Rodrigo Paz Pereira Elected as Bolivia's President, Signalling a Shift to the Right

Sunday's presidential runoff election in Bolivia marked the end of an era, as centre-right senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira emerged victorious, ending nearly two decades of dominance by the leftist Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party. This electoral outcome, which sees a shift to the right, brings a new narrative to Bolivia's political landscape.

Background

The presidential runoff took place between two right-wing candidates, Rodrigo Paz Pereira and former conservative President Jorge Quiroga. According to preliminary results, Paz secured approximately 54.5% of the vote, while Quiroga received around 45.5%. This election marked the first time since 2005 that no candidate from Evo Morales' MAS party was on the ballot.

Key Developments

The election saw a face-off between two different economic projects and two different ways of narrating the future of Bolivia. While Quiroga, a former president between 2001 and 2002, assured that his measures would only be a 'rebalancing' in the economy, Paz, a Christian Democrat and son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora, emerged as a surprise victor in both the first and second rounds.

The results of the election indicate a decisive rejection of the socialist government, with the candidate fielded by MAS, Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo, winning only 3.16% of the vote in the election held in late August.

Implications and Reactions

The shift to the right in Bolivian politics signifies a likely foreign policy shift closer to the US, after decades of anti-American hostility, and away from Bolivia’s current allies, China and Russia. The election also marks a crucial moment for the indigenous and peasant vote, which played a significant role in deciding the election.

The election outcome is expected to revive the 'war on drugs', with a change of approach to coca cultivation. Bolivians are hoping for a leader to lift them out of their country’s worst economic crisis in decades.

Conclusion

As the dust settles on this historic election, Rodrigo Paz Pereira is set to be the country's next president. With the ballots now being subjected to a thorough manual examination, the final result is unlikely to deviate from the initial tally announced after 97% of ballots were counted. For the first time in 20 years, the MAS force of Evo Morales was excluded from the contest, signaling a significant shift in Bolivia's political landscape.