(MENAFN) Center-right Senator Rodrigo Paz, representing the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), emerged victorious in Bolivia’s presidential runoff election on Sunday, triumphing over former conservative President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga.

With more than 97% of votes tallied, preliminary figures released by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) confirmed that Paz garnered 54.53% of the ballots, while Quiroga received 45.43%.

Paz, a 58-year-old economist, was born on September 22, 1967, in Spain and spent his early years living in various countries including Argentina, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, and Panama.

Sunday’s outcome marks Paz’s inaugural electoral win, a feat that just two months ago seemed highly unlikely until his surprising victory in the first round.

His political journey has largely unfolded in the southern department of Tarija, where he held multiple positions such as councilman, mayor, and congressman before ascending to the Senate.

Notably, he is the son of former President Jaime Paz Zamora, who served from 1989 to 1993.

Quiroga conceded defeat and recognized his opponent’s success.

“We cannot leave the country in limbo. We would exacerbate the problems of people suffering from the crisis; we cannot question it. We need a mature attitude at this time. We are going to verify the results, but I have congratulated Rodrigo,” Quiroga told his followers.

The election on Sunday marks the clear conclusion of nearly twenty years of leftist rule, with voters opting for two capitalist contenders.

This election represents a significant political transformation for the Andean nation, following the setback of the long-dominant Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party in the initial round.

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