Centrist Rodrigo Paz Wins Bolivia’s Presidential Runoff, Topping Right-Wing Rival

Bolivia’s presidential candidate for the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Rodrigo Paz, greets a supporter upon arriving at a polling station as he accompanies his daughter Catalina (out of frame) to vote during the presidential runoff election in La Paz on October 19, 2025. Bolivians head to the polls to choose between right-wing candidates Jorge ‘Tuto’ Quiroga and Senator Rodrigo Paz, both promising change as the country of some 12 million people sees the end of two decades of socialist rule. (Photo by Jorge BERNAL / AFP) (Photo by JORGE BERNAL/AFP via Getty Images)

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Preliminary results show that Rodrigo Paz, a centrist senator who was never a nationally prominent figure until now, has won Bolivia’s presidential election, galvanizing voters outraged by the country’s economic crisis and frustrated with 20 years of rule by the Movement Toward Socialism party. “The trend is irreversible,” said ҳcar Hassenteufel, the president of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Early results show that Paz, 58, secured more than 54% of the vote. His rival, former right-wing President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, won just over 45% of the vote.