Conservative wins direction election
Bolivia turns from left to right
October 20, 2025 – 11:53 a.mReading time: 3 minutes
Christian Democrat Rodrigo Paz ends two decades of left-wing government in Bolivia. His program “Capitalism for All” is surprising. This is exactly what it provides.
Two decades of left-wing governments are coming to an end in Bolivia: Christian Democrat senator Rodrigo Paz has won the presidential election in the South American country, according to official figures. Paz secured 54.5 percent of the vote in the runoff against his right-wing competitor Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, the Bolivian electoral authority announced on Sunday after counting almost 98 percent of the votes. The election winner held out the prospect of his country opening up internationally, and the USA expressed its hope for a restart of relations.
Paz, 58, takes office on November 8th. During the election campaign, he promised economic reforms under the motto “capitalism for all”. The Spanish-born politician wants to introduce a kind of unconditional basic income for women and use a tax reform to help the country’s industry thrive. Paz is the son of former President Jaime Paz Zamora, who was Bolivian president between 1989 and 1993.
Social policy was a crucial issue in the election campaign. The Konrad Adenauer Foundation, which is close to the CDU, stated in an analysis: “In view of the severe economic crisis, which is felt by many Bolivians every day through rising food prices, shortages of medicines and mile-long queues at gas stations, the will to change has recently been almost palpable.”
In particular, Bolivia’s relationship with the USA had deteriorated massively under left-wing heads of state over the past two decades: In 2008, the then government of President Evo Morales, elected two years earlier, expelled the US ambassador, which resulted in a break in diplomatic relations with Washington. Under Morales’ successor Luis Arce, who has been in power since 2020, relations were not resumed; instead, he forged economic and political ties with Venezuela, China, Russia and Iran.
“Bolivia is returning step by step to the international stage. We must open Bolivia to the world and take on a role again,” said the elected president to his supporters in a hotel in the center of the metropolis of La Paz.
The USA in particular reacted with relief to the election victory of the conservative Paz. After “two decades of mismanagement,” Paz’s election offers “both nations an opportunity for change,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a statement. Washington is ready to cooperate on, among other things, regional security and the fight against irregular migration – as well as on promoting investment. The president-elect himself said during his speech in La Paz that he had received a call from US President Donald Trump.
