Bolivia Archives - Americas Quarterly

AQ Podcast | Bolivia’s Game-Changing Election

After years of MAS rule, Bolivia looks set for major change. In today’s episode, a look at the two candidates in the October runoff election.

LA PAZ, BOLIVIA - AUGUST 17: An electoral jury shows a ballot in the vote count at the Hugo Davila School on August 17, 2025 in La Paz, Bolivia. Bolivians head to polls amid a social and economic crisis. Projections reveal that a runoff could be possible for the first time since the constitution was introduced in 2009. Opposition candidates Samuel Doria Medina of Alianza Unidad and Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga of Alianza Libre lead the surveys ahead of the election.

REACTION: Bolivia’s Runoff: A Surprise Candidate Faces a Conservative

In a rebuke of the ruling MAS party, centrist Rodrigo Paz and right-wing former President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga will face off on October 19.

Rodrigo Paz Pereira and Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga

Bolivia: Meet the Candidates 2025

Voters will choose between a centrist and a conservative former president in the October 19 runoff.

Demonstrators during a drivers' union protest against fuel shortages in La Paz in June.June 4, 2025. Bolivia Enters a Contentious New Political Landscape: The end of MAS hegemony signals the beginning of a new chapter of divided power and greater instability.

Bolivia Enters a Contentious New Political Landscape

The end of MAS hegemony signals the beginning of a new chapter of divided power and greater instability.

To Escape Economic Crisis, Bolivia Has a Painful Road Ahead

Whoever wins this year’s election, the next president will face the daunting task of implementing bitter reforms.

Q&A: Vicky Murillo on Latin America’s 2025 Election Cycle

A political science professor explains how voters are shopping around this year.

121 Years Late, A Brazil-Bolivia Bridge Takes Shape

Promised in a 1903 treaty, the Mamoré International Bridge is set to finally take shape—on a continent increasingly geared toward trade with Asia.

Bolivia’s Turmoil May Lead to a Political Shift

The power struggle between President Luis Arce and former President Evo Morales could open a door to the opposition.

Evo Morales supporters gather outside the Supreme Electoral Tribunal in La Paz in July.

Bolivia Is a Warning for Mexico’s Judicial Reform

Electing judges has undermined Bolivia’s justice system’s legitimacy and independence—and weakened the country’s rule of law.

Unions marched in Santa Cruz on September 2, protesting fuel shortages and lack of U.S. dollars.

Bolivia’s Economy on the Brink

The country is at risk of a currency crisis as the government keeps a fixed exchange rate with no international reserves to support it.

Former army commander Juan José Zúñiga is detained in La Paz on June 26.

REACTION: Bolivia’s Failed Coup Attempt and What It Means

The army’s commander, Juan José Zúñiga, tried to seize power before backing down.

Bolivia's President Luis Arce greets supporters upon his arrival at the 10th congress of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party in El Alto, Bolivia, on May 3, 2024.

In Bolivia, an “Intense” Battle Between Arce and Morales

The struggle between President Arce and Evo Morales for control of the MAS party is consuming national politics and jeopardizing the economy.

Latin America’s Lithium Sands Are Shifting

Argentina and Bolivia hope to surpass Chile as a long-awaited lithium boom gains speed.

AQ Podcast | Bolivia: The Return of Evo Morales?

The longtime president wants to run again in 2025. What does it mean for the Andean nation?

Indigenous leaders and OTCA member countries' representatives at a meeting in Brasilia in July.

Can Amazon Basin Presidents Find Consensus on Protecting the Forest?

AQ talked to Kleber Karipuna, member of the organizing committee of the OTCA presidential summit, on the challenges facing the region—from crime to carbon markets.