Centre-right senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira, 58, has emerged victorious in Bolivia’s presidential runoff election, signaling a dramatic political shift after nearly 20 years of dominance by the leftist Movimiento al Socialismo (Mas) party.

With just over 97% of ballots counted in the preliminary tally, Paz Pereira secured 54.6% of the vote, defeating right-wing former president Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, who received 45.4%. The Bolivian electoral court stressed that the figures are preliminary and that the official results will be confirmed within seven days after the definitive count, which involves public verification at polling stations.

Addressing supporters in La Paz shortly after the announcement, Paz Pereira said: “Let’s keep building a future, a new path after 20 years that have left us out of the economy and geopolitics. We must create jobs. Ideology doesn’t put food on the table. What does is the right to work, strong institutions, legal security, respect for private property, and certainty about your future – and that’s what we want to work for.”

Paz Pereira also expressed his intention to cultivate a close relationship with the United States, saying he hoped “to build a close relationship with one of the most important governments in the world, to be part of the solutions from 8 November onwards, and to ensure that Bolivia does not lack hydrocarbons.”

The senator, representing the department of Tarija, is the son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora (1989-1993). Despite extensive political experience as a city councillor, mayor, and congressman, Paz Pereira positioned himself as an outsider, achieving a remarkable rise from low opinion poll rankings to first-round success.

Sunday’s election marked Bolivia’s first presidential runoff and the first time since 2005 that no candidate from the Mas party appeared on the ballot. Current president Luis Arce opted not to run, instead endorsing interior minister Eduardo del Castillo, who won just over 3% in the first round – barely maintaining the party’s legal status.

The collapse of the once-dominant party has been attributed to internal conflicts between Evo Morales and Arce and to Bolivia’s worst economic crisis in four decades, with soaring inflation and shortages of both dollars and fuel. A now-deleted post on the vice-minister of communication’s Facebook page celebrated the Mas party’s defeat, saying: “The Masistas are finally leaving! After 20 years of ruining the country.”

Mas, which once held two-thirds of Congress, will now have only two deputies and no senators, leaving Paz Pereira to navigate legislative challenges despite his party, the Partido Demócrata Cristiano (PDC), winning 49 deputies and 16 senators.

During his campaign, Paz Pereira promoted “popular capitalism”, promising low-interest loans for small entrepreneurs, canceling state debts for citizens, cracking down on smuggling, and lowering import tariffs. His running mate, Edman Lara Montaño, a former police captain and anti-corruption activist known as Capt Lara, is widely credited with boosting the ticket’s popularity. Lara, 39, gained fame for exposing corruption in the police force through viral TikTok videos.

Following the preliminary results, Lara stated: “We must rebuild the country’s economy; we must guarantee the supply of diesel and petrol. People are suffering; we need to stabilise the prices of basic goods and put an end to corruption.”

Paz Pereira has vowed to treat Evo Morales under the law like any other citizen amid ongoing legal controversies. Morales has been protected by coca farmers in central Bolivia in response to an arrest warrant related to allegations dating back to his presidency.

As Bolivia transitions to a new political era, Paz Pereira faces the dual challenge of reviving the economy and restoring public trust in governance, while managing legislative hurdles and addressing the lingering legacies of Mas-era policies.

The election concludes a nearly two-decade period of leftist governance and marks a historic moment as Bolivia moves toward a centre-right administration committed to economic reform, anti-corruption measures, and international engagement. (ILKHA)