approach from opponents who 鈥渟pent fortunes on posters and TV spots.鈥�
While it鈥檚 uncertain who will be the next president, it鈥檚 clear that Bolivians don鈥檛 want repetition, but renewal 鈥� a chant heard repeatedly at Mr. Paz鈥檚 Sunday rally.
鈥淲e want new people, new proposals, another chance,鈥� as Paz supporter Jaqueline Cachaca told the AP.