The economist and opposition politician
Rodrigo Paz Pereira made a big surprise in the general elections of Bolivia by leading the quick counts with over 30% of the valid votes, surpassing former president Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, who registers 27%. If confirmed, both will face each other in a runoff.
Paz Pereira, 57 years old, former deputy, former mayor of Tarija, and current senator for Comunidad Ciudadana, is the son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora and Spanish Carmen Pereira. He was born in Santiago de Compostela in 1967, during his parents' exile.
His modest campaign contrasted with that of his rivals but managed to capitalize on citizen support with a discourse focused on stability, governance, and the fight against corruption. Along with his running mate, former police officer Edman Lara, he proposes to end the "tranca state," redistribute resources, and implement deep judicial reform.
