Paz, Quiroga Advance to Bolivia’s Presidential Runoff

(MENAFN) Bolivia is now preparing for a runoff election after an unexpected turn in the presidential race.

The face-off will be between centrist lawmaker Rodrigo Paz and conservative ex-leader Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, as the results from Sunday’s vote defied earlier polling predictions.

According to the National Electoral Council (CNE), with 90% of the votes counted, Paz garnered 31% support, putting him ahead of Quiroga, who obtained 27%.

These figures place both men in contention for the decisive second round of voting.

Rodrigo Paz, a 57-year-old affiliated with the Christian Democratic Party, emerged as the surprising leader in the first round.

The son of former President Jaime Paz Zamora, who governed from 1989 to 1993, Paz was born in Spain during his family's political exile from 1964 to 1982. His public service career began in 2002 as a congressman.

Over the years, he has also held positions as mayor and regional governor in Tarija, his home department. While initially seen as a lesser-known figure, his profile steadily rose during the campaign.

Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, 65, representing the Alianza Libre coalition, secured second place in the race. This marks his fourth attempt at the presidency.

Quiroga previously held the office between 2001 and 2002, stepping in to complete the term of ex-dictator Hugo Banzer after Banzer resigned due to terminal illness.

Quiroga responded to the results at a rally, declaring, “Bolivia told the world that we want to live in a free nation. It's a historic night.”

Surprisingly, businessman Samuel Doria Medina, aged 66 and seen as a strong contender according to most pre-election forecasts, failed to advance.

Despite having run for president three times before, Medina only managed a third-place finish.

The rest of the candidates, including progressive hopeful Andronico Rodriguez, remained far behind in the vote count.

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