Bolivia’s New Conservative President-Elect Rodrigo Paz Gains Regional Backing, Pledges Restored US Ties

Rodrigo Paz, Bolivia's first conservative president in two decades, won the recent runoff election with 54.5% of the vote, signaling a significant political and economic shift after years of leftist rule under Evo Morales and the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party. Paz has pledged to restore diplomatic relations with the United States, which were severed in 2008, and attract foreign investment to address Bolivia's economic crisis and reintegrate the country into international markets. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed Paz's victory as a transformative opportunity for bilateral cooperation on investment, immigration, and security. Paz also signaled a shift in regional alliances by supporting Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado and distancing Bolivia from Nicolás Maduro's regime. Unlike his right-wing rival Jorge Quiroga, who advocated for an IMF fiscal shock package, Paz rejected an IMF bailout but is coordinating with the Trump administration and other friendly countries to secure fuel imports and stabilize the economy before taking office on November 8. Nine countries from the Americas, including the U.S., have expressed support for Paz's incoming administration and its plans to stabilize Bolivia's economy and strengthen democratic institutions.