In Bolivia’s presidential runoff on Sunday, center-right senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira defeated right-wing former interim president Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga. This was the first time in twenty years that Evo Morales’s Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) was absent from the ballot. In a new Journal of Democracy online exclusive, Ximena Velasco-Guachalla and Callan Hummel explain why Paz’s victory is so significant. Not only does it make him the “new face of leadership” in this politically fractured, economically troubled country, it also signals an end to the MAS era.
The following Journal of Democracy essays examine the rise and fall of Evo Morales and the MAS party and the importance of this week’s landmark election.
Why Bolivia Voted for Change—And Continuity
The election of Rodrigo Paz Pereira as Bolivia’s new president signals the end of the MAS era. But it is more than an end to Evo Morales’s leftist party. It showcases how Indigenous political power has transformed the country’s political landscape.
Ximena Velasco Guachalla and Callan Hummel
Why Bolivia’s MAS Collapsed
Evo Morales’s Movement Toward Socialism transformed Bolivian politics. But after almost two decades in power, the party is unraveling. No longer the country’s anchor, the MAS has become a major driver of instability and political decay.
Santiago AnriaWhy Bolivia’s Election Matters So Much
The small South American country has become a strategic foothold for authoritarian powers. Its election is hugely important for the future of democracy across the region.
Jhanisse Vaca Daza
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