Bolivia Set for Presidential Runoff as Candidates Emerge
The Supreme Electoral Court of Bolivia has announced that Rodrigo Paz of the Christian Democratic Party and Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga of the right-wing LIBRE party will compete in the October 2025 presidential runoff, reports 24brussels.
In a surprising turn of events, Paz Pereira topped the first round with 1,551,472 votes, accounting for 32.8% of the ballots, while Quiroga followed closely with 1,306,575 votes, or 26.94%. This outcome defied pre-election polls that favored Quiroga, indicating a competitive electoral landscape. Samuel Doria Medina trailed in third place with 965,510 votes, roughly 19.9%.
The total votes cast amounted to 6,154,466 from an eligible voter base of 7,567,207. Valid votes comprised 4,837,798, representing 78.61% of the total, while invalid and null votes accounted for 1,169,939, or 19.01% of the ballots. The electoral tribunal’s statistics reveal a robust participation rate despite the distribution of void votes.
Paz Pereira, a 57-year-old economist, achieved a remarkable rise from less than 3% support to winning the first round. Born during his father’s exile, former Bolivian president Jaime Paz Zamora, he has a rich political background, having served twice as a deputy and as mayor of Tarija from 2015 to 2020. His choice for vice president, Edman Lara, gained notoriety for exposing corruption within the police until his dismissal in 2024.
Jorge Fernando Quiroga Ramírez, born on May 5, 1960, in Cochabamba, also has a distinguished political resume. A graduate of the University of Texas A&M, he served as Bolivia’s youngest vice president in 1997, later stepping into the presidency in 2001. Despite a history of ambitious economic initiatives and pivotal involvement in the 2019 political crisis, his recent campaign has seen split allegiances among opposition leaders.
As both candidates gear up for the runoff, the political landscape in Bolivia remains charged with competition and uncertainty, signaling a critical moment for the nation’s democratic process.
