In Bolivia's first-round presidential election, voters decisively rejected the leftist party that has ruled the country for most of the past two decades, signalling a shift toward more market-friendly policies to address the nation's economic struggles.
Centrist senator Rodrigo Paz led with 32.18% of the vote, while conservative former president Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga trailed at 26.94%.
With no candidate achieving over 40% of the vote and no 10-point lead, a runoff election is set for 19 October. The results reflect a shift in Bolivia’s political landscape, previously dominated by the leftist MAS party, led by Evo Morales, whose influence has waned in recent years.
Paz, in his victory speech, emphasised the need for a change not just in government but in the political system itself. Investors reacted positively to the results, with Bolivia’s bonds seeing a significant rise, reflecting hopes for economic recovery and potential aid from the IMF.
Bolivia’s economic challenges, including rising inflation, fuel shortages, and a lack of dollars, were top concerns for voters. The country’s fragile economy, with inflation reaching 23% by June, had led many Bolivians to turn to alternative methods like cryptocurrencies to protect their savings.
The election results also signal a potential shift in Latin America, with upcoming elections in Chile and Colombia possibly following Bolivia’s lead toward rightward political shifts. Voter turnout was steady, despite concerns of possible disruptions, with null and blank ballots making up 21.5% of the vote, indicating some lingering support for Morales.
In the aftermath, Paz and Quiroga will face off in the upcoming runoff, while several minor incidents were reported at polling stations, particularly in Morales' stronghold of Cochabamba. Both Paz and Quiroga promised significant reforms to tackle Bolivia’s economic crisis.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make the Strait of Hormuz part of U.S. territory have been mocked by Iran's Deputy Foreign Ministe...
For fishermen along Pakistan’s southwestern coast, the consequences of the U.S.-Iran conflict are being felt far from the battlefield....
At least 47 people have been killed after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, ...
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption continues to disrupt air travel in Sicily.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
Wildfires across England and Wales have reached their highest level on record, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council, as firefighters struggle to contain outbreaks following a spell of extreme heat.
Record rainfall in Japan killed eight people and stranded thousands of travellers at Tokyo's Narita Airport on Friday, as flooding disrupted transport and cut power to 20,000 homes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised deepening ties with North Korea, saying Moscow and Pyongyang are coordinating their efforts to ensure “regional security and stability”.
Russia and Ukraine traded large-scale overnight attacks targeting energy, industrial and military facilities on Saturday, with a three-month-old baby killed and 11 people injured in a Russian drone strike on a residential building in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.
At least 47 people have been killed after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, triggering small tsunami waves and dozens of aftershocks, officials say.
Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor at the centre of a plagiarism row, has been found dead. He was appointed Cambridge's youngest ever Black professor in 2023, but quit on 5 August, after being accused of lifting passages from his PhD from the work of other academics.
Wildfires across England and Wales have reached their highest level on record, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council, as firefighters struggle to contain outbreaks following a spell of extreme heat.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment