Europe Asia News

In the electoral commission’s “preliminary” count, with just over 97 percent of votes tallied, Paz Pereira received 54.6 percent of the votes, while right-wing former president Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga took 45.4 percent.

Two hours after the results were announced, Paz Pereira told supporters at a hotel in La Paz, “After 20 years of being left out of the economy and geopolitics, let’s continue building a new future, a new path. We must create jobs.”

He added, “Ideology doesn’t put food on the table. What does is the right to work, strong institutions, legal security, respect for private property, and confidence in the future — and that’s what we want to work for.”

The president-elect also mentioned U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he hopes “to build a close relationship with one of the world’s most important governments, to be part of the solutions starting November 8, and to ensure Bolivia does not suffer from a shortage of hydrocarbons.”