Following his October 20 victory, Rodrigo Paz was officially sworn in as Bolivia’s president last Saturday, ending nearly two decades of rule by the leftist Movement Toward Socialism (MAS)—a period that began with Evo Morales, one of Latin America’s most prominent figures from the original “pink tide.” Paz also defeated former president Jorge Quiroga, who espoused a right-wing alternative.
Rodrigo Paz presented a centrist-conservative alternative. His campaign promise aims to balance market reforms with social responsibility. In his inaugural address, Paz declared, “Never again will Bolivia be hostage to ideology; ideology doesn’t put food on the table.”
It seems Bolivians, fatigued by the failures of opposing ideological extremes, were ready for something different. Bolivia faces its worst economic crisis in four decades, marked by fuel shortages, soaring prices, and an inflation rate above 25 per cent.
But it was not always like this.
When Evo Morales rose to power in 2006, it was a historic and hopeful moment—Bolivia’s first Indigenous president in a country long divided by race and class. His government expanded Indigenous rights and nationalised natural gas. The Latin American commodity boom, which enabled many leftist regimes in the region, also benefited Bolivia.
Morales was able to fund ambitious social programmes, reducing poverty and inequality. Bolivia became a symbol of leftist renewal and post-neoliberal pride. He reduced US influence and built strong relationships with neighbouring leftist governments.
However, by the late 2010s, the boom had ended. Gas exports collapsed, subsidies became unsustainable, and public discontent grew. Morales was accused of corruption and authoritarianism after seeking to extend his presidency beyond term limits. He resigned following the 2019 election.
Internal divisions within his party—as well as statutory rape charges alleging that he impregnated a 15-year-old girl—further damaged his reputation.
Paz has now distanced himself from the ALBA bloc (which includes Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela) and moved closer to the USA, whose diplomatic ties with Bolivia were severed under Morales.
This shift represents a victory for Washington, which has sought to build anti-Venezuelan alliances (which includes Trinidad and Tobago) to strengthen its regional support against any potential Venezuelan incursion.
Paz’s administration has reopened dialogue with the US and secured a $3.1 billion loan from the Andean Development Corporation, signalling a pragmatic turn after years of anti-US rhetoric. Like the T&T’s administration, he also pledged to cooperate with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—expelled by Morales in 2008.
Analysts often comment on the pendulum of Latin American politics. The early-2000s leftist “pink tide” brought leaders such as Morales in Bolivia, Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, Lula da Silva in Brazil, and the Kirchners in Argentina. A conservative “blue tide” followed in the 2010s, itself succeeded by a renewed wave of leftist victories in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Bolivia’s pink tide survived—until now.
Mounting economic pressures and corruption scandals have fuelled a conservative resurgence.
Voters have grown weary of both leftist populism and right-wing austerity. Each political wave begins with great hope and ends in disillusionment, producing a cycle of optimism and frustration.
This is not unique to Latin America. Around the world, populist and anti-establishment leaders rise on promises of renewal and authenticity, only to falter under the weight of governance, scandal, or broken promises. Whoever replaces them often repeats the cycle.
Paz’s rise reflects both a public hunger for competence and deep cynicism toward political elites. Many Bolivians no longer vote for a particular ideology but against the one that disappointed them last. As one commentator put it after the election:
“We’re not voting for the right or the left anymore—we’re voting against whoever failed us.”
A similar scenario recently played out in New York City with the mayoral victory of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mandani against the capitalist establishment.
Paz’s victory offers hope to younger citizens but scepticism among those who have witnessed repeated political disappointments, wary of grand promises and revolutionary rhetoric.
Paz insists this time will be different: “This is the moment for true democracy and respect for the law.”
It is indeed ironic that Bolivia, after decades of democratic socialism and anti-neoliberal populism, has now voted for Paz and his vision of “capitalism for all,” while New Yorkers have turned away from capitalism in favour of a social-democratic mayor.
The cyclical shifts of power reveal that it is not the different ideologies that cause disappointment, but rather the corruption, nepotism, and arrogance of those within each system who promise to do better.
