Rodrigo Paz Pereira, the newly elected president of Bolivia, thanked God for his victory, which ended two decades of leftist rule in the South American country.
He repeatedly cited the Lord in his victory speech, saying, “I want, first of all, to thank our God for his energy, for his faith, for his strength, for his audacity.”
Paz, 58, a senator from the Christian Democratic Party and son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora, addressed supporters after being declared the winner of the 2025 Bolivian presidential election.
He added, “He is a blessed God who also gives the audacity to make decisions that affect the country, that lead to moments like these.”
Paz framed his priorities around faith, declaring, “God, family and homeland are the foundation of a vision we have regarding our commitment to all of Bolivia, to all Bolivians.”
As he closed his address, he vowed to “work all the hours God gives me to transform,” and concluded with the words, “God bless you.”
Unofficial results show Paz captured 54.96% of the vote in the runoff, while his opponent, Jorge Quiroga of the Libre Party, secured 45.04%. The two advanced to the runoff after receiving the highest vote shares in the Aug. 17 general election, where Paz won 32.1% and Quiroga won 26.8% in the first round.
The Christian Democratic Party, backed by a plurality of first-round voters, won the most seats in both the Bolivian Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The Movement Towards Socialism, the governing party, was routed in the 2025 election and will hold only two seats in the Chamber of Deputies and none in the Senate.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Paz's election as a “historic moment for Bolivia” and said the United States “stands ready to partner with Bolivia on shared priorities, including ending illegal immigration, improved market access for bilateral investment, and combating transnational criminal organizations to strengthen regional security.”
A 2024 U.S. State Department fact sheet noted a strained relationship with Bolivia since 2008 over “the Bolivian government's decision to expel the U.S. ambassador, U.S. law enforcement, and development cooperation agencies,” and cited “anti-democratic actions and the politicization of the legal system” as major concerns.
At a Monday press conference, Paz pledged to rebuild ties with Washington, saying the Trump administration's message is “a very clear and open signal” that will allow “a fluid relationship and commitments to cooperation and joint work between both nations.”
