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Bolivia’s President-Elect Rodrigo Paz to Restore U.S. Ties, Review ChinaRussia Lithium Deals

Early moves signal a pivot toward Washington plus scrutiny of lithium contracts with Russia and China.

Overview

  • A preliminary official count shows Rodrigo Paz winning the runoff with 54.61% to Jorge Quiroga’s 45.39%, establishing him as president-elect.
  • Paz said he has coordinated the transfer of power with outgoing President Luis Arce, called for national unity, and invited his rival to join the transition ahead of the November 8 handover.
  • He announced plans to reestablish full diplomatic relations with the United States, noted talks with State Department officials, and received congratulations from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
  • Paz said his team will review lithium agreements signed with Russian and Chinese partners to increase transparency and he signaled openness to a new stage of dialogue with Chile.
  • His economic program proposes a 50/50 fiscal decentralization, export liberalization, tax reform, low-interest credit lines, and tariff reductions, while seeking external support to ease fuel shortages and pledging to avoid IMF-style austerity.