The second round of presidential elections in Bolivia, held on Sunday, October 19th, opened a new page on the country's political stage. Senator Rodrigo Pas Pereira, a candidate from the centrist party Partido Democrata Cristiano, won the election, dw.com reports.
According to the election commission, Pas secured approximately 55% of the votes, surpassing his opponents. This result officially put an end to the dominance of the leftist camp, which lasted for almost twenty years.
In Bolivia, over the past two decades, the political scene has been largely defined by rivalry between two individuals - former president Evo Morales and incumbent president Luis Arce. Both are leading representatives of the leftist Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS).
The 58-year-old winner, Rodrigo Paz, addressed the nation at a rally in La Paz, saying:
"Today, Bolivia has a government that provides real solutions. We will gradually restore the country's international standing and begin to restore the trust of citizens."
Pas's opponent, right-wing conservative Libertad y Democracia candidate Jorge Kiroga, congratulated his opponent, but noted that the official results are expected to be announced.
As a reminder, Evo Morales, one of the most popular left-wing politicians in Latin America, was unable to run for president again due to constitutional restrictions. Luis Arce withdrew his candidacy before the election due to a sharp decline in his rating.
Thus, the political landscape in Bolivia took on a new character - after many years of leftist orientation, the country fell into the hands of centrist politicians. This result is also considered an important turning point in the political balance of Latin America.
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