August 17, 2026

Bolivia Watch

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EXCERPT:

Anti-government protests demanding the resignation of Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz have continued as the country remains mired in crisis, local media reported.

Demonstrators have set up roadblocks and blocked highways at 59 locations across the country’s nine administrative regions.

Based on the latest road map published by the Bolivian Highway Administration, transportation has been disrupted in the Andean regions of La Paz, Oruro and Potosi, as well as in the central regions of Chuquisaca and Cochabamba and the eastern region of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Attempts by security forces to reopen the 227-kilometre highway between La Paz and Oruro as part of an operation called the White Flag Humanitarian Corridor were met with fierce resistance from protesters, who reportedly threw dynamite sticks and stones at police.

News Source
EXCERPT:

LA PAZ, Bolivia — Clashes erupted Thursday in Bolivia’s capital as police used tear gas to disperse a crowd of miners trying to breach the government palace and setting off small dynamite charges, a tactic that has become increasingly common during this second week of nationwide unrest.

It was the latest incident in growing social unrest challenging the administration of President Rodrigo Paz, who was sworn in as president late last year, ushering a new era for the Andean nation after nearly 20 years of one-party rule.

Thousands of miners descended on downtown La Paz to demand labor refo

Senator Rodrigo Paz of the Christian Democrat Party has been elected the next President of Bolivia. In August, he finished first in the general election, winning a run-off election with former President Jorge “Tuto’ Quiroga.

In the run-off election, Paz won 54.5% to 45.5%. The election breaks the socialist control of the country as Bolivia looks to follow Argentina in opening their markets and purging the government of waste. He has promised to take a “gradual approach to free-market reforms in hopes of avoiding a sharp recession or jump in inflation that would enrage the masses.”

Blurb:

It looks like Bolivia is done with socialism. For the first time since 2005, the country has officially elected a candidate who is not a part of Evo Morales’ Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party. This comes as Bolivia faces a serious economic crisis — something that seems to go hand-in-hand with years of socialism.

As I reported back in August, the country held its general election, which led to a runoff between center-right Senator Rodrigo Paz, who earned 32.18% of the vote, and conservative former President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, who earned 26.81% of the vote.

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Excerpt:

Early results showed centrist Rodrigo Paz take the lead, with 32.8 percent of the vote, in surprise outcome.

Bolivia is heading to a presidential run-off between a centrist and right-wing candidate, confirming the end of two decades of government by the Movement for Socialism (MAS), according to the South American country’s electoral council.

With more than 91 percent of the ballots counted on Sunday night, preliminary results showed centrist Rodrigo Paz of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) in the lead, with 32.8 percent of the vote.

Conservative former interim President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, of the Alianza Libre coalition, was in second place, with 26.4 percent of the vote, meaning he will face Paz, the son of former left-leaning President Jaime Paz, in a run-off election on October 19.