Rodrigo Paz wins first round in Bolivia and will face Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga in a runoff election

La Paz, Bolivia. – Senator and former mayor of Tarija, Rodrigo Paz Pereira, was consecrated this Sunday as the most voted candidate in the general elections of Bolivia, after reaching 31.6% of the votes, according to the quick count of the Electoral Results Registration and Processing System Electoral (Sirepre). Paz, considered an “underdog” who gained strength in recent weeks, will lead the second round scheduled for October 19, in which he will face former President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, who obtained 27.1% of the votes.

Read more: Elections in Bolivia: Centrist Rodrigo Paz Surprises and Will Face Jorge Quiroga in the Runoff

In his victory speech, the centrist Paz remarked that his political project seeks a change of focus in public management. “What we want is the reconstruction of the Homeland. That the economy be of the people and not of the State,” he affirmed. During his campaign, the Christian Democratic Party candidate harshly criticized what he called a “State tranca” or bureaucratic, which he blames for hindering private initiative and obstructing investment. According to reports, the result opens a scenario of high political tension, as both candidates must compete for the vote of undecided sectors and forces that were left out of the race to define who will govern Bolivia in the next five years.