Overview

• Centrist Rodrigo Paz faces conservative ex-president Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga in a tight race that follows the collapse of MAS in the first round.
• Quiroga pushes an IMF-backed rescue with deep spending cuts and privatizations, while Paz proposes gradual adjustments, subsidy phaseouts and social cushions.
• The economy faces fuel lines, a dollar squeeze and 23% inflation, with the boliviano trading at roughly half the official rate on the black market.
• Polling suggested a narrow edge for Quiroga; voting is compulsory for about 7.9 million people, with preliminary results expected Sunday night and inauguration set for Nov. 8.
• Both contenders court closer U.S. ties and foreign investment, as analysts warn subsidy cuts could trigger unrest and governance may be complicated by a fragmented Congress and Evo Morales’ extra-institutional influence under an outstanding arrest warrant.